## Overview

 Download the [NPS app][1] prior to visiting the park \_\_\_ trail maps and more! Jumbo Rocks Campground lies amid the huge, steep rock formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known. Close proximity to many boulders and rock formations, it is a popular camping location for families with kids. Jumbo Rocks is one of four campgrounds in the park that requires reservations year-round. To get the most out of your visit [Plan Like a Park Ranger][2]\_\_ Travelers who enjoy warm, dry winters flock to Joshua Tree from October through May, when temperatures hover between 70-90 degrees during the day and drop to a 40-60 degree range at night. Summer is the park\'s off-season due to the uncomfortably-high desert heat. Jumbo Rocks is at an elevation of 4,380 feet. 
## Recreation

 Rock scramblers flock to Jumbo Rocks Campground for the variety of geological formations and warmer temperatures that can be found in the interior of the park. Several hiking trails also leave from the campground. There is a short interpretive nature trail and plenty of rocks and canyons to explore within the facility. Clear desert skies are perfect for star-gazing.
## Facilities

 This large facility has 124 individual tent and RV campsites. There are no hookups or drinking water in the campground, however the town of Twentynine Palms is 12 miles away and provides basic amenities. The park allows six people and two vehicles per site, however, some sites are small and may not accommodate the maximum number of people and vehicles. See site details for specifics.
## Natural Features

 Campsites are nestled on a flat, sandy surface between large boulders that tower in unique shapes over the campground and rise up from the otherwise uniform desert landscape. The rocks were formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago and have been exposed and shaped by wind and water over time. They brighten with soft pastel hues during the morning and evening sunlight and low with campfire light by night. Visitors may want to keep their eyes out for typical desert inhabitants such as lizards, rattlesnakes, scorpions, ravens, squirrels and desert tarantulas during the cooler months of the year. Bobcats and mountain lions do live in the park, however they are rarely seen near humans.
## Charges &amp; Cancellations

 Reservation Cancellations &amp; Changes Cancelling a Reservation: Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see below). Changing an Existing Reservation: When changes are made prior to the cut-off window: If a customer wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee. There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation, as long as the change includes dates from the original reservation. If they choose to depart early, they may forfeit the recreation fee for the day of departure. There is no change fee if the customer wants to switch sites that are the same price with the same reservation dates in the same facility. If a reservation is made that includes dates beyond the maximum booking window, that reservation cannot be changed until 18 days have passed from the original booking date.\_\_ Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night\'s use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.\_\_ Changes or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window: Once a reservation date has begun, customers cannot change a reservation using the online system or through the Call Center (see below for early departures). If the location is staffed, on-site personnel may or may not be able to assist with changes or cancellations (check with local staff). No-Shows Overnight Facilities: A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out (noon) time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time (noon) on the day following the arrival date.\_\_ No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night\_\_\_s recreation fee for a campsite.\_\_ \*Note: the entire reservation will be cancelled for no-shows.\_\_ 

[1]: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/digital/nps-apps.htm
[2]: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/jotrtop10.htm

Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

During busy seasons, you need to get here early in the morning to find people leaving so you can nab their spot. We came here on a Thursday, not realizing it was spring break. No spaces in the entire park. So we stayed the night at a hotel in town and came back early the next morning.

Pros: Flat sites, fire pit, picnic table, easy access to hiking trails, pit toilets decent, pretty area.

Cons: Neighbors packed their site with too many people and put their tents in our site so they would have more room to party on theirs. They then stayed up until the wee hours of the morning being noisy as they got drunk and high. No camp host to stop this. No cell reception to be able to call a ranger. They really need to add a camp host here during peak seasons. Also, usually the weather is great, but watch out for wind storms that bring giant dust clouds. They kick up here in the desert now and then. (Usually the weather forecast will have a warning.) We got here the morning after a wind storm and people's tents were flattened and broken and many retreated to their cars. (We were glad we weren't able to find a site the night before!)

Magical Place Among Giant Boulders

I will not let my firsthand experience be the final conclusion of how my stay here with friends was on March 20th-21st. Our trip was planned months ahead but did not put into thought about Spring break. We got there Friday but it was PACKED. It was nice of this one large group to let us setup camp for the night until the other part of their group arrives the following morning. 

View at night is Stellar (Picture Attached) i barely had any sleep because i was up most of the night taking pictures. Depending where/which site you end up with Rocks provide a nice shade and covers/hides other campsites from view. By day it does get hot but nice enough to enjoy a hike down one of the many trails nearby, even rock climbing! TIP: if you ever luck out on sites there's always the BLM just outside north or south of the park. A map with directions can be had from the JTNP Park Gate.

Stellar

This campsite is everything I dreamed of when I first saw pictures of Joshua tree. Although the campsites are close to each other there is enough privacy provided by all of the large boulders around the site. Each campsite has a fire pit and a picnic bench and plenty of space to park a car or two. There is also a central area with water and bathrooms if you need. The campsite was pretty packed when we were there but we still had a great time and explored all the boulders around the area. Because of the shape of the rocks they are really easy to climb on and you can basically get to the top of any of the piles with a little willpower. I highly suggest being up on top of one of the large boulders around sunset time as the purple sky is truly incredible. 

Climb Everything!

I have camped here two times. Once on Thanksgiving weekend and once on New Years weekend. I really like this campground. The large rock formations in the park help to isolate the campsites from each other even though they are pretty close to one another. I would consider most sites to be "tent sites", but I have seen some 25'+ RV's in the campground. There are a couple of nice trails that start at the campsite which allows you to explore the area without having to drive anywhere. The Skull Rock trail starts near the middle of the campground and is a really nice hike, especially at night. You can also walk out into the desert for a nice view of the sunrise. There are several bathrooms placed throughout the campground and they are as clean and pleasant as you can expect a pit toilet to be. It is worth noting that because this is one of the more popular camps in the park, it fills up quickly and doesn't take reservations. Happy camping!

Best Campground in Joshua Tree

This is a wonderful campsite for meeting people and having a large group in one area. You can't stay together at a campfire but the turnoffs hold 4-5 sites so you can take over an entire loop if you're able to. The hiking from there is great and the scrambling is good for all ages. There is a great nature trail that takes you Skull rock that is right next to the sites and it is centrally located in the park. Perfect site! 

Great site for Meeting friends

One of the largest campgrounds in the park with 124 sites. However, it is first-come, first-served so you have to get in early (especially on the weekends) to get a site. This is a little annoying as you don't know if you'll be able to get a site as people are still packing up and leaving as people are trying to find themselves a site. Then it's a little disturbing in the morning as people are then searching for a site themselves....and you are a bit close to other sites as they pack them in there to maximize the numbers. Pit toilets. No water, make you bring enough as you'll end up using more than you realize in the desert...
Great location close to all the bit sites.

Nice, but crowded...

I love this campsite! Although busy the rocks create little nooks for privacy for each campsite and the Joshua trees create a truly whimsical feel. Also sunrise and sunset are absolutely stunning so be sure you don't miss those!

One of my favorite campsites!

This campsite was the most amazing and breathtaking thing I ever experienced. I have made the 3000 mile trek twice from my east coast home just to feel as I did my first visit to this campground. It has my favorite rock climbing and boldering paths-- right outside of your tent none the less! The star show though-- that is what totally floored me. On a clear night- this place has  the most awe inspiring sky. I happened to be visiting during a meteor shower- I saw some the size of my fist with the brightest colors i had ever seen!
This place is an outdoor lovers dream. Pit toilets, climbing for days, rock formations that will blow your mind and the clearest skies in the universe.   

My above all favorite spot in the US

This is without a doubt one of the coolest campsites I've ever stayed at. However, being one of the largest in Joshua Tree, it draws in all the families and tourists and a lot of them seem to have never camped before in their lives. 

The crowd stays noisy until long after quiet hours and our neighbors actually stole our firewood right out of the fire pit. Like wth man just go into town and buy your own $4 bundle.

Depending on the way the wind is blowing, you get the lovely sent of nearly full pit toilets blowing into your camp. Yum.

Honestly if the crowd would learn some camping ethics, I'll be stoked to visit again. The crazy boulder formations Jumbo Rocks offers is almost worth it. Almost.

Gorgeous, crowded, noisy, smelly

There's only a pit toilet and no water but it's the best place to camp--near climber friendly rock formations that iconically define the desert landscapes here. you are near the trails and places to view sunset and sunrises are everywhere. The weather changes are dramatic and crowds can suddenly descend, but this place is worth all the time and trouble for a true experience in this park. Get there early to grab a good spot--we got site #1 and loved it!

The best place to camp in Joshua tree!

Campsites are absolutely stunning, each campsite offers unique rock formations, vegetation, fire pit, table, grill and parking for 2-cars easy. The campground offered running water and pit toilets. I had a blast hanging out, scrambling up the awesome rock features and viewing the stars.

Awesome place to camp and see the stars!

Gorgeous scenery cool looking rock formations. The jumbo size rocks calls out to you. Just about everywhere I stare off into gives me a sense of cool and calm awww. Sunets and sunrises are amazing here. The evening stars are super shimmering shiny. Perfect night time photography location. Fun all around for the kids, teens, and adults. Everyone loves these rocks, hallways of jumbo rocks, and mini caves. Its a Huge Playground.

Clean vault restrooms, no running water, benches and fire pits.

The back yards of camp site 76-79 is a huge gynormous rock formations with so many rock formations to climb crawl Explore and photo! Hidden rock formations can be found around the area. FUN everytime, even when its 100 degrees! Night time weather is perfect! Extremely busy place. Especially spring and fall. The campgrounds pretty much is always Full, says the sign at the entrance to the campgrounds. This year 2017 especially, with all the storms, wildlife has bloomed all over joshu tree making it super super busy

Everywhere is a perfect picture

During our five days in Joshua Tree, we felt like we got the full scope of camping options: we camped three nights in park-adjacent free BLM land, and just one night inside the developed campground of Jumbo Rocks.

Jumbo Rocks is named one of the NPS’s best campgrounds for a good reason. The setting of campsites among giant boulders is unbelievable. If you can snag a campsite here, I’d highly recommend using this as your base camp for exploring Joshua Tree.

The only real downside of this campground is its availability, especially during the peak visiting season or on weekends. All sites are first-come, first-served, and new sites often fill up mid-morning. We knew this going in, so we were prepared and stalked the campground until finding campers who were leaving and snagged their site. Almost all sites have an awesome view, but ours came with a giant cluster of boulders we could climb up and watch the sun go down, which was an added bonus.

Other Joshua Tree highlights included the ranger programs (we especially loved the Keys Ranch Tour), hiking -- we loved the Ryan Mountain trail, Panorama Loop, and the Cholla Garden -- and just playing around on the rocks.

You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: [Switchback Kids (Joshua Tree)](http://switchbackkids.com/joshua-tree/)

Camp among the giant Joshua Tree boulders!

We camped here in January, which we had heard is peak season for climbers, and the place might be really busy. On our way into the park, we stopped at Hidden Valley Campground, just to see if there were sites available. It was late afternoon, and we weren't surprised that the place was packed - no sites available.

We drove on to Jumbo Rocks, and we're so glad we did! There were plenty of spots. We chose #16 because it was close to the toilets, but not too close, plus it backed up to a huge boulder, which we thought would protect us from the wind.

What a great spot. We were able to climb high onto the rocks to watch the sunrise and sunset. While the campground did fill up, it never felt crowded. I've read some of the other reviews, and I feel bad for people who had their camping experience ruined by loud and obnoxious neighbors. When we were there, the place was really quiet.

A few things to keep in mind:

There's no firewood available in the park - You have to buy it before you come in.

Jumbo Rocks doesn't have any running water, but you can fill up at the visitor center before you come in.

When we visited in January, it got COLD at night, and we weren't all that prepared. I would recommend staying in Cottonwood if, like us, you aren't ready for winter camping. We found Cottonwood to be 10 degrees warmer because of its lower elevation.

This isn't specific to Jumbo Rocks, but take the Keys (Desert Queen) Ranch tour. It's a photographers dream!

Like Camping on Another Planet!

We've now stayed here 3 times, and each time was amazing! The best sunsets and sunrises. It's a huge campground! Even when it's full you still have plenty of space! The rocks are huge - fun and easy to climb on! We've seen coyotes near by, an owl in the rocks near one of the campsites, and we've heard bobcats in the middle of the night (they don't sound anything like you think they would, look it up!). This is such a great place. We love the entire park!

Great campground! 

I stayed here with a couple of friends on Presidents Day Weekend and it was completely booked! They had just changed the campsite to online reservation a week prior and we didn’t know that by looking online. Anyways, a lovely family with an RV let us stay at their campsite with our tent. There were pit toilets and trash recepticles. No running water was available there. The campground is surrounded with many large rocks you can climb to get a good view of the park around you and especially the sunset! It is also walking distance from skull rock. There was wildlife around, like hares and kangaroo rats. Be aware it can get windy at night!

Booked Presidents Day Weekend, but still loved it! 

We stayed here right after the new year, and the weather was perfect. This campround is super central in joshua tree national park, very close to most of the main attractions in the park. It is a little busy feeling because of that though. Overall, I do love this campground

This place was incredible. We drove down from San Francisco and arrived around 2am. We found an empty site and slept in the car that night. The next day we set up camp and a friendly ranger came by so we could pay for our spot. We spent the next couple days wandering around the park completely floored by how vast and quiet it was. We also stumbled upon a bunch of rock art! The best part of the whole trip was how bright the stars are at night! Simply incredible!

So magical!

Out of the 50+ campgrounds I’ve stayed in within the last year, this one still takes the cake. 

Though, keep in mind it’s dry camping with a pit toilet (very clean though!), the price is perfect. 

You’re about a 10 min drive to the entrance of Joshua Tree and it’s VERY cheap per night. 

The night sky is breathtaking and the view when you wake up is even better!

B E A U T I F U L Campground

Such beautiful and unique terrain with incredible sunsets. Fun bouldering and other various really nice hikes short drive within the National Park. Tricky to get much privacy between campsites, but still highly recommend for a long wkend trip. 

Beautiful area, but a little tight quarters at campground.

This popular campgrounds is first come first served so it fills up quickly every day. With just a simple scramble over the rocks, will feel like the entire park is your backyard.

Small firepits, sturdy tables, and pretty flat sites all around.

Cakpgrounds is a shirt nature trail walk away from Skull rock and other awesome trails to split rock, face rock, and other cool features

No hammocks attatched to joshua trees!

Jumbo Rocks

as someone who has been coming to Joshua tree for decades, often as a last minute decision .. I was bummed to find out this giant campground is now by reservations. still. if you plan , this I a great campground. most sites are nestled in between giant boulders and … jumbo rocks. great for viewing gorgeous sunsets and sunrises with minimal effort! across the street offers a few trail, as well as just a few minutes walk down the road.

no longer first come first serve

A very beautiful and very busy campground. Jumbo Rocks are a great starting point for anyone new to camping. Campground is quite picturesque, especially if you manage to book one of the sites right next to the rocks. Site 3 is a great find as your hidden below a jumbo rock, giving you that Joshua Tree feeling and also giving you a little bit of privacy. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire pit and bbq. There is a lot of people at any campground in Joshua Tree, so be ready for noise and people around you. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful park and an excellent park, and a definite must for any camper.

Civilized Desert 

Stayed in this campground in October. The evening temperature was cool and day hikes not too hot. Campground had a variety of sites and was quiet during the week but filled on the weekend and was busier/louder. Some spots are more secluded near the rocks. Water was available from just a few of the visitor centers and firewood could be purchased from the town outside of the park. Bring in all that you need.

Serene and a great night sky

Now, there's probably no such thing as a mellow weekend at J Tree these days, but Jumbo Rocks campground is nice in that it is a little outta the fray (hidden valley, intersection rock). The eastern location of this site means it is almost always faster to head in though the entrance at 29 Palms, or the south- bypassing the mile-long line at JT entrance. Good climbing across the road and easy access to some amazing bouldering (Big Bob's big Wedge) . I wish sites were a little farther apart, but honestly when I come to JTree I try to be out and about most of the time anyway- so just need a spot to crash. Always had cool neighbors anyway :) Another benefit of Jumbo Rocks is that it is somewhat closer to the Cholla garden which is so pretty at sunrise/sunset - just heads up that because it is on the eastern side of the hills in the park the sun sets significantly earlier than the rest of the park- so be sure to hit early! Overall, this might be the best campground/homebase for people coming to the park to do photography.

J Tree camping a little mellower than other campgrounds

The view was great! I wasn’t a fan of trying to find a site, but it’s first come, first served. They have pit toilets in every group of sites, and you pay by dropping your money in a box. There’s gravel everywhere, and nice cement picnic tables. It was very quiet, and very dark at night (perfect for photographers!!)

Great! 

I love this spot specifically because it is a great place to climb. It’s conveniently close to skull rock and discovery trail. Although my favorite part of this campground is how clearly you can see the stars.

Great climbing spot. 

I've stayed at Jumbo Rocks each time I've gone out to Josh. Site #5 and #6 are my favorites. They're situated between HUGE boulders so they're nicely tucked away from high winds that can sometimes pick up. They also have nice access to scramble up above the campground for star gazing and sunsets/sunrises. Highly recommended.

Desert Oasis

outstanding. was there in late january. first come first serve so get there early! bathrooms but no water access and the main entrance is about 45 drive, so come prepared. great access to climbing walking distance or short drive. stunning rock formations and sunrise/sunsets.

amazing. bring water!

When compared to Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks may often feel pretty isolated. It is roughly in between the northern and western entrances of the park, which means that it's essentially on the eastern edge of most of the rock climbing areas. If you drive towards the northern entrance, you will note the subtle differences in terrain between the Mojave desert (to the west), and the Sonoran desert (to the east), which many people often miss!

Many of the camping spots are tucked away in between rocky alcoves, which provides a great deal of privacy. Unfortunately, like other campgrounds in Joshua Tree, it suffers from a lack of shade and fills up very quickly during the fall, winter, and spring seasons.  

The facilities are fine - a simple pit toilet and trash are essentially all you get, so as always, be sure to bring your own water!

Dogs are allowed anywhere within 100 ft of the campground and the roads, but not on trails or in the backcountry.

relatively secluded camping oasis in Joshua Tree

Loved this campground. Spent 4 nights here in a 34 ft travel trailer. We ended up booking two sites to ensure there was enough room for both our trailer and our truck. I'm glad we did. The truck would have been sticking out into the road otherwise. Not that that stopped anyone else from having their whole trailer block half the road. And this is why it is 4 stars instead of 5\. Tons of inconsiderate people - blocking the road, playing loud music, coming in at midnight to set up and yelling at each other. If you could get over that though, the location is incredible. We spent hours exploring the boulders around the campground. It is centrally located in the northern half park and easy to get to everywhere of interest. The weather in early October was perfect. The ranger talks on the weekend were well attended and interesting. Would highly recommend with a caveat to manage expectations.

Dry beautiful campground in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park

My girlfriend took me to Jumbo Rocks for my birthday in mid December, which just happens to be in a full moon.
We all hiked to Skull Rock at night....amazing hike 

Full moon night hikes

Sites are clean with a table and fire pit with grill. Quiet sites. Depending on which site you get some are pretty close to the other. We got a pretty hidden one so check the map when booking. Really like this spot

Night stop on way to az

I love this place! Peaceful and quiet. It’s very close to fascinating hiking trails. It’s the easiest camping experience since there are lots of toilets which are usually kept well maintained and the campsite are just steps away from the parking areas. 

The best camp ground in Joshua Tree

I've stayed her many times. There are plenty of campsites to choose from. The biggest problem is now you must reserve you space. It used to be first come first serve and I could alway find a spot. The views are stunning and the hikes bring you from one vista to another. Most sites seem pretty secluded to and from your neighbor. I like to get two sites next to each other for total privacy. There is nothing better than the night sky at Jumbo Rocks.

My favorite campground in Joshua Tree

Jumbo Rocks is a central campground in Joshua tree so you are pretty close to most main attractions. Skull Rock is actually in the campground. You can’t reserve a spot at Jumbo Rocks like most campgrounds at Joshua tree so I suggest arriving early to find a spot. The camp sites are fairly close together but that is to be expected in most campgrounds in National parks based on my experience. I would recommend finding a nice spot on top of one of the campground’s notorious jumbo Rocks to watch the sunset. Joshua tree sunsets are magical.

Desert Sunsets

This place is so neat, similar to Alabama Hills but allows for so much more opportunity to explore these boulders inside and out! It’s $15 a night to camp here, each site allows two cars. There’s plenty to explore when you’re not by the fire, so be prepared with some solid hiking or climbing shoes and even some chalk (if you’re seriously into climbing). It’s been very busy each time we’ve visited this area, all during summer months so arrive early to get a good spot! There is a limit to how many days you can camp here per year, capped at 30days total. This campsite area is very family friendly! There are designated fire pits (no grills) but no restrooms or trash dump, so come prepared. The area is generally well maintained and kept clean.

Flintstone Paradise

Perfectly secluded campsites among the rocks with fire pits and picnic tables. We didn’t even leave the campsite itself for hours because there was so much to hike, climb, and explore (although we definitely went through the rest of the park like the cholla gardens, skull rock, and watched the sunset at key point). Best spot in the whole park for such a good price if you manage to snag a reservation!

Feels like a movie set

We were fortunate to have a site on the very last loop, which felt very private and more backcountry than I imagine some of the other sites might feel. That said, all of the sites looked amazing as you are surrounded by literal jumbo rocks that are fun to climb and/or just look at. 
We heard a pack of coyotes, heard and saw owls, saw lots of bunnies and a few jackrabbits at dusk, and a fox! You can access Skull Rock trail from the campground or just hike on back behind your site to explore the view. (Be mindful of where you step though!) 
Pit toilets are plentiful and actually very pleasant- not smelly and fully stocked with lots of TP. A garbage is available as well. 
Grill and fire pit at each site. 
We loved it here and will be back!

Beautiful and serene

Very primitive camping, but location, views, hikes, and adventures nearby make it all worth it! We had site #6 and tent camped. It was back a little away from the road and people which was nice. Be sure to bring in your own water. We filled up our jug and got provisions in 29 Palms before heading into the park. 

Cannot miss

1st time here, was a little worried about what to expect as I came in through twenty nine palms area but was pleasantly surprised upon arrival. The Jumbo rocks Campground is an awesome location, most of the sites here are great and private especially the ones right next to the big rocks. The restrooms are drop toilet and clean but may you may want to bring your own TP because the one in the restroom are very thin; There isn’t a sink so you’ll need to prepare for that.
While there hiked skull rock and discovery trail which was only a couple miles of that. There views were awesome. This campground very well kept but because of the restrooms I would give it a 3 and a half stars because there isn’t any half stars I have it a 4.Would definitely recommend this place.

Jumbo rocks of awesomeness my

Had a great camping trip in Joshua NP. It's a large and popular campground but the starry nights amongst giant boulders makes up for it. Site 26 was nice and secluded by boulders from others. Go off season if you don't like crowds.

Awesome but busy campground

Jumbo Rocks is home to some of the most amazing rock formations in Joshua Tree. All the sites are nestled in and around the rocks, which creates a really unique camping experience. 

It’s a pretty large campground, but most of the sites are separated by rock formations or brush for added privacy. 

Jumbo Rocks was one of my first campgrounds, and it didn’t disappoint. I would definitely recommend to anybody visiting Joshua Tree. 

Picturesque Sites

Seriously beautiful campsite. Was not crowded at all due to the heat, but we were never super hot. Plenty of shade at our site.

Incredibly Beautiful

Jumbo Rocks Campground is truly one of the best desert getaways. The rocks around the campground are fun to climb on and explore, plus they create an amazing show of light and shadow from sunrise to moonrise. This campground does have a bit of a party vibe and people stay up late, but everyone was friendly and respectful about it.

  

This is a clean campground with plenty of toilets and dumpsters, the toilets were cleaned daily. There is no water here, so bring more than you think you need. Also, not much shade, so plan ahead in case you have a site with direct sun all day.

  

Each site provides a charcoal grill and campfire ring. Unfortunately, fires were prohibited while I was there. Bring your gas stove just in case.

  

Hidden Springs picnic area is about 20 minutes west of the campground, we used it as a day camp. There is plenty of shade at some of the tables against the rocks. We hung out there during the hottest part of the day to have lunch and stay cool. Twentynine Palms is closer than Joshua Tree/Yucca Valley for groceries, but the drive to Joshua Tree is much more beautiful.

  

Dogs are allowed, but you can't hike with them anywhere in the park.

Amazing Desert Getaway

Words truly can not do this place justice.  Joshua Tree National Park is such a beautifully preserved mosaic of nature and human history.  We only had two short days here but we can not wait to return and explore more.  The ecosystems of the wetter Mojave Desert and the low desert of the Colorado  yield differing plants, water canyons, twisted rock formations, and towering monolithic rock formations that are both beautiful and fun to climb.  This is a boulderer, hiker and climbers dream.  The Joshua trees in and of themselves are both dreamy and mystical.  Although there are other camps in the park which seemed to be more remote, we liked the idea of securing a reservation instead of worrying about a first come first serve situation.  Because of this, we found this to be an ideal camping spot for location, and proximity as well as eliminating the worry of not getting a site.  

For us, the unseasonably warm weather for October affected the hikes we chose to do as we were not acclimated to the extreme and dangerous heat.  Despite this, there are plenty of shorter hikes as well as an amazing 18 mile Geology self driving tour ( note you need four wheel drive) exposing you to diverse and gorgeous desert landscapes and even a hike up an extinct volcano.  

We found Jumbo Rocks campground to be well kept, and clean.  There are 124 tent sites and some  RV sites.  There are no hook ups or drinking water in the campground so all provisions must be brought in prior to entering the park. There is a small town called Twentynine Palms which is about 10 to 12 miles away where you can get water, firewood and your basic amenities. The campsites were rather close together but because of the beautiful rock formations it seemed like you were more isolated than what you were.￼ As long as the neighboring tenters remembered that others were close by and kept voices down it was peaceful.  The most amazing part of this park were the stars at night.  They were unbelievably brilliant!  

As an additional side note, any type of hanging lights, hammocks, clothes lines, bunting, etc. is forbidden in the park.  Hefty fines are awarded to  those who violate the rules and attach to vegetation, Joshua Trees, or the Junipers.    Lastly, there is little to no shade here and the temps can get extreme.  I’d suggest bringing an additional canopy tent for shade as until the sun sets the tent is a sauna sand does not provide relief from the heat.


Incredible mosaic of nature!

It's camping in J Tree. What's not to like? Cell service in the park is pretty spotty at best so take time to enjoy the landscapes and starry nights. Always bring lots of water to the desert. 

The pit toilets do the trick, but bring shade and maybe a solar shower. 

Scrambling galore

From the very first camping trip to the most recent, jumbo rocks has always been such a great experience. I love that it is out in an area with no cell service, and that it is far enough away from the city to enjoy amazing night skies. The bathrooms on site make it easy to camp with kids, and the landscape makes it so much fun to explore. It is still definitely my favorite campground up to date. Be sure to take plenty of water and check for weather conditions, when it’s cold its freezing, when it’s hot it’s HOT. There is no running water or electricity and cell service will be non-existent 

https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm

Favorite campsite by far

the rocks at Jumbo rocks make you feel like your on another planet. My 9yo son loved the place and became a hiking enthusiast over night. This trip was my wife’s first camping trip and she loved it and that’s coming from a native Brazilian. 

Life on Mars?

Went back in June before it got too hot. 
Most of the spots in the rocks were taken so we ended up on the upper site propped up on a little hill and it was great and secluded. Down side was no protection from the wind. Which ended up intense that night. 
Still an awesome trip and awesome campground
Bathrooms were really nice and clean. 
Always be sure to bring enough water for your trip.

Crowded but great

Campsite was perfect, the site is for 4 people but easily could have fit 8-10! 3/4 folks in our group tent camped while I slept in my car along the road right next to the campsite. The site itself only had enough room for 2 cars so be sure to budget for that. We had two pit toilet stalls right next to our site, there were some bees around the front entrance but the bathrooms themselves were fine. We stayed at campsite 83, pictures below, on 12/5. It was COLD out as well, I am from colorado but the cold hit different out here! Bring plenty of wood and warm clothes :)

Beautiful!

Loved this location. Accommodates large RVs Trailers and Tents. Large camping areas isolated form other sites. Clean and fairly easy access. When you get to the end of the road, you can go Right or Left. There is a sign that says no Trailers, but doesn't indicate which direction it applies to. Left circles around, right is dead end. Be careful which way you choose.

Fantastic Location in Center of Joshua Tree National Park

This was one of our first camping spots as a family back in September 2020. We borrowed a 1985 VW Westfalia (now we own one). My sister and her family of four came in their suburban &amp; tent. We shared a $20 camping spot. 

We drove in from Orange County CA and reserved our spot online. The campground was 85% full and was a little loud with larger groups next to us, but was beautiful. 

We brought our large golden retriever, which was great but they don’t allow dogs on trails so that was a bummer while we nicked during the days. 

It was hot and there were lots of bee’s and no campfires but still worth it. Skull Rock trail was worth it with our five year old. Totally kid friendly. 

We’ll come back for sure. Was a good intro to camping for us. 

EASY. BEAUTIFUL. FUN.

Beautiful, peaceful, quiet in nature- right in the middle of Joshua Tree National Forest. Good privacy between sites. It’s important to find sites with large rocks for shade, like sites 2-5, 90, 91 and others. The sites on the loops that are farthest from the entrance give the feeling of being out in nature, but seem to have less jumbo rocks for shade. We stayed on site 2 in mid September 2020 and the shade was pretty good. Lots of empty sites and people coming without reservations were able to get sites. The cons were: no campground host or rangers(and some people who weren’t staying at the campground came and acted really weird outside our van in middle of night), no phone service(so if there was an emergency beyond strangers acting weird we would have no way to get help), and lots of“thirsty bees” all over the campground, which is great for nature but a bit disconcerting for visitors. The signs say that they are looking for water and to avoid swatting at them. The best times to enjoy JT are morning, late afternoon, evening and night bc it’s super hot across the day(generally I’m Joshua Tree NP). The scenery is incredibly beautiful, the sunsets amazing and the stars are out of this world. One night is probably enough to experience it without having to handle the hot mid-day or battle the bees.

Beautiful campground with some caveats...

We stayed at Jumbo Rocks for 4 nights in a tent in late February 2021.  Weather was awesome - highs in the 70s in the day and lows in the 30s/40s at night. This was our second time staying here; first time was in a travel trailer in Oct 2018 (see Dyrt Review).  We still love the campground, though again it was the inconsiderate nature of our neighbors that bring it from 5 stars down to 4.  Here's a review of the pros and cons.

Pros:
* Dynamic, interactive environment: This is a playground for adults and kids alike.  Climb on the rocks, hike through the drainages, and explore to your hearts content.  We didn't see any, but of course, watch out for rattlesnakes.  The rock is extremely grippy and very good for climbing.
* Beautiful sunsets and sunrises: The land turns gold during these times.  There are no electric lights in the campground or anywhere nearby (car headlights and camp lanterns excluded).  Absolutely beautiful.
* Decently spaced vault toilets: no site is too far from a toliet, and there are enough of them that even with over 100 sites, you aren't going to wait long (if at all) to use one. 
* Nice concrete tables and low fire pits with grates.  There is a standing grill too, but we didn't use it. 
* Recycling bins and an amphitheater   Trails to lead to Skull and Split Rocks (highly recommend for kids!).  

Neutral: 
* The size, level, and location of sites:  Pick your sites wisely - do your research!  Some sites have very little space - just enough for a small tent, while others are spacious.  Some sites are secluded while others you are practically sitting on your neighbors. Some are flat and level while others there is no level space at all (suitable for RVs but not for tent camping).  Some spaces will accommodate RVs and slide outs while others will not; do not rely on Recreation.gov telling you it will fit!  Instead, look at satellite views.  Go to Campgroundphotos.com.  Read reviews.  Site 31's description is below.

Cons:
* Very little regulation paired with inconsiderate neighbors:  Jumbo is not a well regulated campground.  You don't check-in.  You make a reservation online and just show up at your site, hoping it will be empty.  There is a camp host that flips signs from reserved to open, allowing for walk-ins, but this doesn't stop people from squatting (we had 6 young men come in to have a fire and dinner at the campsite next to us before the folks who had reserved the site arrived late and kicked them out).  We also had neighbors who set up a couch, smoked pot, and played EDM so loud you could hear it 100 yards away at all hours (they quieted it down a bit after a confrontation - they claimed to be 'enjoying nature' - but not by much).  So you roll the dice and hopefully you have neighbors who are there for similar reasons as you.
* Little protection from the elements: During the warmer months, your best bet is to find a spot next to boulder to the west/south of you, so you have some shade in the afternoon.  During the winter months, look to have some protection from the north winds, which can be fierce (seriously, it will rip up your camp, it did ours). 

Site 31 Description:
Part of a cluster, meaning you park with others and the sites fan out from the parking area.  31 is a 100 foot walk from parking; we walked past other sites but no one had to walk past ours.  It is up on a small rise  - had a beautiful view but was more exposed to the wind and sun. Mostly flat and will fit several tents.  Closest neighbor was 30 feet away and separated by scrub.  Vault toilet and dumpsters adjacent to parking area.  Not next to any big rocks, but they are only a short walk away.  A coyote walked by us in the night and squirrels frequently raided our camp (keep your food and trash secure).

Fun for kids and adults! Dry desert camping among the Jumbo Rocks!

Wow, this was a gorgeous campsite. Most sites seem relatively private and there are tons of boulders and hills to perch on top of for wonderful sunrise and sunset views. I highly recommend staying here if you want to stay in Joshua tree. Just know, it's smack dab in the middle of the main road and about 18 miles from town. It also was EXTREMELY windy in the afternoon and evening, but we still enjoyed ourselves. :)

Beautiful, amazing, be aware of the wind! 

I love this place! The kids had an absolute blast climbing the Rocks. The stars were beautiful as was the sunset and sunrise. See you again in the fall when the Temps get cooler. 

Spent a night at Jumbo Rocks with my 8 and 15 year old.

This has been our favorite Joshua Tree campground so far. If you come in from the west side of the park you get to drive through most of the park before arriving to camp. You know when you are coming up to it when you see the giant boulders on the horizon. The campground definitely live up to it’s name! 
The grounds were nice and clean clean. There tons of rocks to play on all walking distance from any campsite. Our spot was quite large so lots of room to set up and play games. There were a surprising amount of small furry creatures running around at night and in the early morning hours. So if you wake up quietly you can enjoy their presence. 
Being in and around the rocks makes for the ultimate Jtree experience. 
Still very very hot in September so bring plenty of water!! More than you think you will need! 

Sleeping amongst the giants

Jumbo Rocks gives great convenience to trails like Skull Rock, but the sites are pretty close together, especially if you are car camping. I snagged a 1st come 1st serve spot at Hidden Valley the night before and preferred that.

Sites are close together 

Sites are close together but worth it to be so close to the rocks. Very clean vault toilet. Picnic table, fire ring, and grate. 

Beautiful!! 

A lot of the sites were very private, and you can sometimes get a shady spot. I did have a scorpion burrow under the tarp I had under my tent during the night, so just be careful when putting everything away!

Good campground!

We camped here middle of august and it was empty, mostly because it’s unbearable during the day with 100+ degrees during the day. We only stayed from dusk til the early morning but it was so beautiful! Just be sure to bring enough water with you cause there’s no spigots. 

One of the most unique sites

We’ve got a 9 person tent and it was impossible to set up at Jumbo Rocks in July.  Beautiful campground!!

Too windy for a tent!

We LOVED camping at Jumbo Rocks! We were in site 101 which was set back from the road a bit and gave more privacy than some sites. The campground is perfectly located near everything you’ll want to see in Joshua Tree. There are huge boulders all around that really make it feel like a cool place to be. Twice we saw foxes near our site and we were visited by lots of birds. There was a convenient fire ring, bbq grill and picnic table. We woke up to the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen!

  

The campground only lost 1 star because the bathrooms were yucky and there was no where flat to set up tent so we had to sleep at a slight incline.

Beautiful campground with the best sunrises

This was my first time solo camping and it was the best experience for a nature newbie like me. I appreciated the close proximity of the next door campsite for the only reason of me traveling alone with just my dog. I do appreciate a little more space from other campers now as I’m getting more comfortable camping alone &amp; like my privacy. That being said, I still got the full experience of camping alone with privacy and not bumping into other camps space. The whole site is well organized by space number with multiple parking spots per campsite. It was pretty full of campers when I pulled in but not once did I see or feel too many ppl were around me at the camp ground. 
I also appreciated how one of the trails from the camp lead right up to a popular pic spot, the Skullhead Rock. It’s a quick little hiking trail with a great ending spot. There was the longest line waiting for a pic on the rock so I passed and drove a little further past skullhead and did some hiking at the end of a little turn off road. 
The reason why I’m going back: Ranger patrol came to every site to verify the camper and confirmed reservations. Didn’t expect this but once I talked to him, I felt soo much safer and was glad someone at the park was maintaining some kind of system of the sites and who was staying in them. Showers/bathrooms are dispersed throughout. Perfect place for huge groups that book multiple sites or large family. 

Safe for Solo Campers

Super campspots among the boulders.  Great hiking out of the campground.  Some of the tent sites are "really" walk in sites so it makes it a bit more challenging if sleeping in van.  Bring everything you need ie. Water!

Camping in the big rocks

Jumbo rocks was overall a beautiful campground! Do beware of how close campsites are, and in order to reach many you have to walk directly through others sites. This was at least the case with sites 104-107. The grounds were overall very clean, however the restrooms were a bit of a mess. We didn’t get the chance to meet the campground hosts, and only saw the ranger once over a 3 day stay. If you head to Jumbo Rocks, make sure to give  Geology Tour Rd a go if you have a 4wd! Happy camping! 

Insane Geology, Close Campsites

Nice campground in the National Park, most sites are next to the gorgeous rocks

Nice Campground

Great area, but the sites are really right on top of each other, at least where I was. 

Pretty but populous

Site 82 is on the main campground road, but you can put your tent far enough back that you don't hear the cars or vehicles pass by. It's also far enough away from the other sites that you don't really know there're there.

A lot of the other sites are right on top of each other or far away from the parking for that site.

Site 82 - private and comfortable

it was so windy!! and sandy!! No water nearby

not good too windy

Very busy and crowded campground. Need reservations at Jumbo Rocks. Usually only one parking spot per camp site. Vault toilets have high use. Camp hosts and rangers visible and quiet hours observed.

Joshua Tree is of course spectacular and this campground is no exception. The campground is one of the bigger/busier ones in JT. Beautiful rocks and lots of places to explore. Kids love climbing on the rocks. You can hike to skull rock from the campground. JT has very narrow windows of time where it is not too hot or too cold (but you probably knew that, and if not, do more research). There is no water at Jumbo Rocks or pretty much anywhere in the park - bring the water and fire wood and everything else you need. Site 031 has beautiful views, but there are no flat spots for tents. Also, you have to walk through other sites to get to your car, so just expect that.

031, JUMBO ROCKS CAMPGROUND

We made the mistake of booking a site that we were supposed to park and “hike” in to set up. It was pretty much a group site with other people that you’re not in group with… The party next to us also made the mistake of booking one of these sites with a rooftop tent so we had the pleasure of camping right next to people who should have been wearing CPAP at night. We snagged a spot in a FCFS campground the next morning and were much happier! 

A few good sites but most are on top of each other

Awesome tent sites in Joshua Tree, tucked between some Jumbo Rocks. The sites are pretty spacious and private and have primo scenery and star gazing opportunities.

Super Sick

This is one of my favorite places to camp. The night sky is amazing and during the day you can explore the campground and climb rocks for amazing photo ops. They have bathrooms on site and keep them clean and maintained 

Amazing scenery

Being in the park, camping here is beautiful and convenient. However, it’s a big campground with a lot of spots and people and not a lot of shade. I think it’s great if you’re short on time to visit the park, but you can find similar places outside of the park a bit further that offer more privacy if that’s your jam. 

Nice spot in the park 

Let me start by saying what a special place this is. Joshua tree as a whole is a such a magnificent place, but the jumbo rocks campground is otherworldly. I have camped in a lot of different deserts across the country none compare to the amount of fun that can be had on Joshua tree all the climbing and exploring that can be done is outstanding. Although we went in February the weather was great during the day a little chilly and windy at night but with the right preparation all went well. We spent three nights tent camping with sleeping bags and it was low 50s high 40s and we were okay with layers. The days were 60s/70s and sunny. The campsite has about a 45 min drive to town through the north part of the park. Overall this place is amazing highly recommend and for new campers its in the middle of the park but theres lots of people around so you don’t feel totally alone. If u wanna walk away from camp and get away from people and noise theres plenty of opportunity to. If you do stay try and get a camp site next to one of the giant boulders makes for great nighttime ambiance with stars and a fire. 

One of those special places in the world 

We had a group camp at Jumbo Rocks during the recent new moon. We had campsites 147, 148, and 150. The campsite was completely full and the way the sites are laid out it feels like you are on top of one another. 

  

While site 150 had some space deep into the landscape it had zero to no flat space. The site is also right next to the restroom and you have to park and walk back to the site. When we got there the parking was nearly full despite a car limit in place per site. Site 147 was even more on a hill side. It was barely a camp site. 

  

The sites did have a good table and fire pit that we used. The restrooms are pit toilets and were not in the best shape. 

  

The skies were awesome outside of some light pollution to the south (the direction of the milky way core). We stayed out quite late taking pictures. 

  

Another issue we found was that coyotes were super loud throughout the night and kept some of us up.

Really cool landscape, not great campsite

Site 049 is set off from the road but you park your vehicle in a 4 slot space nearby. That means you have to carry all your gear 100 feet every time you need to get something from the van. Also, the assigned parking slot is just about on top of the restroom, so everyone troops by your vehicle to use it.

  

You would not know these facts just by looking at the NPS photos, so our advice is to try to search for photos taken by campers rather than NPS.

  

Campground itself is fantastic. Our second time to Joshua Tree but first time in Jumbo Rocks. Lots of ways to ramble around the rocks and desert.

Great campground but mediocre campsite

70 yr olds in 17’ trailer: 
Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good)
Overall Rating:  4.8
Site Privacy:  3.5 Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good)
Overall Rating:  4.8
Site Privacy:  3.5 - many sites are pullover 
Site Spacing:  4.0 - Many campsites nestled in or near the jumbo rocks
Campground Noise 4.5 Pretty Quiet
Road Noise:  5.   None
Bathroom Cleanliness 5.  Nice pit toilets
Cell Service (Verizon): None
Setting:  5 Very picturesque .  
Weather:  5
Solar: 5 - in most sites 
Host:  None
Site Spacing:  4..0 . (Site 12 parking is in site 13 area) 
Campground Noise 5 Quiet
Road Noise:  5.   None
Bathroom Cleanliness 5.  Nice pit toilets
Cell Service (Verizon): None
Setting:  5 Very picturesque 
  Many sites offer a unique setting.  Some are close to CG road 
Weather:  5
Solar: 4 - in most sites 
Host:  Yes
(We walked through, did not stay) 

Pull Over Spots

Great campground for exploring Joshua Tree NP. The weather was super windy during our stay and even saw some snow on the last day of camping. The bathrooms have vault toilets, no water available so come prepared. No cell service within the park either. Twentynine Palms town is about 20 minutes away, has plenty of stores and has cell service. Skull Rock seems likes it’s always packed with tourists, I recommend coming early in the morning or for sunset. Attach Rock and Heart Rock are also cool to see and are close to the campground.

Windy Camping with Views

So much exploring to be had right from your camp site. The high dessert is fascinating. The rock formations are so easy to explore and offer an abundance of intrigue.  The campground has great sites tucked here and there. Pit toilets, garbage and recycling for all, bbq, picnic table and fire pit at each site.  Great location. 