Just south of the Cottonwood entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, this free BLM dispersed camping area sits on open desert terrain with sites spread across a wide, sandy flat. There's little shade, as expected in the desert, but the area gives campers open sightlines toward surrounding hills and clear night skies. A new moon stay here, according to multiple reviewers, reveals a dense field of stars overhead. The sites are numerous and well-spaced, with many featuring fire rings.
Noise from I-10 is audible from spots near the highway, but Jason G. puts it plainly: "Far enough from the highway to be quiet." Reviewers consistently confirm that highway sound fades once you drive a couple of miles in. Wind can be a factor, particularly for pop-up campers and those with taller rigs, and sustained gusts of 10 to 15 mph have been reported during winter stays.
Road access deserves attention before arrival. The main entrance road has a sign indicating you need permission to proceed, but campers can access dispersed spots by veering off just before that sign or continuing to a road farther down. Chris V. is direct on one point: "A class A or travel trailer WILL get stuck here" if driven beyond the first few miles, where the road narrows and grades steepen. Large RVs that stay near the entrance, however, report the area works well as an alternative to the full-hookup campgrounds inside the park.
The Cottonwood Visitor Center, a short drive north, has a drinking water source, and a free RV dump station is located nearby. A gas station with supplies is roughly 10 minutes away. Nearby dispersed options include Joshua Tree South Dispersed Camping and Joshua Tree South - BLM Dispersed, both within a mile, for those who want to compare site layouts before committing. Arrive before dark, as locating individual sites in the area is considerably harder at night.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsJoshua Tree South Entrance is located in California near Mecca
Dispersed CampingCoordinates
33.67395396 N
115.8021666 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 54 usersLast on 9/4/26
VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 114 usersLast on 9/4/26- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 27 usersLast on 9/4/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 54 usersLast on 9/4/26
- VerizonLTEGood CoverageVerified by 114 usersLast on 9/4/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 27 usersLast on 9/4/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Dispersed
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Phone Service
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
DISPERSED CAMPING
Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.
PERMIT might be REQUIRED
We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Joshua Tree South Entrance needs a permit.
Drive Time
- 1 hr 31 min from El Centro, CA
- 2 hrs 28 min from Yuma, AZ
- 2 hrs 34 min from Lake Havasu City, AZ
- 2 hrs 35 min from San Diego, CA
