Sam's Family Spa

Came with a group of 6 RVs. We were all together in the 300 section , the spaces are a bit narrow but it was not hard to get backed in with a bit of help.
Enjoyed Soaking in the hot Spring pools.
Park is clean and tidy but power pedestal was worn and I had to put side pressure to maintain ground
WiFi actually works Out in that area
VZW has a tower right out front
AT&t was 2-3 bars
Tv Antenna signal was great lots of Channels

The sites are extremely narrow. I couldn’t even get my bin open to get to my water hookup. And I saw several RVs that were parked up against or within inches of posts/electrical boxes. The pool area seemed lovely, but I didn’t even get that far. I left after the second site I pulled into (and kind of fit) didn’t have ground electric. For $55/night this tight park isn’t worth it when you can go to others down the road for $45/night.

We were supposed to stay at Joshua Tree, but on the day we were meant to check in, the government shut down. As we couldn't find a concrete answer as to whether or not the campgrounds would be open, we made a last-minute decision to call Sam's instead of risk driving all the way into the park and risk having to turn around.

The interesting thing about Sam's is they let you drive around, pick an open spot, get settled in, and then come to the office to pay. This is great because their spots are no joke -- very hard to back into due to narrowness -- which was tough because this was only our second time backing our Airstream into a spot. Half the sites are permanent mobile homes and the other half are varying-sized, non-reservable spots for both RVs and tents. After a lot of driving around and much debate as to whether we should stay, we ended up finding an end spot that we could back straight into due to it's position at the end of a street. We ended up next to a guy who said that he drives truck for a living and even he had difficulty getting into a spot (they had a 30' Airstream) and finally settled on their spot after attempts at two other sites. After being there a few days, we did notice that there are some sites that are essentially pull throughs if sites around them are empty, such as 312, 302 and 301.

Anyways, level sites with full hookups and cable. Coin laundry, clean restrooms with showers, dog run, playground, store, and BBQ area. There's also an "exercise room", but the free weights max out at 10lbs, so not very effective. But their claim to fame are the naturally-heated hot spring pools. There are four small hot pools, a larger warm swimming pool, and a small wading pool. The property is nice and relaxing.

It's a 45-minute drive to the Joshua Tree Visitor's Center and 25 minutes into Palm Springs.

We have a WeBoost, so I can't comment on cell coverage except to say ours was great with both AT&T and Verizon.

We had to find a place to stay when we were told we'd have to leave Black Rock Canyon Campground in Joshua Tree National Park on a Friday morning as it was all booked up for the weekend. We looked around a bit online and found Sam's. We had no idea what to expect as we arrived, the reviews were good, but on the drive over we almost decided to head somewhere else. So, glad we didn't. What a hidden gem. We were so impressed on arrival that we decided to stay for a month. :) Great hot pools, and swimming pool. They even offer free yoga and water aerobics. The pool area is amazing. The staff was awesome too, very friendly and helpful. There are some great hiking trails nearby to which we loved. Very quiet during the week buy could get a bit noisy and busy on the weekends.

We really enjoyed our stay at Sam's. They had a large campground with a motel, mobile homes, and plenty of RV spots. The spots were decently sized, but difficult to back into if your a large rig (truck+41' fifth wheel). It took us a couple turns to get in, but with the help of some neighbors we made it!

The hot springs were very nice. They are not chlorinated and refilled a couple times a day. They have several pools for everyone to enjoy that range in various temps. The lower ones are kid friendly :)

The sunsets here (we're all about sunsets lol) are awesome with the mountain back drop.

Bathrooms: didn't use
Hookups: full hookups
Site size: good, but can be difficult to back into
Site type: dirt lot with concrete patio
Dog Park: yes
Kid Friendly: yes! lots of space for bike riding, pool, playground, pond with birds, and hot springs
Laundry: lots of machines and very clean

We don't stay in many campgrounds, in large part because I don't do rules, also I'm cheap. I really enjoyed the laid back atmosphere here, you simply pull in, pick a site and setup camp, even for a monthly rental there are no reservations or anyone telling you where to camp. They didn't bitch about my dog's breed or when I washed the truck in the street. For $550/mo. including access to the spa area, this place is a great deal and a nice change of pace to spend a month here for someone who otherwise boondocks full time.

They have wifi available for a reasonable charge but Verizon was ridiculously fast here.

We booked a month here even though we were only staying a couple weeks because a month is cheaper than two weeks even with electric added on. Very strange! The park is dirt and sand with a concrete patio. Sites are very unlevel even though they don't look it. Three out of the four of us had to use several blocks to get level. The park is rather loud as the town maintenance storage area is down the road so trucks begin driving by around 6:00 AM. You have to be sure you check the width of your site. Not all sites are the same. Some are very narrow and may be difficult backing into them between the patio and the electric. Most people come for the mineral pools which do not have any chemicals added to remove the bacteria. Also, the pools are suppose to be drained every evening and refilled each morning. We chose not to use them. Sitting in hot water used by others prior didn't sound appealing. But they are very popular. The area around the pools is beautifully landscaped. The Verizon signal is lightning fast!! There is a cell tower at the entrance to the park. We've never had such good service.

This is a large park with permanent park models throughout the property. Sites are full hook-up and are pretty close together. I had called to reserve a spot and was told they didn't take reservations. Then when we arrived, they asked if we had a reservation.

Either way you choose your site when you arrive. We lucked out as we asked about a "group and overnight area" that was almost empty and they allowed us to stay there. We had lots of privacy until a group of 14 rigs arrived, but they were only there two nights and then we had our privacy again. The entire property is on a gentle slant, leveling is required. There are lots of date palms and rocks to maneuver around.

The rate includes unlimited access to their four hot pools, which are basic but nice. All were very clean during our stay. The swimming pool was being filled the day we arrived and was sparkling clean. There are lots of water features throughout the property, a pond, a few waterfalls etc. and lots of birds, including a black swan in the pond. There are also big cages, some of which house peacocks. The cute logo and decor depicting "Sam" are sprinkled throughout the property.

The office has a little grocery store with basics, and they also sell soft ice cream and fresh popcorn. Office staff were very nice.

The group area where we stayed was pretty nice for our dog, since there were many empty campsites, but in the regular part of the park there weren't too many places to walk dogs. There is a small, fenced dog area with grass.

The desert just behind the campground is really nice to walk around in, but while we were there a man in a pickup truck warned us that one of the homeowners across the way had some aggressive dogs that they let loose. We never saw the dogs, but it made us a bit weary.

Without the pools, this property would be a three, but having access to the pools make it much more pleasant.