Top 9 Campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park, United States

April 22, 2023 Jana Sager

Spanning two deserts, the Joshua Tree National Park encompasses a wealth of natural beauty.
Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park

1. Jumbo Rocks Campground

Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277
Excellent
83%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 144 reviews

Jumbo Rocks Campground

Located in the center of the park, the campground offers good rock climbing.

Great setting

Reviewed By OmahaNETraveller

Great setting amongst the rocks. Fun to climb the rocks at the campground and in the park. Only vault toilets throughout the park and campgrounds, but they are plentiful and well maintained. Beautiful sunsets.

2. Indian Cove Campground

13 miles east of Joshua Tree Village, 10 miles west of Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
2%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 66 reviews

Indian Cove Campground

Amazing camp spot close to Joshua Tree

Reviewed By Iwan v

The campsites are nicely sized and protected behind big rock formations. Absolutely beautiful! It was a bit windy in the park when we visited and our site was not really setup for a small trailer, more for a tent, but it was still very enjoyable.

3. Black Rock Campground

9800 Black Rock Canyon Road, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277-3597
Excellent
31%
Good
42%
Satisfactory
18%
Poor
6%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 105 reviews

Black Rock Campground

Black Rock Canyon was a great camping experience!

Reviewed By waynefromcali

Black Rock Canyon Campground,located 5 miles north of Twenty Nine Palms Hwy is a scenic location with campsites for tents,campers,trailers and RV's near Joshua Tree National Park with plenty of hiking,biking,walking,day packing and back packing opportunities! This is a great,safe and comfortable camping location that features fire pits,benches and tables,a info center and plenty of open spaces for everyone who visits! Great for seasoned and first time campers as well! If you need or forgot something the city of Yucca Valley is only 5 miles away! In the evening the skies are filled with millions of beautiful stars! Perfect for an overniter,a few days or as a launch point camp for a california deserts camping adventure! We enjoyed our experience here very much! . . . . #blackrockcanyon #joshuatree #joshuatreenationalpark #californiadreamin #californiadreaming #camping #hiking #panoramatrail #yuccavalley #29palmshwy #29palms #jthavn #ilovejoshuatree #gocamping #waynesalvatti #seetheusa #photografxworldwide #nitesky #starsinthesky

4. Hidden Valley Campground

Barker Dam Rd, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277
Excellent
81%
Good
19%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 16 reviews

Hidden Valley Campground

Best in Joshua Tree

Reviewed By mauiwolf

This is a large campground in the middle of all the action at the park. The camp sites are all tucked around all the hive rocks and there are a good amount of Joshua trees, too, which aren’t in the other campgrounds.

5. Cottonwood Campground

Cottonwood Oasis Road, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277
Excellent
55%
Good
36%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 11 reviews

Cottonwood Campground

Too far away

Reviewed By mauiwolf

This is a rather bleak desert campground that’s isolated. There’s no shade at all. Outside of a small bit of local hiking it’s a long way from anything you’d want to do. I’d recommend trying to stay elsewhere in the park where you’re closer to the action.

6. White Tank Campground

Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Excellent
75%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
8%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 12 reviews

White Tank Campground

White Tank Campground - Entry to the Arch Trail

Reviewed By Perkadventures

The campground has been recently opened and was visited a lot while we where there. There camp sites that you need to register and it looked like some people placed a tent or less to claim and went off. Near the bathrooms are the registration stands to include a information sign. Within the camp ground is a trail to the Arch to see. Visiting the arch may be a problem because and you will need to park outside the campground. You can be fined if your are using a camp space without registering and paying the fee for campground usage.

7. Belle Campground

Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Excellent
50%
Good
50%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2 reviews

Belle Campground

BELLE CAMPGROUND avoids the crowds found at nearby JUMBO ROCKS CAMPGROUND

Reviewed By TomBrody

BELLE CAMPGROUND is best accessed from the town of Twentynine Palms, driving up Park Boulevard, and then turning on to Pinto Basin Road. Once on Pinto Basin Road, Belle Campground (18 campsites) will be on your left. A little further on the road is White Tank Campground (15 campsites), which is also be on your left. I explored the back-country by hiking from Belle Campground over to White Tank Campground, in search of interesting boulders, tors, and inselbergs. What I found in this back country was porthole, a sphere, a heart, and a salami (see my attached photos). The porthole is very close to Belle Campground, while the sphere, heart, and salami are roughly half-way in between Belle and White Tank. The salami is especially worthy of seeking out, because it is so perfectly formed and the sliced part of the salami is perfectly flat. The salami is the size of a bus. Another advantage of seeking out the bus is that it is huge and not particularly difficult to find. For comparison, I am also attaching here my photos of two hearts from White Tank Campground. The two hearts at White Tank Campground are two of the best that I've found in Joshua Tree National Park. A third heart of equal greatness can be found at the west edge of the inselberg located about 300 paces north of Oyster Bar parking lot. In tromping around the back-country between Belle and White Tank, I did not follow any particular trail. Also, it is impossible to get lost in this back-country area, because a steep mountain slope is immediately to the east and because Pinto Basin Road is only a 15 minute walk to the west. Pinto Basin road and the steep mountain slope are parallel to each other. An advantage of Belle Campground is that it is much smaller than Jumbo Rocks Campground (124 campsites), and hence there will not be any disruptions to the desert ambiance caused by tourists playing radios.

8. Ryan Campground

Park Boulevard, Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5 based on 1 reviews

Great campsite if you love open spaces snuggled up to rocky boulders

Reviewed By ntalabany

Strangely there is no mention of Ryan campsite on Tripadvisor and I did not bring a horse, so I thought I Post my review of Ryan campsite here. No wonder that it Ryan campsite seems underrated if it does not even get its own listing! In any case I considered myself very lucky when I managed to get a place here on the last night before all Joshua Tree campsites were closed due to the government shutdown over New Year. I also thought I had the best spot of the whole Ryan campsite. No 12 is on the far side away from the access road and faces into the desert. It is tiny site with just enough space for one car and the tent. Like all sites it snuggles up against the bunch of boulders that are piled up out there in the open flat desert. Straight across the tarmac starts an easy hike across Big Tree flats which leads to Lost Horse Mine access road, very nice for an evening amble to stretch the legs. I then enjoyed an absolutely beautiful sunset and started a roaring fire in my fire pit. I also started my hikes of Ryan mountain trail and Ryan’s farm straight from here being very happy not to have to drive the car. I considered to hike the 6.6 miles of Lost Horse Mine trail from here too on the next day but then the campsites were closed as was the Lost Horse Mine access road. Well, something to do next time I visit Joshua Tree and stay at Ryan campsite.

9. Sheep Pass Campground

74485 National Park Dr, Joshua Tree National Park, CA 92277-3533
Excellent
0%
Good
100%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4 based on 1 reviews

Reserved Camp Sites in the Center of the Park

Reviewed By SBHaydens

A great spot to camp with large groups. The campground is located in the center of the park within a short drive of many of the most popular rock formations and hikes. Group sites need to be reserved a year in advance.

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