Afton Canyon Campground

Adventure: 

Afton Canyon is a great place for any van or RV nomad to explore the Mojave desert and spend a few nights camping under the stars. Activities in the canyon include rock climbing, hiking, photography, horseback riding, and exploring the historic Mojave Road, which runs through the canyon. 

The Mojave River also runs thru the canyon and is known locally as “The Grand Canyon of the Mojave” for its dramatic geological formations. This is the only place where the Mojave River flows above ground year-round – providing significant wildlife habitat amid the desert.

The natural bounty created by this water source has made Afton Canyon a focus for living things. Dense willows and cottonwoods shaded the river, and mesquite thickets produced bean pods for food. The ponds, marshes, and streams provided habitat for various wildlife species. This makes it a great place to watch the local wildlife utilize the water source. 

Hike The Mojave Road

The Mojave Road is a 150 miles long east-west road that traverses the Mojave Desert between the Colorado River and Wilmington, CA. It runs thru Afton Canon and provides a good hiking path to explore the canyon. If you want to drive on the road past the campground, I recommend you have a high clearance Van with 4 x 4 capability. It is not regularly maintained and is very sandy in sections.  There are opportunities for primitive camping along the road.  All campsites along the Mojave Road are first-come, first-serve.

Campground:

The campground is first-come, first-service, and costs $6 a night, but there is a 14-day stay limit. Each site is equipped with a shade structure, parking area, table, fire pit, and grill. Vault toilets are centrally located. Campfire permits are required and may be restricted in fire season (typically May-October). You can obtain campfire permits online. 

There are train tracks located next to the campground, but the train doesn’t run that much. I think I saw 4 trains in a 24 hour period all during the day. The campsite is located along the Mojave River’s only section above ground. 

It’s a privilege to have Afton Canyon for our enjoyment, so please practice Leave No Trace principles.