How Much Does It Cost to Camp at Joshua Tree?

The cost of camping at Joshua Tree varies, depending on where you stay. Every group entering the park, including campers with reservations, pays an entry fee: $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass. For $55, you can get unlimited visits with an Annual Pass to Joshua Tree. Or, for $80, purchase an Annual U.S. National Park Pass that’s good for a year at all U.S. national parks and 2,000 federal recreation sites—a golden ticket for frequent park visitors.

Fees for Campsites in Joshua Tree National Park

For Joshua Tree’s in-park campgrounds, there are two price tiers. The first-come, first-served campsites you’ll find at Hidden Valley, Ryan, Belle, and White Tank cost $15 per night. Make sure you bring cash in exact change, as you’ll drop your site fee into a safe deposit box at camp to register the old-fashioned way. The campgrounds that allow online reservations, including Black Rock, Jumbo Rocks, Indian Cove, and Cottonwood, are $20 per night.

The Sheep Pass campground features large group campsites for parties of 7 to 50 people. These sites cost $40-$50 per night. RV users will find 16 group sites at Indian Cove (max length 25-foot vehicles) for $50 per night.

Backpackers camp in Joshua Tree for free, but this requires hiking in at least one mile from a trailhead with all of your water and supplies, then packing everything out in the morning. Joshua Tree has 13 trailheads with backcountry registration boards. You can find more info on backcountry camping and backpacking regulations in Joshua Tree here

BLM camping sites are free

Outside the national park, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) maintains two overflow dispersed camping lots for Joshua Tree visitors. These BLM sites are free to camp at, but have no facilities (running water, bathrooms, trash cans, etc). Users are expected to pack everything out, including waste. A BLM site sits just north of the town of Joshua Tree and just south of Cottonwood Springs. Find more information on dispersed BLM camping here

Photo by Hipcamp Photographer Nikki Neumann at Caribbean Mojave Escape

Other unique Joshua Tree camping, glamping, and RV sites

There are a number of eye-catching camping, glamping, and RV sites at a wide variety of price points available on Hipcamp in the desert communities surrounding Joshua Tree National Park. These campsites, glampsites, and RV spots are ideal sites for day trips into Joshua Tree and exploration of the area’s local restaurants, shops, and art galleries.

Here are a few of our favorites:

The Pathfinder sits among Joshua trees in a gorgeous setting just 30 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park. // Photo by Hipcamp Photographer Vanessa Lamb

1. Pathfinder Tipi at Camp Temenōs

This spot will be an unforgettable part of your Joshua Tree trip thanks to the canvas-walled tipi’s queen-sized bed, the heated indoor shower, and the outdoor kitchen.

Photo by Hipcamp Photographer Andrea Watson

2. The Watering Hole

This is a spacious campground just a 10-minutes drive from Joshua Tree’s northeast entrance. Not only does the Watering Hole have views for days (and nights), it has showers and a kitchen to keep you clean and comfortable at camp.

Photo by Hipcamp Photographer Brittany Stepp

3. Wendy’s Kick-it Spot

Get a taste of desert life at Wendy’s Kick-it Spot, a tent and RV site 20 minutes from Joshua Tree. Wendy’s has fire pits and a gigantic tree with plenty of shade, plus it’s close to the sound baths of the Integratron.  

4. Porte-Cochere in Joshua Tree

This is a simple cabin that will break the desert wind and keep you cozy at night. Just down the road from the West Entrance Station, it has its own patio, fire pit, and views of the Joshua Tree Mountains.

Find out more about Joshua Tree

Book your next Joshua Tree camping or glamping trip now 

Now’s a great time to find the perfect spot in Joshua Tree for your next camping, glamping, or RV adventure. (TIP: Get $10 off your first booking when you create a new account here and use the referral code JOURNAL)

Vincent Levy wishes he was camping every night. The West Coast is his home and he loves spending time in the Cascades, High Sierra, and the SoCal desert.

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