Can I Camp on My Own Vacant Land in San Bernardino County?

You bought the land.

It's five acres of open desert with nobody around.

So you should be able to pitch a tent, park your RV and camp on your own property whenever you want, right?

Not necessarily.

One of the biggest surprises for some California High Desert landowners is discovering that owning vacant land doesn't automatically mean you can use it as a private campground.

San Bernardino County regulates temporary occupancy and recreational camping on vacant property. Whether you can camp on your land—and for how long—can depend on the property's zoning and how you intend to use it.

If camping is one of the reasons you're considering buying vacant land in Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms or another unincorporated High Desert community, this is something worth understanding before you buy.

Can I Camp on My Own Land in San Bernardino County?

In some situations, yes.

San Bernardino County's Development Code provides an exception allowing property owners to use certain property for recreational camping without a permit for no more than four days in a 30-day period.

The exception applies to property in certain zoning districts, including:

• RC — Resource Conservation
• AG — Agriculture
• RL-5 — Rural Living with a five-acre minimum parcel size
• Larger qualifying Rural Living zoning districts

That means some owners of appropriately zoned High Desert acreage may be able to enjoy occasional recreational camping on their property.

But it does not mean that every vacant parcel in San Bernardino County can legally be used for camping.

And it definitely doesn't mean you can move onto vacant land and live there indefinitely simply because you own it.

What Is the 4-Day Camping Rule?

For qualifying property, San Bernardino County allows recreational camping by the property owner for no more than four days within a 30-day period without requiring the land-use approval that would otherwise apply to temporary occupancy.

That's an important distinction.

The exception is intended for recreational camping.

It isn't permission to establish a permanent or semi-permanent residence on vacant land.

So if your plan is:

"I'd like to camp on my land for a weekend occasionally."

That may be possible on qualifying property.

If your plan is:

"I'm going to buy five acres, park my RV there and live in it."

That's a completely different land-use question.

Can I Pitch a Tent on My Vacant Land?

Potentially, if the property qualifies for the recreational camping exception.

The County's temporary-use provisions specifically address temporary structures such as tents and other makeshift shelters.

Again, the important questions are:

What is the property's zoning?

and

How long do you intend to camp there?

Don't assume that because a parcel is remote, nobody cares how it's being used.

Remote land is still subject to County land-use regulations.

Can I Camp in an RV on My Vacant Land?

This is where buyers need to be particularly careful.

San Bernardino County generally prohibits using a vehicle on real property for camping, dwelling or establishing temporary or permanent residency unless the use is authorized under the County's Development Code.

The recreational camping exception can apply to vehicles on qualifying RC, AG and RL-5-or-larger properties for the limited camping period.

But that is very different from placing an RV on vacant land and using it as a residence.

If your goal is to buy inexpensive land and live in an RV full-time, don't assume that purchasing acreage makes that legal.

Verify your intended use before buying.

Can I Leave My RV on Vacant Land When I'm Not Camping?

Don't confuse camping in an RV with storing an RV.

Those can be treated differently.

San Bernardino County's published guidance regarding RV storage specifically discusses storing an RV on property with a residence, subject to location and setback requirements.

Vacant land presents different issues because there may not yet be a legally established primary residential use on the property.

If your plan involves leaving an RV, trailer or other structure permanently on otherwise vacant land, ask the County about that specific use rather than assuming the recreational camping exception covers it.

Can I Live in My RV While I Build a House?

Don't assume you can.

Building a permitted home on the property does not automatically turn an RV into a legal residence during construction.

San Bernardino County identifies recreational vehicles and trailers among temporary structures that may require permits or other authorization.

If you're buying vacant land with the plan of living on-site while you build, investigate the temporary occupancy requirements as part of your due diligence.

That's a different question from occasionally camping recreationally on your property.

Can I Put a Tiny Home, Yurt or Camping Trailer on My Land?

This is another area where the Internet creates a lot of confusion.

A tiny house, yurt, trailer, shed or other structure doesn't become exempt from land-use and building regulations simply because it's small, movable or described as "temporary."

San Bernardino County specifically identifies tents, yurts, trailers, recreational vehicles and other camp-style shelters used for short-term lodging as alternative shelters.

The County states that these types of shelters cannot simply be used for short-term lodging without the appropriate land-use approval.

So before buying a parcel because you envision a yurt, tiny home or glamping setup, determine exactly what permits and approvals would be required.

Can I Turn My Vacant Land Into a Private Campground?

Occasionally camping on your own property and operating a campground are two very different things.

The four-day recreational camping exception does not turn residential or rural land into a campground.

If you're planning to create multiple campsites, rent sites to other people, host paying guests or operate a recreational business, additional zoning and land-use approvals may be required.

San Bernardino County separately regulates recreational vehicle parks and campground-type uses.

If income is part of your plan, investigate the commercial use before purchasing the property.

Can I Rent My Land to Campers?

Don't assume you can use the recreational camping exception to create your own miniature Airbnb campground.

The County distinguishes personal recreational camping from commercial short-term lodging.

San Bernardino County has specifically stated that alternative shelters such as tents, yurts, trailers and recreational vehicles used for short-term lodging require appropriate land-use approval and do not qualify simply as ordinary short-term rentals.

If your plan is to buy inexpensive desert acreage, place a few tents or trailers on it and rent them by the night, investigate the applicable campground and land-use requirements first.

Does the Rule Apply in Joshua Tree?

Joshua Tree is an unincorporated community, so San Bernardino County generally controls zoning and land use.

But that doesn't mean every Joshua Tree parcel qualifies for the recreational camping exception.

The property's specific zoning matters.

A five-acre parcel may be zoned differently from another five-acre parcel a few miles away.

If camping is important to you, use the property's Assessor's Parcel Number (APN) to identify the zoning and verify that the recreational camping exception applies.

What About Twentynine Palms?

This is where jurisdiction matters.

Properties within the incorporated City of Twentynine Palms are subject to City regulations rather than the San Bernardino County rules governing unincorporated land.

But many properties with Twentynine Palms mailing addresses are outside incorporated city boundaries.

Don't rely solely on the mailing address.

Determine whether the property is actually within the City or in unincorporated San Bernardino County before relying on County camping rules.

What About Landers, Wonder Valley and Other Rural Areas?

Much of the acreage in communities such as Landers, Wonder Valley and other rural parts of the Morongo Basin lies within unincorporated San Bernardino County.

Some properties may have zoning that qualifies for the recreational camping exception.

Others may not.

And this is where buyers sometimes get themselves into trouble.

A parcel can look incredibly remote.

There may be no visible neighbors.

The road may barely qualify as a road.

You may feel as though you're in the middle of nowhere.

That doesn't mean the property has no zoning or land-use restrictions.

Always check the parcel rather than making assumptions based on how remote it looks.

What About Yucca Valley?

Yucca Valley is incorporated and has its own land-use regulations.

The San Bernardino County recreational camping exception discussed on this page applies to property regulated by the County in its unincorporated areas.

If you're considering vacant land within the Town of Yucca Valley, verify the applicable rules with the Town rather than assuming the County's four-day exception applies.

What Else Should I Think About Before Camping on Desert Land?

Even when recreational camping is permitted, legality isn't the only consideration.

This is the California High Desert.

Before spending the night on remote land, think about practical issues such as:

• Legal and physical road access
• Road conditions
• Emergency vehicle access
• Cell phone coverage
• Water
• Sanitation and waste disposal
• Fire restrictions
• Extreme summer heat
• Cold winter nights
• High winds
• Flash flooding and washes
• Coyotes and other wildlife
• Rattlesnakes and other desert creatures

A beautiful parcel can feel very different after dark than it does during a daytime property showing.

And some remote roads that are easy to drive when dry can become considerably more challenging after a storm.

Can I Have a Campfire on My Land?

Don't assume that permission to camp automatically means permission to have an open fire.

Fire restrictions can change depending on conditions, location and season.

Before starting a campfire, outdoor fire or similar activity, check the current requirements of the fire authority responsible for the property.

Camping permission and fire permission are separate questions.

How Do I Find Out Whether I Can Camp on a Particular Parcel?

Start with the APN.

For vacant land in unincorporated San Bernardino County, determine the property's land-use zoning district.

Then verify whether the parcel qualifies for the County's recreational camping exception and whether any other restrictions apply to what you intend to do.

Be specific when asking questions.

Instead of:

"Can I camp here?"

ask:

"I own this parcel and want to camp recreationally in a tent or RV for a weekend several times a year. Is that allowed under the zoning for this APN?"

And if you have a different plan—such as living in an RV during construction, leaving a trailer permanently on the land or renting campsites—say so.

Those may have very different answers.

Buying Vacant Land Because You Want a Place to Get Away?

That's one of the reasons people are attracted to High Desert land.

You may not be ready to build a house.

Maybe you simply want some land of your own—a place to escape the city, look at the stars and spend an occasional weekend in the desert.

That's a perfectly reasonable reason to look for acreage.

But buy property that actually works for what you want to do.

Before purchasing vacant land for recreational use, investigate:

• Zoning
• Camping restrictions
• Legal access
• Physical access
• Water availability
• Flood zones and washes
• Property boundaries
• Future building potential

The cheapest five acres isn't necessarily the best five acres.

Looking for Recreational Land in the California High Desert?

I specialize in High Desert land and real estate throughout Joshua Tree, Twentynine Palms, Yucca Valley and the surrounding Morongo Basin.

If you're looking for vacant land because you want space to camp occasionally, build someday, create an off-grid retreat or simply own a piece of the desert, tell me what you actually want to do with the property.

Finding land is easy. Finding land that works for your plans requires a little more homework.

And doing that homework before you buy can save you from discovering later that the property you purchased can't be used the way you expecte

 

Dawn Anderson is a California real estate broker serving buyers and sellers in the High Desert. This information is provided for general educational purposes and is not legal, planning, zoning, surveying, engineering, environmental, water, wastewater, utility, investment or permitting advice. San Bernardino County zoning and development standards can change, and map suffixes, overlays, community plans, environmental regulations and parcel-specific conditions may modify general standards. Buyers should independently verify the complete zoning designation, permitted uses and proposed project with San Bernardino County and appropriately qualified professionals before purchasing or developing property.