Hot Spring Long Term Visitor Area

What to expect

The Hot Spring Long Term Visitor Area is a stretch of flat, open Bureau of Land Management desert beside Interstate 8, east of Holtville in the Imperial Valley. It is one of a handful of LTVAs that BLM runs for winter visitors, where one permit lets you camp for up to seven months instead of moving every two weeks. Most people here are retirees and full-time RVers, many from Canada and the northern states, who arrive in the fall and stay until spring.

There are no marked sites. You pick a spot on the desert floor and set up. Sites are spread out, generators are uncommon because most rigs run on solar, and the overall feel is quiet and friendly. There is a small library and a free-swap area by the bulletin board.

The reason this LTVA exists where it does is the hot spring. Directly across Evan Hewes Highway, two concrete tubs fed by a geothermal well sit inside a fenced day-use area, free to anyone. The larger tub usually runs about 104 to 110°F40 to 43°C, and campers drain and clean the tubs every Tuesday morning in season. See our separate listing for Holtville Hot Springs for full detail on the pools.

The area has two parts: the main camp north of the highway, and a southern section on Holdridge Road just south of I-8. Both are on the same permit.

Getting there

From I-8, take Exit 131 (CA-115 / Van Der Linden Road). Head east on Evan Hewes Highway. Recreation.gov puts the LTVA 3.8 miles along it. The pool area is on the south side of the highway, and the main camping area is opposite it.

• From El Centro: About 15 to 19 miles east on I-8.
• From Yuma: About an hour west on I-8.

The access roads are paved and big rigs fit easily. Inside the LTVA the ground is sandy. Some patches are firm, but soft spots can trap a heavy vehicle, so follow existing tracks and test unfamiliar ground on foot before driving onto it.

When to go

September 15 to April 15 is the permit season, and the busy months are December through March. The weather then is mild by day and cool at night. Campers recommend arriving before Thanksgiving to get your pick of spots, or heading for the back of the area and the southern section if the front is crowded.

April to mid-September is free, but the Imperial Valley gets extremely hot, often above 110°F43°C, and the hot spring is not maintained as closely. Few people stay.

Check the hot spring before you commit. In April 2026 a camper reported on Campendium that an underground pipeline leak was eroding the pool entrance and lowering water pressure, and that BLM had discussed shutting the spring. BLM had not announced a closure when we checked. Call the El Centro Field Office at 760-337-4400 before you plan a long stay around the pools.

Prices and permits

Fees as listed on Recreation.gov in October 2026:

• Season permit: $180, valid September 15 to April 15.
• Four-week permit: $80.
• Short-visit permit: $40 for 14 consecutive days.
• April 16 to September 14: Free, with the standard 14-day BLM dispersed-camping limit.

You must have a permit to camp in a designated LTVA during the season. You can buy one from the campground hosts, at Pilot Knob LTVA about 35 miles east on I-8, in person at the BLM El Centro Field Office (1661 South 4th Street, El Centro, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), or online at Recreation.gov. The online purchase is a voucher that you exchange at the BLM Yuma Field Office, about 50 miles east on I-8. Soaking in the hot spring is free and needs no permit.

Rules and etiquette

• Quiet hours run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and campground hosts enforce camp rules.
• No gray water on the ground. Hold it and dump it in town.
• Pack out trash to the dumpsters provided.
• At the hot spring: swimsuits required, shower first, no food, drinks, glass, soap or pets inside the fence, and the pool area closes from midnight to 5 a.m. Overnight parking is not allowed at the pool site.

Facilities

• Vault toilets, including one by the hot spring.
• Trash dumpsters and a bulletin board.
• No potable water, no hookups and no dump station. Holtville, about 8 miles west, has a storage business that offers dumping and water fill for a fee. Some campers carry waste out with a macerator pump and tank.
• Cell coverage is good. Campers report solid Verizon and T-Mobile service and AT&T from a nearby tower.

Where to stay nearby

The LTVA is the place to stay. If you want a roof, El Centro, about 15 to 19 miles west, has chain motels, groceries and full services. Holtville is smaller but closer for supplies. Pilot Knob LTVA, near the Arizona line, is the next long-term area east, without a hot spring.

Safety notes

• Desert heat: Outside winter, temperatures are dangerous. Carry plenty of water and never leave pets in a closed vehicle.
• Soft sand: Heavy rigs get stuck. Scout before you drive off the established tracks.
• Noise: I-8 and Evan Hewes Highway run right beside the camp, and a geothermal plant about half a mile away hums at night. Earplugs help, and spots farther from the road are quieter.
• Fire: A brush fire in December 2020 burned about eight acres of brush and palms around the hot spring and across the interstate. Follow posted fire restrictions and be careful with any open flame.
• Hot water: The big tub across the road can reach 110°F43°C and is about 5 feet deep. Keep soaks short and drink water.