Entrance Fee
$30.00
/ Entrance - Private Vehicle
Park Hours (Today)
All Day
Joshua Tree Visitor Center: 7:30AM - 5:00PM
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About the Park
Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California. Come explore for yourself!
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What to See & Do

Stargazing at Joshua Tree
Enjoy Joshua Tree National Park's amazing night sky.

Hike Cholla Cactus Garden
An easy quarter mile hike through a cholla patch along Pinto Basin Road.

Hike Skull Rock
A relatively flat, 1.7-mile loop trail. Hike through the large, granite boulder fields around the Jumbo Rocks area, including one near Park Boulevard that closely resembles a Skull.

Attend a Ranger Stroll
Join a ranger on an educational stroll.

Birding at Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree National Park offers a wide range of birds for birders to discover.

Hike Boy Scout Trail
Explore the Wonderland of Rocks on the Boy Scout Trail.
Self-Guided Tours

Joshua Tree to 29 Palms Audio Tour
This audio tour starts at the Joshua Tree Visitor Center in the town of Joshua Tree and ends in Twentynine Palms, CA. This tour is designed to help visitors explore and learn about Joshua Tree National Park. Topics include wildlife, vegetation, deserts, geology, history, and more.

29 Palms to Joshua Tree Audio Tour
This audio tour starts at the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center in the town of Twentynine Palms and ends in Joshua Tree, California. This tour is designed to help visitors explore and learn about Joshua Tree National Park. Topics include wildlife, vegetation, deserts, geology, history, and more.

Cottonwood to Joshua Tree Audio Tour
This audio tour starts at the South Entrance near Cottonwood Spring and ends in the town of Joshua Tree, California. This tour is designed to help visitors explore and learn about Joshua Tree National Park. Topics include wildlife, vegetation, deserts, geology, history, and more.
Visitor Centers

Joshua Tree Visitor Center
Located in downtown Joshua Tree just five miles from the West Entrance, the Joshua Tree Visitor Center offers educational exhibits, a bookstore, and visitor resources. Grab a park map, buy an entrance pass, and chat with a park ranger to get all your questions answered before heading into the park! The parking lot at the visitor center has 2 standard accessible spaces and 40 other spaces. The restrooms have grab bars available in all larger stalls intended for wheelchair users and running water.

Black Rock Nature Center
Located in the heart of the beautiful Black Rock Campground, the Nature Center offers a bookstore, art gallery, visitor resources, and a picnic area. Visitors can chat with a park ranger, shop at the bookstore, and observe exhibits in the art gallery. There is also a water-bottle filling station and a restroom with flush toilets. The Nature Center is open on weekends from 8:00-11:00am 12:00-4:00pm. Hours may vary depending on staff availability, especially in the summer.

Cottonwood Visitor Center
Located on Pinto Basin Road, approximately 7 miles north of Interstate 10 (exit 168), the Cottonwood Visitor Center is a convenient stop for those entering and exiting the park from the south. It has educational exhibits, a bookstore, visitor resources, and restroom facilities. You can grab a park map, buy an entrance pass, fill up your water bottle, and chat with a park ranger to get all your questions answered. The flush toilets are currently out of service.

Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center
The Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center is located in downtown Twentynine Palms and features educational exhibits, a bookstore and giftshop, and visitor information.
Where to Stay

Jumbo Rocks Campground
There are 124 individual/family sites in Jumbo Rocks Campground. Reservations are required. The campground is centrally located and offers great views of rock formations. This campground is very popular, and sites book up quickly. Campsite fees will increase to $30 per site starting January 1, 2025.

White Tank Campground
This is small campground with 15 sites. There are pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There is no water available. RVs and vehicles with trailers may not exceed 25 feet. To secure a site, 1. Locate an empty campsite. 2. Occupy the site (set up a tent or leave personal items to show occupancy). 3. Proceed immediately to an entrance station to complete registration and pay. You must pay for the site within one hour of set up. If entrance stations are closed, payment may be delayed until morning.

Sheep Pass Group Campground
Sheep Pass Group Campground has 6 group campsites and is centrally located within Joshua Tree National Park and is easily accessible to hiking trails and rock climbing routes. All campsites are by reservation only. It is one of three group campgrounds in the park. Towering rock formations and uniquely-shaped Joshua trees surround the facility. There is no water available in the campground. Campsite fees are increasing to $55 starting January 1, 2025

Ryan Campground
Ryan Campground has 31 campsites. All campsites are reservation only. The campground is centrally located in the park and is adjacent to the California Riding and Hiking Trail. There are 4 designated equestrian sites and reservations are required. For more equestrian campsites, see Black Rock Campground. There is no water available at Ryan Campground. There are 3 bicycle sites available at $5 per night, with no more than 3 tents and 3 people per campsite.

Indian Cove Campground
Indian Cove Campground is located off of Highway 62, thirteen miles east of Joshua Tree Village and ten miles west of Twentynine Palms. It has 101 campsites, including thirteen group campsites. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, there are 39 reservable sites. There are vault toilets but no water at the campsites. There is a water bottle/jug filling station at the small ranger station roughly two miles north of the campground. For a RV-filling station, there is one at our headquarters in 29 Palms.

Hidden Valley Campground
The Hidden Valley Campground has 44 sites. There are pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There is no water so bring plenty of your own. To secure a campsite, 1. Locate an empty campsite. 2. Occupy the site (set up a tent or leave personal items to show site occupancy). 3. Proceed immediately to an entrance station to complete registration and pay. You must pay for the site within one hour of set up. If arriving after entrance stations close, payment may be delayed until the following morning.

Black Rock Campground
This large (99 site) campground is located in the northwest corner of the park. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire ring with rest rooms and water nearby. Shopping facilities are only five miles away in the town of Yucca Valley. Campsites vary in size and can accommodate both tents and RVs. A day-use picnic area and a dump station are also available. For horse owners, a separate area is provided for camping or for staging a ride.

Belle Campground
This small campground has 18 sites. There are pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There is no water so bring plenty of your own. To secure a campsite, 1. Locate an empty campsite. 2. Occupy the site (set up a tent or leave personal items to show site occupancy). 3. Proceed immediately to an entrance station to complete registration and pay. You must pay for the site within one hour of set up. If arriving after entrance stations close, payment may be delayed until morning.

Cottonwood Campground
The Cottonwood Campground is reservation only and has 62 sites, potable water and flush toilets. The Campground is near the Cottonwood Visitor Center in the southeast part of the park. The closest metropolitan area is Indio about 30 miles away. Cottonwood Campground fees will increase to $35 per site starting January 1, 2025. Cottonwood Group Campground fees will increase to $55 per site starting January 1, 2025.
Parking & Access
Getting Here
From I-10, take exit 117 for CA Hwy 62 toward 29 Palms/Yucca Valley. This will allow you to access the West Entrance, the North Entrance, Black Rock, and Indian Cove. Take exit 168 off I-10 to come in at the park's South Entrance.
Official NPS directionsParking Lots
49 Palms Oasis
The small parking area for the 49 Palms Oasis Trail. There is a vault toilet near the trailhead.
Open in MapsBarker Dam Parking Lot
The Barker Dam Parking Lot is a paved lot that provides access to the Barker Dam Trail and the Wall Street Mill Trail.
Open in MapsIntersection Parking Lot
The Intersection Parking Lot is located off of Park Boulevard between the road and Hidden Valley Campground. The lot is named due to it's close proximity to the intersection of Park Boulevard and Barker Dam Road. This lot is a popular parking area for climbers going to a crag in or near the Hidden Valley Campground Area. The lot is relatively large, but it does fill up on weekends and holidays during the busy season.
Open in Maps
Joshua Tree Cultural Center Parking
Parking spaces are available around the building which is both a cultural center and a visitor center for Joshua Tree National Park.
Open in Maps
Keys View Parking
The main Keys View Parking Lot has space for about 30 vehicles in a paved circular parking area. Do not park over the curb or on vegetation. Improper parking may result in a fine. There are two ADA parking spaces available in this lot and the trail is paved. However the steep grade of the trail makes it inaccessible for some visitors. There is also a nearby viewpoint with ADA parking that is more accessible.
Open in Maps
Split Rock Parking Lot
The Split Rock Parking Area which provides access to the Split Rock Trailhead. It is a dirt parking lot with one main parking area next to the trailhead and one smaller area next to a vault toilet.
Open in MapsGetting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
From I-10, take exit 117 for CA Hwy 62 toward 29 Palms/Yucca Valley. This will allow you to access the West Entrance, the North Entrance, Black Rock, and Indian Cove. Take exit 168 off I-10 to come in at the park's South Entrance.
Park Amenities
Permits & Reservations
Permits may be required
Some activities in Joshua Tree National Park — including backcountry camping, certain trails, and climbing routes — require advance permits. Check the official NPS website for current requirements before your visit.
Entrance Fees & Passes
Standard Fees
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$30.007-day vehicle permit, admitting the passengers of a single, non-commercial vehicle on the day of purchase and for the next six days.
Entrance - Motorcycle
$25.00Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Entrance - Per Person
$15.007-day entrance fee, per person on foot or bike.
Annual & Lifetime Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$55.00This pass is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It covers the entrance fee to Joshua Tree National Park for the pass signee and accompanying passengers entering in a single, non-commercial vehicle. Joshua Tree Annual Passes are available at park entrance stations and visitor centers.
Operating Hours
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Visitation increases as temperatures moderate in the fall, peaks during the spring wildflower season, and diminishes during the heat of summer. Some areas of the park are designated for day use only. Visitor centers keep separate hours; please see descriptions.
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Live Webcams
Click any camera to open the live feed on the NPS website.
Photos

people climbing on boulders are silhouetted against a colorful sunset sky

a little girl smiles while wearing a Jr. Ranger hat and badge

hiker looks over Hidden Valley

an historic wood house seen through the missing windshield of an old, rusty vehicle
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
May-September
Trip Length
2-4 days
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Planning Joshua Tree
These common questions go deeper into logistics and planning. For real-time updates on road closures and current conditions, always check the Alerts section above.


