Campgrounds

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Reservation Camping

The majority of the 500 campsites in the park are available by reservation. Reservations can be made the same day or up to 6 months in advance and can be booked on recreation.gov. Book your site before entering the park. Cell service is unreliable and nonexistent in Joshua Tree National Park.

Reserving a site is highly recommended if you plan to camp on a holiday, a weekend, or any day of the week in the spring. Our busy spring season runs from November to May.

Summer Status: All reservation campgrounds are open year-round. Some sections of Indian Cove Campground, Black Rock Campground, and Cottonwood Campground close in the summer.
 
 

First-Come, First-Served Camping

Hidden Valley, White Tank, and Belle Campgrounds are first-come, first-served. A ranger will come by with portable registers to collect the campsite payment throughout the day. There is no longer a self-registering, pre-payment system for first-come, first-serve campsites. The fee is $15 per night.

First-come, first-serve campsites are highly competitive on holidays, most weekends, and the springtime. They are full nearly every weekend from Sept-May and most weeknights during our busy spring season from mid-February to mid-May. On the weekends, they are typically full by Friday afternoon. The earlier you arrive in a week, the better chance you will have to secure a site. To avoid disappointment, reserve a site at recreation.gov.

Can't find a campsite inside the park? Learn more about Camping Outside of the Park.

Summer Status: White Tank Campground and Belle Campground temporarily close during the summer. Hidden Valley Campground is open year-round.

 
 

Can't Find A Campsite?

The park has become an extremely popular destination in recent years. Due to this popularity, all park campgrounds are usually full on weekends October through May.

If you arrive too late to get a site in a designated campground, you have the following options:

  • Camp on Bureau of Land Management land outside the park.
  • Go to a private campground or stay in lodging in gateway communities. Please contact area chambers of commerce for information.

Sleeping in your vehicle overnight along the roadside or at a roadside pull off is not allowed, and violators may be subject to a citation.

For more information, visit our Camping Outside of the Park page.

 

Group Sites

There are three areas that have group campsites: Cottonwood, Indian Cove, and Sheep Pass.
  • Group sites can accommodate 10-60 people.
  • Reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance for Cottonwood, Indian Cove, and Sheep Pass.
  • Cottonwood and Sheep Pass Group Campgrounds are for tents only. Indian Cove Group Campground can accommodate small RVs or trailers, with a maximum combined length of 25 feet.
 

Equestrian Camping

Black Rock and Ryan Campgrounds have designated horse camps. Ryan is closed in the summer months. See the horseback riding page for more information.

 

Regulations

Visit our Camping Regulations page to learn more about general rules, pets, quiet hours, and fires/firewood. Attaching lines to vegetation, including Joshua trees and junipers, is prohibited. Hammocks, slacklines, and other horizontal ropes must be tied to rocks and climbing bolts, and are not permitted in campgrounds.
 

Last updated: September 1, 2021

Contact the Park

Mailing Address:

74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597

Phone:

(760) 367-5500

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