Emigrant Campground

Overview

About Emigrant Campground

A tiny, tent‑only nook right off CA‑190, Emigrant Campground keeps things blissfully simple: 10 first‑come sites, year‑round, and typically free. It sits around 2,100 feet—cooler than the valley floor—with broad desert and mountain vistas that really deliver at sunrise, sunset, and under star‑packed skies.

Why stop

Free, first-come tent sites
Potable water and vault toilets on site; flush toilets a short walk away
Big night skies with wide sunrise/sunset views

Heads up

Only 10 sites and fills early
Roadside setting with limited privacy and potential wind/hard ground

Choose Emigrant if you value simplicity, cost, and stars over amenities. Skip it if you need RV space, hookups, or room to spread out.

Parkwolf’s verdictIs It For You?

Map

Where it is

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Full map

CampgroundEmigrant Campground36.49657, -117.22765

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Local know-how

Tips for visiting Emigrant Campground

Arrive by early afternoon; only 10 FCFS sites and they go fast.
Pack a gas stove—no wood or charcoal fires are permitted here.
Bring strong stakes, extra guylines, or use rocks to anchor your tent.
Have a backup campground planned in case Emigrant is full.
Check current water availability and any park alerts before leaving.

Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Arrive before mid‑afternoon to snag one of the 10 sites; weeknights are easier than weekends and holidays.
Cooler months make camping more comfortable, and dawn/dusk light flatters the surrounding hillsides.
For stargazing, aim for moonless nights and clear forecasts.

Facilities & Restrictions

You get the essentials: potable water and vault toilets on site, plus a building with flush toilets a short walk down a dirt path just outside the campground. Each site has a table. No campfires or charcoal are allowed, and there are no hookups, showers, or dump stations. It’s strictly tent camping—RVs and trailers aren’t accommodated here.

3 active Death Valley alerts

ClosureEmigrant Campground and restrooms closedMentions this placeEmigrant Campground and the Emigrant Day Use Area restrooms are closed for water-system repairs after flood damage; do not plan to camp at Emigrant or rely on its restrooms.Official details
ClosurePark roads closed or hazardousPlan around multiple closed roads and use extra caution on damaged routes. - Paved roads: North Highway and Beatty Cut-off are closed due to flooding and debris from the October 22 storm.Official details

See all 3 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Death Valley Tour Guide

Your drive to Emigrant Campground, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Death Valley National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

See the Death Valley audio tour

Recorded for this place

Emigrant Junction and the Ghost Riders Song

Listen

“Coming up is Emigrant Junction. The stone building is the old ranger station from the 1930s. It's not a working station, but it has a cool claim to fame: the classic song 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' was written right here.”

Plays as you drive up to Emigrant Campground in the Parkwolf Death Valley Tour Guide.

More about Emigrant Campground

What It Feels LikeExpect a minimalist, communal vibe.

Expect a minimalist, communal vibe. Sites sit close together, so privacy is limited, and you’re near the highway rather than tucked deep in the backcountry. The payoffs are convenience, cooler temps, and those big‑sky views. Night skies can be exceptional for stargazing and astrophotography.

WildlifeNothing unusual is spotlighted here specifically, but you’re in classic desert habitat—keep an…

Nothing unusual is spotlighted here specifically, but you’re in classic desert habitat—keep an eye out for lizards, birds, and small mammals, and follow normal food‑storage and wildlife‑safety practices.

Nearby & AccessYou’re just southwest of Stovepipe Wells along CA‑190, so supplies and gas are an easy drive…

You’re just southwest of Stovepipe Wells along CA‑190, so supplies and gas are an easy drive away. The location also makes this a handy base for exploring the corridor or heading up Emigrant Canyon.

Practical TipsBring a gas stove (no wood or charcoal fires).

Bring a gas stove (no wood or charcoal fires).
The ground is hard and rocky—pack extra guylines, robust stakes, or rock anchors.
Have a backup campground in mind in case it’s full.
Verify current water status and any park advisories before you go.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Death Valley

All Death Valley wildlife maps

71 sightingsBighorn SheepMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

101 sightingsDesert TortoiseMost seen around 8 AMSighting map

458 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

28 sightingsFeral BurroMost seen around 5 PMSighting map

30 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

62 sightingsKit FoxMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Death Valley. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.