Closed
— Closed December 29, 2025 through January 4, 2026 for the New Year's holiday. The campground operates October 1 through April 15 each season. Permits are required and cost $70 per week onsite or $185 for a season pass.
About
Keyhole Campground is the smallest and most intimate campground within the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area, California's largest mass of sand dunes. The campground features a unique paved keyhole-shaped camping pad that can accommodate a large group or a few smaller groups seeking a stable surface for RVs and camping equipment. Located along Gecko Road east of Brawley, this BLM-managed site provides direct access to over 40 miles of towering sand dunes that often reach heights of 300 feet.
The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area is a premier destination for off-highway vehicle enthusiasts, offering open areas for all types of vehicle recreation including ATVs, sand rails, and dune buggies. The dunes were formed by windblown sands of ancient Lake Cahuilla and provide outstanding opportunities for recreation, photography, and wildlife viewing. The area south of Highway 78 features the most concentrated OHV activity, while the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness offers a quieter alternative for hiking and horseback riding.
As a primitive BLM campground, Keyhole offers basic amenities in a spectacular desert setting. The paved camping pad provides stability for larger rigs, making it more big-rig friendly than other dispersed camping areas in the dunes. Visitors should come prepared with their own water, supplies, and be ready to pack out all trash. Permits are required during the main recreation season from October through mid-April.
Directions
Access via Highway 78 east of Brawley, California. Turn onto Gecko Road and the campground is located on the left side of the road.
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