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South Lobo, Texas

65%
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· Van Horn, Culberson, Texas · 6 acres
Hosted by James B.
4 RV sites
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Nomadic camping
Best for self-contained campers. There are no toilets, showers, or potable water at this Hipcamp.
Staff verified
Accuracy verified by Hipcamp's on-the-ground team.
Off-leash friendly
Pets can be off-leash at this Hipcamp.
Learn more about this land: This land is located on about 6 acres of Chihuahuan desert land, about 1 mile directly south of the old ghost town of Lobo (which is why this place is called South Lobo), which is about 17 miles south of I-10 at Van Horn, Texas. The Rio Grande valley is about 15 miles to the west of this site, and about 2 miles east is Chispa Mountain (about 1200 feet higher than the surrounding country). Some day I hope to operate a small interfaith chapel and emergency water station (this land is located about 15 miles as the crow flies from Mexico) but for now it is just a beautiful bit of country for camping. You can learn more about our mission by searching for "South Lobo, Texas." My pricing is per vehicle (since this is the most environmentally impactful thing that happens on this place), which means that primitive campers who are not parking on the property can camp for free (one extra camping space is reserved for primitive campers). There is no power or water on site and minimal shade. You are welcome to hike, mountain bike, explore, etc but ATV's are not allowed (except on the dirt road). This is also a great location for railfans (Amtrak goes through here six times per week while going between San Antonio and Los Angeles, but there is also some freight traffic) but also for stargazers and ham radio operators (very low electrical noise levels). Safety wise: The Border Patrol is frequently in this area, so please do not be surprised if they come by and say hello while you are camping. If they ask about your presence, tell them you are camping with the permission of the landowner. Other than the border patrol, you are unlikely to encounter any other people. The biggest danger out here is dehydration. Be sure and bring more water than you think you'll need as it is a long drive back to Van Horn. (and if you have any extra left, please consider leaving it behind for emergency use from refugees who may be passing through) Lots of things to see and do in the area --- Van Horn is a nice town (with some decent food, stores, etc.). The famous Prada Marfa isn't far away and of course there is the ghost town in Lobo (where they occasionally have film festivals and other events). Lots of folks pass through this area heading to Big Bend and other points further out. Please do your best to clean up your camp site when you leave so that this unique landscape will be preserved for future visitors to see and experience.This land is located on about 6 acres of Chihuahuan desert land, about 1 mile directly south of the old ghost town of Lobo (which is why this place is called South Lobo), which is about 17 miles south of I-10 at Van Horn, Texas. The Rio Grande valley is about 15 miles to the west of this site, and about 2 miles east is Chispa Mountain (about 1200 feet higher than the surrounding country). Some day I hope to operate a small interfaith chapel and emergency water station (this land is located about 15 miles as the crow flies from Mexico) but for now it is just a beautiful bit of country for camping. You can learn more about our mission by searching for "South Lobo, Texas." My pricing is per vehicle (since this is the most environmentally impactful thing that happens on this place), which means that primitive campers who are not parking on the property can camp for free (one extra camping space is reserved for primitive campers). There is no power or water on site and minimal shade. You are welcome to hike, mountain bike, explore, etc but ATV's are not allowed (except on the dirt road). This is also a great location for railfans (Amtrak goes through here six times per week while going between San Antonio and Los Angeles, but there is also some freight traffic) but also for stargazers and ham radio operators (very low electrical noise levels). Safety wise: The Border Patrol is frequently in this area, so please do not be surprised if they come by and say hello while you are camping. If they ask about your presence, tell them you are camping with the permission of the landowner. Other than the border patrol, you are unlikely to encounter any other people. The biggest danger out here is dehydration. Be sure and bring more water than you think you'll need as it is a long drive back to Van Horn. (and if you have any extra left, please consider leaving it behind for emergency use from refugees who may be passing through) Lots of things to see and do in the area --- Van Horn is a nice town (with some decent food, stores, etc.). The famous Prada Marfa isn't far away and of course there is the ghost town in Lobo (where they occasionally have film festivals and other events). Lots of folks pass through this area heading to Big Bend and other points further out. Please do your best to clean up your camp site when you leave so that this unique landscape will be preserved for future visitors to see and experience.
RV details
Travel trailers, Fifth wheels, Toy haulers, Pop-up campers, Class A RVs, Class B RVs, Class C RVs, Campervans, and Cars allowed
Vehicles under 45 feet allowed
Please park anywhere near the dirt road (my property is on the north side of Chispa road) --- I will send a more detailed map when you place your reservation.
Pull-in site
Please park anywhere near the dirt road (my property is on the north side of Chispa road) --- I will send a more detailed map when you place your reservation.
Accommodates slideouts
Please park anywhere near the dirt road (my property is on the north side of Chispa road) --- I will send a more detailed map when you place your reservation.
Surface type: Grass or field
relatively level
Surface levelness: Flat
relatively level
Generators allowed
If there are other campers at the site, please do not run it late at night.
No electrical hookup
No water hookup
No sewage hookup
No TV hookup
What to expect
Vehicle site
Camping area selected or assigned upon arrival.
10 guests max per site
Pets allowed
Off leash, on leash. If there are other campers present, please keep your pet on leash. --- Please also remember that there are a lot of interesting forms of wildlife in the area that your critters may not be used to.
No campfires
Before building a fire: 1. Please confirm that there is not currently a burn ban in place for Culberson County, Texas. 2. Please keep your fire size reasonable. 3. Please ensure your fire is completely cold out before leaving the campsite. 4. Please purchase your firewood nearby (Van Horn is the closest decent-sized town that may sell firewood). There is almost no dead fall in this area due to the lack of trees. 5. Eventually we will be building a firepit on site, but for now if you see a spot where a previous campfire was at, that would be a great place to build your campfire.
No toilet; campers must bring camp toilets
No potable water
Bring your own water. Due to the extreme lack of water (and the odds that migrants may come through our area --- only 15 miles from the border), we encourage all campers to consider leaving behind 1-2 gallon bottles of water. --- Also if you see other bottles of water, please leave them there (unless you need them in an emergency). Thanks!
No showers
Pack it out
Please pack out everything you bring with you. Thanks!
Cooking equipment absent
Picnic table absent
We hope to have one installed later this year.
No wifi
Some cell phone internet may work in the area though. The closest wi-fi is probably in Van Horn.
Laundry absent

Things to know

Getting there
Check in: After 7:00 AM
Check out: Before 3:00 PM
On arrival: Head straight to site
Cancellation policy: Super Flexible
Minimum nights: 1 night
Accepts bookings: 18 months out
Park at listing
No wheelchair access
Max 1 vehicle
2WD accessible
Under rare conditions (it doesn't rain much), it could be muddy, in which case a 4WD would be recommended.
During your trip
Follow the
Leave it better
Inclusion policyWe have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp. We are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper communities be inclusive.
65%
10 ratings · 8 reviews
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Jeff P.
1 year on Hipcamp
Recommends
· September 2023
You get dirt, but dirt cheap!
12 ft pop-up camper
Basic, as in a place on raw land to pitch your tent or sleep in your truck or van. Getting there from the freeway southbound was not straightforward--need to keep going south a bit, make a U turn, then come back up. Oh, and there's the train tracks nearby. Yes, all you get is dirt, but for dirt cheap!
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Ryan T.
4 years on Hipcamp
Recommends
· May 2023
Nice patch of West Texas
16 ft car
This was a great spot to overland camp on our way from Austin to Southern Arizona. The train passing was cool! Make sure to follow the host's directions and not just google maps. There is a road on google maps that runs through private property. We ran into the owner who was nice and gave us directions, but he clearly was tired of people thinking his driveway was a road.
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Carlee H.
3 reviews
Not recommend
· March 2022
Any marking to help campers find the property, a flag, etc is a vital addition!
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Carl W.
9 reviews
Not recommend
· January 2022
Better instructions for finding the spot might help and I wish all remote hipcamp hosts would put some minimal signage to help people unfamiliar with the area. Thanks
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Carl W.
9 reviews
Not recommend
· January 2022
Price was nearly free but we weren’t able to find the place. Roamed around on rough four wheeler roads trying to follow google maps till it got dark and we just parked for the night in a random spot in the desert. Had a good night’s sleep and all is good
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Lauren S.
22 reviews
Recommends
· November 2021
Surrounded by Desert Mountains!
What a gorgeous tract of land surrounded by mountains on all sides! Not too, too far from Marfa, and a good stopping point if you're planning on heading out to the Guadalupe, Davis, or even the Franklin Mountains. We arrived early afternoon, which was a good call, because it was a little difficult to find the cut-across to the dirt road that led to the site. We did find it, and my little camper Prius made it to the site just fine. If you don't have a high clearance vehicle, just take it low and slow. It is doable! James provided excellent directions to find the spot and it does feel fairly secluded. We weren't visible from the highway at all, though the site is very close to the train tracks. There's lots of space to spread out and explore! We hiked across the tract of land, admiring Chispa Peak. Everything blazes orange and red during golden hour, and the peak itself turns a vivid crimson. Absolutely gorgeous. After sundown, the stars are beautiful. There is a little light from Van Horn 20 miles away, but you can still see the Milky Way out here. We fell asleep to the sounds of wildlife, which was lovely. The train didn't visit at all during daytime hours, but did roll through 6 times in the night. It wasn't a dealbreaker for us, but only because we live very close to a freight line "in real life". This is November in the desert, so we were aware that it was going to be toasty during the day and frigid at night. We watched the weather for Van Horn during our trip, and the temperature here was a solid 10 degrees colder than Van Horn at night, so keep that in mind when packing your cold weather gear! Lastly, you'll see the caches along the property. I did not take photos of them for the safety of those that need them. We left a couple gallons of water behind. It felt good to end our trip helping others in need. The desert is unforgivable, and James' land proves to be an oasis.
Location
Van Horn, Culberson, Texas, United StatesTraditional, ancestral territory of Sumas, Mescalero Apache, and Ndé Kónitsąąíí Gokíyaa (Lipan Apache) First Nations according to To respect the Host's privacy, the precise address of this land will be provided after booking
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Hosted by James B.

Joined in April 2021
Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.