Top Hotels in Joshua Tree National Park Campgrounds
Top Things to do in Joshua Tree National Park
Top 9 Campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park, United States
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
Overall Ratings
5 based on 144 reviews
Located in the center of the park, the campground offers good rock climbing.
Great setting
Reviewed By OmahaNETravellerGreat 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
Overall Ratings
5 based on 66 reviews
Amazing camp spot close to Joshua Tree
Reviewed By Iwan vThe 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
Overall Ratings
4 based on 105 reviews
Black Rock Canyon was a great camping experience!
Reviewed By waynefromcaliBlack 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
Overall Ratings
5 based on 16 reviews
Best in Joshua Tree
Reviewed By mauiwolfThis 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
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 11 reviews
Too far away
Reviewed By mauiwolfThis 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
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 12 reviews
White Tank Campground - Entry to the Arch Trail
Reviewed By PerkadventuresThe 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
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
BELLE CAMPGROUND avoids the crowds found at nearby JUMBO ROCKS CAMPGROUND
Reviewed By TomBrodyBELLE 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
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Great campsite if you love open spaces snuggled up to rocky boulders
Reviewed By ntalabanyStrangely 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
Overall Ratings
4 based on 1 reviews
Reserved Camp Sites in the Center of the Park
Reviewed By SBHaydensA 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.
