By:
Submission
Croton Spring 1 (CS-1) and Croton Spring 2 (CS-2) can each accommodate 2 vehicles
(A trailer is considered a vehicle for site capacity), 6 people, no horses.
Maximum vehicle length is 30 feet.
Primitive roadside sites offer nice views, solitude, and a small flat gravel space to set up camp next to your vehicle. No shade, toilets, or other amenities are provided. The use of generators is prohibited in the backcountry.
You can obtain a permit to use this site up to 180 days in advance through www.recreation.gov
Primitive camping with your vehicle in designated campsites along rugged backcountry dirt roads .
Roadside campsites are intended for high clearance vehicles only. Trailers and passenger vehicles will not be able to access most of these campsites. High clearance vehicles are defined as a SUV or truck, with at least 15 inch tire rims, and at least 8 inches of ground clearance, as measured from the lowest point of the vehicle (frame, suspension, body, differential).
Croton Spring Road is a short, one-mile improved dirt road located nine miles west of the Panther Junction Visitor Center. Two campsites share a large cleared area at the end of the road.
Slept out all night beneath the desert stars, with a dream in our eyes and a prayer in our hearts.
Remote location, beautiful scenery, ok for big rigs. No generators allowed at any time. Must reserve site at visitor center.
Road and site 2 both really washed out. No longer suitable for a big rig. Sites are not private and are at an unmarked trailhead. Tonnes of day hikers some and go and block you in. No respect, no privacy. BBNP have not updated photos of site or road on website and do not mention that a trailhead is here and your back country experiance of solitude they describe wont be possible.
Reserve both sites or else you will have very close neighbors. High clearance vehicle needed because the road is washed out some. I got just enough cell signal to make calls using Google Fi.
We took a crew cab dually and 38’ trailer down there over Thanksgiving, the road was fine but I can see how it could become washed out in with enough rain. AT&T signal was spotty at best. Luckily we had good neighbors for the whole week since both sites are close together. People do come and go at the trail head but we didn’t have any issues being blocked in. I would say maybe 10 day hikers or so over the a busy week of Thanksgiving while we were there. I did bring a bicycle to ride down to the campsite before pulling the trailer in to see what I was up against and make sure I had enough room to maneuver. It’s only 1/2 a mile off the main road so you could definitely walk it. We would stay there again, only down side to us was no signal, I know you’re supposed to relax while camping and disconnect but it’s tough to plan the next day or figure out what the weather is going to do without these handy phones. We were in #1 with the camper and the blue tent is in site #2, #1 was a little more level and I would recommend #1 for a camper and #2 for a tent spot.
