Picking a Joshua Tree Campground? Here’s What to Know

Time unravels when you enter a desert expanse peppered with Joshua trees. Like ageless men reaching out to you, the tree-like shrubs are locked in stillness. The geological rock formations that surround you were millions of years in the making. Granite monoliths, boulder piles, and basalt columns anchor the stark horizon between sky and earth. At close of day, the scene ignites with the setting sun. Then stars begin to kindle under a dark sky sanctuary. You may be hesitant to blink, afraid to miss a moment of the perfect beauty. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of reasons to camp at Joshua Tree National Park. The real question is which Joshua Tree campground should you choose?

All eight campgrounds at Joshua Tree offer front-row seating amidst some of the most dynamic landscapes in the country. In that much, they are the same. The scenery is just the beginning of over 1,000 acres of designated wilderness. The Joshua Tree campgrounds differ in other areas. Some have water hookups, flushing toilets, and dump stations. And some don’t.

There are no full hookup sites in the park. But in this modern camping age — where lithium battery banks, portable solar panels, and solar lights are readily available and cheaper by the day — it’s pretty easy to go off-grid. My family (with two young children, a dog, and a hamster) camped in Joshua Tree in the middle of summer. We were in a small RV without built-in solar panels or battery banks. So, if we can do it, so can you!

Why Stay at a Joshua Tree Campground

Joshua Tree National Park is the ultimate playground for adventure enthusiasts. The park is so expansive that it would be a shame to limit your exploration to a single day. Part of the adventure though is camping without an electrical hookup. For my family, it was a bit unnerving at first. Especially in the dead of summer.

Personally, my family does not have a solar package on our RV, but we did prepare and have a back up plan. For our relatively modest 20-foot travel trailer, we were able to run the A/C when necessary with a generator. We used a portable battery bank paired with folding solar panels to keep our devices charged, run a small fan, and use lights. Solar lights will get plenty of charge under the desert sun, and they offer a cozy ambiance during the evenings. A 7-gallon water jug was more than enough for our family of four to keep hydrated for days.

Taking on the challenge of desert camping is a big part of staying at a Joshua Tree campground. (In the park itself, that is.) And, as mentioned, there are eight to choose from.

Choosing the Right Joshua Tree Campground

Black Rock Campground

Why Camp Here. This campground is near the northwest entrance, just outside of Yucca Valley. It is good for beginner campers. The area has great ease of access and is known for a family friendly atmosphere, star gazing, and great hiking trails nearby.
Amenities. Includes potable water, flushing toilets and a dump station.
Campsite Size. Sites can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length.

Cottonwood Campground

Why Camp Here. Near the southern entrance, Cottonwood Campground is right next to Interstate 10. For those seeking convenience, this is a great option. Lost Palms Oasis trail is nearby, for hiking, and bird watching.
Amenities. Includes potable water, flushing toilets and a dump station.
Campsite Size. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.

Indian Cove Campground

Why Camp Here. Located outside the park boundary, Indian Cove Campground is between the towns of Joshua Tree and Twenty Nine Palms. Surrounded by climbing routes, this would be good for rock climbing enthusiasts.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. The sites can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet.

Jumbo Rocks Campground

Why Camp Here. More centrally located, this campground is surrounded by iconic rock formations. It is well suited for adventurous RVers with climbing routes and scenic exploration nearby.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. The sites can accommodate RVs up to 32 feet in length.

Ryan Campground

Why Camp Here. Near Hidden Valley and Cap Rock, Ryan Campground is also centrally located. This is an ideal spot for avid hikers and climbers traveling in a smaller rig. Right across from the campground is Head Stone rock, with a few moderate routes and a great photo op.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet.

Belle Campground

Why Camp Here. This campground is close to the north entrance, near Twentynine Palms. It is good for small RV enthusiasts who would like a quiet camping experience with open views for photography and star gazing. It is first come first serve only.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. This campground can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length.

Hidden Valley Campground

Why Camp Here. Located in the West Entrance of the park, this is another great campground for adventurous spirits. It is considered a climbers paradise, with famous routes nearby. You can expect a more intimate camping experience, in a dramatic and secluded environment. Campsites are offered on a first-come-first-serve-only basis.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. Better-suited for smaller rigs, this campground can accommodate RVs up to 25 feet

White Tank Campground

Why Camp Here. Near Arch Rock Trail, White Tank Campground is in Northern Joshua Tree. Arch Rock Trail is home to Joshua Tree’s most famous rock formation, and is frequented by geology enthusiasts as a result. With 15 first-come-first-serve sites available, it’s great for RVers looking for a quiet, isolated camping experience. Another good spot for stargazing, the area has minimal light pollution.
Amenities. Includes vault toilets, but has no potable water or dump station.
Campsite Size. The campground is limited to RVs under 25 feet.

Booking a Site at a Joshua Tree Campground

Five of the eight campgrounds at Joshua Tree National Park require a reservation: Black Rock, Cottonwood, Indian Cove, Jumbo Rocks and Ryan. Three of them are first-come-first serve: Belle, White Tank and Hidden Valley. The sites are $30 to $35 a night. To reserve a site online, you can go to Recreation.gov. If you have any specific questions for the ranger station, you can call 760-367-5500.

Also, when you are approaching the park, don’t rely on GPS. By that point, you will probably have already lost service. You can also find a helpful map of the park entrances at NPS.gov. Also, if you regularly frequent national parks, it’s probably a good idea to go ahead and buy an annual parks pass! Fact is, it will save you gobs of money and pay for itself in just a few park visits.

Soaking Up the Best of the Desert

Easy Going

Star Gazing. Not every adventure is about adrenaline. Many involve wonder. And once you set your sight on the stars, planets, and galaxies in this dark sky sanctuary, you experience wonder indeed. Astronomers and enthusiasts travel far and wide to see this nightscape..
Horseback Riding. Knob Hill Ranch offers private horseback riding tours through the national park. The park has 253 miles of equestrian trails that traverse through canyons, dry washes and open deserts.

Adrenaline-Filled Adventures

Canyoneering. Near Indian Cove Campground, Rattlesnake Canyon offers technical canyoneering adventures for those that want to get their hearts racing. And ,if you don’t have the gear or skill set to do it yourself, you can hire an outfitter guide to take you.
Rock Climbing. Joshua Tree is a world-class destination for rock climbers of all levels. When we first arrived at our RV site in Ryan Campground, there was a family of climbers top roping right across from our site. They were climbing with their 5-year-old! We made friends fast and easily that night. Inspired and motivated, we decided to embark on our first climb at Joshua Tree. Headstone Rock was the perfect initiation. It humbled us and broke our confidence in one fell swoop, only to build us back up again. Hold by painful hold, we came out taller and stronger than before. Joshua Tree is not to be missed if you love climbing.
Hiking. The hiking trails in Joshua Tree are also world-class, with infinite views and stunning wildlife. Make sure you check the park website for trail closures and exact distances before you plan your route. The trails are vast, and you could hike for days or weeks and not see it all.
Mountain Biking. The park itself doesn’t allow any bikes on the trails, but there is a great selection of backcountry roads that offer easy and moderate mountain biking trails, and a few more difficult routes.

¡Caution! A Few Words of Warning

If I could describe this park in one word, it would be vast. It is one of the most remote, rugged, and unforgiving places I have ventured through. Even so, it’s just inviting enough to give one a false sense of security. But the distance between ranger stations, water stations, campgrounds, and even trail heads, can be dangerous under the desert sun. It’s not as heavily frequented as places like Bryce Canyon, Zion, or Arches National Park.

Here, you can walk on numerous trails to completion and not see a single person. If you get into trouble, you will probably be on your own. In 2018, Paul Miller went hiking on the 49 Palms Oasis Trail on a 3-mile, round-trip hike in Joshua Tree — and never came back. If you are hiking in the summertime, make sure you bring the essentials: water, food, first aid kit, map, flashlight with spare batteries, spray bottle, sun protection, whistle, waterproof clothes and a bag to carry it all in. For free offline maps, download the NPS app.

Final Disclaimers for Camping on a Joshua Tree Campground

Being “directionally challenged,” as my father puts it, I am constantly in fear of getting lost. Here’s a little trick I learned to keep me on course: Download a free running or trail app like Map My Run. Track your route on any adventure you think could result in you losing direction. The app will track your course, with or without cell service, and in the worst case scenario (without cell service), you can follow your bread crumbs back to your origination point. I feel so much safer knowing I have this as a backup plan when I’m out exploring remote areas around the world.

Keep in mind that pets are not allowed in park buildings, on any trails in the park, or in the backcountry, (with the exception of the paved Oasis of Mara trail). And in 2010, a revision to Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act states that Emotional Service Animals no longer qualify as “Service Animals” on airplanes or in National Parks. They are considered pets’ But they are allowed in the campgrounds and on leash around the campground‘s gravel roads/parking areas.