Can You Camp at Joshua Tree?

Can you camp at Joshua Tree? Yes, you can camp at Joshua Tree. In fact, Joshua Tree is one of the very best places to camp! Nine campgrounds inside Joshua Tree National Park let you pitch your tent alongside the spindly yucca palms and ancient boulder mounds the park is famous for. There’s nothing like spending a night or two beneath the stars, hearing coyote calls and witnessing fiery desert sunrises and sunsets as a Joshua Tree camper.

Some Joshua Tree campgrounds can be reserved 6 months in advance

Six of Joshua Tree’s campgrounds allow you to reserve a site online up to 6 months in advance: Black Rock, Indian Cove, Jumbo Rocks, Cottonwood, Ryan, and Sheep Pass. During the peak season (October to May), these sites will fill up. Weekend reservations are competitive, so plan ahead and book early, especially if you have a specific date in mind for your camping trip.

Last-minute Joshua Tree camping options

For a more spontaneous camping trip, three campgrounds in Joshua Tree offer first-come, first-served camping: Hidden Valley, Belle, and White Tank. You’ll want to arrive early if searching for a walk-in spot at one of these campgrounds—checkout is at noon.

When planning a camping trip to Joshua Tree, keep in mind that most campgrounds inside the park have pit toilets and no running water. Only Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds have potable water on-site and flush toilets. For all other campgrounds, you will need to haul all of your drinking, cooking, and cleaning water in with you. Spigots with potable water are located at the park’s entrance gates, but these may take 30 minutes to an hour to reach from your campground. Joshua Tree National Park recommends bringing 1-2 gallons of drinking water per person per day, so bring in more than that to cook, clean, and camp with.

Dispersed BLM sites outside Joshua Tree National Park

If you can’t find a camping spot inside Joshua Tree, two nearby Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites outside the park offer dispersed camping on giant, open lots. Although these are free camping sites, they have no developed facilities (no water, restrooms, trash cans, etc), and “pack it in, pack it out” strictly applies. They make good backups if you can’t score a walk-in site and need to try again the next day, but they lack the amenities and cozy vibes of true campsites. The NPS provides more information on these BLM campsites here. Call ahead to check conditions, as some roads may require 4-wheel drive vehicles to access throughout the year.

Private camping and RV sites near Joshua Tree

There are also a wide variety of campsites, glampsites, and RV spots in the area surrounding Joshua Tree that make excellent bases for visiting the park. Nearby towns like Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree are embedded in the Mojave Desert landscape that has attracted artists and spiritualists for centuries, so you can get the best of the the park and the local culture at an area camp. Here are a few of our favorites!

1. The Castle House Estate, Joshua Tree

The beautifully designed Castle House Estate is a prime location for camping and glamping. You’ll be happy to return to the property’s pool, your tent, canvas glamping tent, or even a private guard tower after a day of desert ambling.

2. De La Luna Reserve, Twentynine Palms

Choose from three sites for your tent or RV, all set on 10 acres, with areas available to off-leash pups. The flush toilets, hot showers, and camp kitchens will be welcome creature comforts during your desert trip.

3. Desert Rose Collective, Morongo Valley

You’ve got options at the Desert Rose Collective, where RV sites include power and water hookups, two canvas glamping tents dial things up a notch, and 11 tent campsites can each accommodate groups of up to 10.

Book your next Joshua Tree camping trip now 

Now’s a great time to find the perfect campsite for your next Joshua Tree adventure. #FindYourselfOutside

Find out more about Joshua Tree

• Do You Need a Permit to Camp at Joshua Tree?
• Are There Showers at Joshua Tree?
• Is It Safe to Drink the Water in Joshua Tree?
• Which Entrance Is Best for Joshua Tree?
• Can You Touch a Joshua Tree?
• Is There Cell Service at Joshua Tree?
• Can You Enter Joshua Tree at Night?
• Is Camping in Joshua Tree Free?
• Can You Backpack in Joshua Tree?
• How Much Does It Cost to Camp at Joshua Tree?
• Can I Sleep in My Car at Joshua Tree?
• What Is BLM Land for Camping?
• Can You Stay in Joshua Tree National Park?
• Are There Snakes at Joshua Tree?
• Is Joshua Tree Safe at Night?