Panamint Springs Resort

We stayed 3 nights just at the end of shoulder season. Weather was perfect in this quaint, beautiful area nestled just above Panamint Valley. Staff were friendly, breakfast burritos at the store were cheap, handmade fresh and superb, and the views from our full hookup site were heavenly. Bathrooms and showers were meh, but serviceable. Restaurant food was expensive and just ok, but the beer was cold and our waiter was friendly and efficient. The full moon rising over Telescope Peak was divine. We checked out all the RV friendly campsites in the park and would choose this one again. Just a 1/2 hour drive from Stovepipe Wells and an hour from the visitors center. Pro tip: Darwin Falls is just a short drive and hike from the campground and WORTH IT.

We enjoyed our stay at Panamint Springs, the view is gorgeous here. Must stop at the general store to sign in first. If you are arriving at night, you can easily miss the entrance to the RV park as the sign is not visible and the road into the park looks like it's an off-road entrance. The restaurant has great food with a good selection of beers and wines. We ate there both days we stayed in the RV park and enjoyed everything we ordered. The staff at the restaurant was super friendly as well. The RV park is great if you want a place to relax and don't need the fancy amenities. There is no wifi or cell service at all. However, if you have AT&T and go half way up the hill towards Stovepipe, you can get a bit of service. I was able to send a message on the side of the road there. Another area for AT&T service is at the Father Crowley outlook. I didn't go there but heard there is service at that spot. Overall, we had a nice 2 night stay at Panamint.

This ‘resort’ is as rough and barren as Death Valley itself, although marred by rusted junk machinery and trash strewn about the surrounding area. The resort suffers from dire neglect. Large jagged rocks somewhat define uneven RV and tent sites, but are also scattered randomly. Unused irrigation tubes lie upon the surface near withering shrubs. At $60 for a full hookup, it is expensive, even given the remote location. The view over the desert to the mountains is striking, and the resort is quiet, save for late arrivals groping their way in after dark. No WiFi in the campground. No Verizon or ATT service. Stovepipe Wells is a much better camping option.

I'll write a sandwich critique of this place.

Good: Full hookups and a dump station. Shade available. Well-stocked general store diagonal from location, restaurant across the street. Clean showers.

Bad: Showers have low water pressure. Ground is made up of spiky rocks, not so great if you have a dog. They charge $5 extra per pet, ugh. Fighter jets fly overhead on occasion. Location is not very close to the national park, so it helps to do some pre-research if you want to explore the area. Grounds are old. Campground sort of crowded.

Good: They seem to be doing the best they can with limited resources. But $40 for that campsite with a dog--whew.

Neutral: Dump station has a thick skin of water protecting it, making it look full when it actually isn't.