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Best Tent Camping near Joshua Tree National Park

733 Reviews
CAMPER SUMMARY PRESENTED BYFord

Tent camping opportunities near Joshua Tree National Park range from primitive dispersed sites to established campgrounds within the park boundaries. Box Canyon Dispersed camping area offers free tent sites approximately 20 miles southeast of the park, while backcountry camping is available along Boy Scout Trail for those seeking a more remote experience inside Joshua Tree National Park itself.

Most tent sites in the area require campers to be self-sufficient with water and waste management. Box Canyon features sandy terrain that may require high-clearance or 4WD vehicles, as several reviews mention the risk of getting stuck in deep sand. Fires are permitted at some dispersed sites like Box Canyon, but all backcountry camping in Joshua Tree National Park prohibits campfires completely. Toilets are unavailable at dispersed sites and backcountry locations, though some established campgrounds provide vault toilets. Pack-in, pack-out principles apply throughout the region, with no trash services at primitive sites. A camper noted that Box Canyon is "ideally a good spot, but the sand is way too deep to get far enough off of the road."

The tent camping experience varies significantly by location. Box Canyon offers seclusion in a dramatic desert landscape with opportunities for canyon hiking and wildlife viewing. Winter months provide more comfortable temperatures, as summer heat can be extreme. Backcountry tent camping along Boy Scout Trail requires at least a one-mile hike from roads and setting up camp at minimum 500 feet from any trails. This provides guaranteed tent camping options during peak periods when established campgrounds fill quickly. A visitor commented that backcountry camping is "a good backup option for when campgrounds are full" and that while there are "no facilities along the trail," it offers "free, guaranteed camping during busy weekends."

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Best Tent Sites Near Joshua Tree National Park (18)

    1. Box Canyon Dispersed

    5 Reviews
    Mecca, CA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 833-7100

    "this is a dispersed location on box canyon in Mecca. the road is loose sand and is possible by most vehicles as long as you stay on the road."

    2. Twentynine Palms

    2 Reviews
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    25 miles
    +1 (612) 559-4760

    $25 - $80 / night

    "I'd like to welcome your host Stephanie to our platform. This is vacant property for short term camping. Try them out and leave them some love."

    "Loved staying in twentynine palms to explore Joshua tree and the surrounding areas. Pioneer town was so fun. Headed in to Palm springs. Wow!"

    3. Boy Scout Trail Backcountry Sites — Joshua Tree National Park

    1 Review
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    23 miles
    Website

    4. Corn Springs Campground

    5 Reviews
    Niland, CA
    34 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 833-7100

    "Pit toilets, no water, a little cell service with ATT. Half the sites were full but with quiet folks."

    "Well was dry, luckily I carry water.  Beautiful canyon hikes, climbs and views. 

    Petroglyphs and historic mining cabin

    Someone drops off scrap wood for campfires

    I'll be back"

    5. Simply Camping

    1 Review
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    29 miles
    +1 (562) 340-9722

    $33 - $39 / night

    "I love that this property is so close to the Copper Mesa Mountains. With all the sites being spread out, you'll have plenty of privacy. Pack it in, pack it out!"

    6. Desert Camp Festivities

    Be the first to review!
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    20 miles
    +1 (760) 819-4427

    $20 / night

    7. The Emblem

    Be the first to review!
    Twentynine Palms, CA
    23 miles

    8. Shabby Shanty

    1 Review
    Landers, CA
    34 miles
    +1 (442) 269-1018

    $70 / night

    "Overlooking the dry lake bed with a neighbor half a mile away sounds like the perfect retreat for those seeking peace and privacy."

    9. Rancho Capotista

    1 Review
    Desert Hot Springs, CA
    34 miles
    +1 (207) 322-4233

    $40 / night

    "We're happy to welcome this property to our platform. Pick your spot anywhere on the property. Give them a try and leave them some love."

    10. Black Rock Equestrian Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    1 Review
    Yucca Valley, CA
    35 miles
    +1 (760) 367-5554

    $35 / night

    "Huge open horse camp with 10 corrals, picnic tables, bbqs and fire rings, pick your spot anywhere you like. Almost all sloped but not awful. Lot gets regularly graded."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Joshua Tree National Park

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Tent Camping Reviews near Joshua Tree National Park

733 Reviews of 18 Joshua Tree National Park Campgrounds

  • Ashley F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 18, 2023

    Wanderust Getaways 29 Palms

    Primitive Camping

    Ashley here with The Dyrt. This primitive camping site is located 30 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park. Check out the observatory while you're here. Primitive, so pack it in, pack it out. Check them out and leave them a review!

  • Carlyne F.
    Feb. 23, 2021

    Sportsman’s Club

    Sportsman’s Club, CA

    Located in Twentynine Palms California, the campground is only ten minutes away from Joshua Tree National Park. The sites are flat. It’s essentially a dirt parking lot with hook ups. The host was nice and accommodating. They provide firewood for purchase and all the WiFi information upon arrival. The property is gated which made us feel safer at night. We thought it was costly for what the park provided, but understand the location is what makes it more expensive. Convenient and close to the main road!

  • A
    Oct. 16, 2020

    Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    Beautiful Joshua Tree Campground

    We stayed at campsite 50 in October with two young kids (2 and 4). Tent camping.

    Pros: the views, the beautiful rocks, clean sites, friendly ranger, rocks that could give you some relief from sun if you’re lucky enough. Great area for bouldering from entry level up. Site 50 had low rocks that were doable for my 2 and 4 yo. The rest were way too advanced.

    Cons: no park entrance from here. You have to drive 20/30 minutes out to the main road and back in to get to the main area of the park. The campsite next to us had some nasty anthills. Some of the campsites are set up a bit odd depending on your equipment, could or could not be a big deal. For example we were sharing a parking space with campsite 51 and their site was walking in behind ours. So if they had had an RV I think it would have been impossible. Site 50 was right across from the vault toilet which was great for proximity (and toilet was clean as far as these go) but every once in a while we’d get a whiff of out house which is not pleasant. Wasn’t too frequent so not a big deal but if you want to avoid stay further away from toilets.

    Get water at the entrance gate to the cove. That’s the only water hook up near by. Picnic tables and fire ring in each site. Vault toilets. No showers. No Joshua trees here but tons of Mojave yuccas and other desert plants. Beautiful views and sleeping under dessert sky and stars.

  • Kandi R.
    Nov. 17, 2024

    Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    Amazing Joshua Tree Gem

    Love, love this campground. Beautiful rock formations set amidst the magical Joshua Tree National Park. RV sites are good size, no hookups, but campground does have vault toilets and endless exploration opportunities!

  • Lindy C.
    Apr. 24, 2018

    Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground

    Hidden Gem outside of Joshua Tree

    We stayed 3 days at this funky little RV campground. It’s full of art installations and has its own small lake that you can fish in. (Catch & Release) There’s a ton of birds and wildlife to observe and a really well stocked general store on the property. Bathrooms were clean and staff was friendly and helpful. There is a small playground onsite for littler kids and tons of space to tent camp. We stayed in 201 which was a HUGE flat spot that could’ve held a much larger rig than ours. All in all it was great, I’d definitely recommend it and plan to return. About 10 minutes to the Joshua Tree National Park entrance and 15+ minutes to good climbs. Easy access and close to town if you forgot something but you won’t hear any traffic.

  • Deborah C.
    May. 31, 2019

    Indian Cove Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    Joshua Tree, Indian cove campground , May, 2019

    We love the jumbo rocks at Joshua Tree and Indian cove campground is settled within a group of the giant rock formations. Our campsite was a bit small, but fine for the two of us and our tent. We had a picnic table, grill and fire pit. Vault toilets were spaced nicely along the campground road. No water in the actual campground, but is at the ranger station. No showers or running water, cell coverage was spotty.

  • Corey B.
    Jun. 26, 2022

    Sheep Pass Group Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    Great Group Campground

    We camped at site 2 on 6/12 this year and had a great time. We had 18 people and found that there were a ton of different nooks to setup your tent. We even found on one up a little higher in the rocks that would have been cool. 

    We placed our tent just inside the rock area from the picnic tables and we are really glad we did. The wind on our first night was a lot and this one site was a bit better for wind protection. 

    There was a tree/bush at the corner of our group site that ended up being great for shade and a hang out place during the day. In the afternoon we spent more time near the tables and grill. The site comes with a large charcoal grill that we used to cook burgers on one of our nights. 

    At night we ventured off a bit near the camp site and took some night sky pictures. We also we able to see a bunch of owls up in the top of the rocks on one of the nights. During the full moon it was really easy to walk around with out lights. 

    There is no water and no showers, but the pit toilets that were there were clean and well maintained. They even had some nice candles to light in them. The dumpster was right next to our group site and was also well maintained. 

    Our only problem during our stay was that on our last night a bunch of people came in after midnight to the site next to ours (#1) and they played music and were loud until 4 AM... We barely saw rangers there and there is no cell signal so it can be challenging to get help for these types of things (assuming you don't feel comfortable confronting a group of drunk people in the middle of the night).

  • Erin S.
    Feb. 26, 2021

    Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

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

    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).

  • Kathy M.
    Jul. 1, 2017

    Cottonwood Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

    Away from primary Joshua Tree camping areas

    This campground was away from the primary campground like Jumbo Rock and therefore less crowded. Campsites included fire ring and picnic table. Flush toilets on premises and away from primary sites. Tent sites were very close together and as we found or a very popular site for star gazing and meteror showers. Required aunt of a drive to get into the primary park area and firewood not available in campgrounds (Walmart is the closest location it was available). Camp hosts were very nice however did not enforce quiet hours. We camp with our daughter (5 at the time) and unfortunately we were surrounded by many college students drinking heavily (not Joshua Trees fault). We ended up leaving a day early because of this. Aside from the other campers we had a good desert camping experience. I think next time we would try a different site to attempt to be more secluded and avoid this issue in the future.

Guide to Joshua Tree National Park

Tent camping near Joshua Tree National Park offers several dispersed and established options for campers seeking desert solitude. The area experiences extreme temperature variations, with summer highs regularly exceeding 100°F and winter nights dropping below freezing. Most dispersed sites require campers to navigate sandy terrain that can challenge standard passenger vehicles, while established campgrounds within the park require reservations during peak season.

What to do

Canyon hiking: Corn Springs Campground provides access to "beautiful canyon hikes, climbs and views" with the added cultural interest of "petroglyphs and historic mining cabin" according to camper Paul A.

Stargazing: Twentynine Palms offers exceptional night sky viewing with camper Stephanie C. noting "Twentynine thousand stars - oh my" while using the location as a base to "explore Joshua tree and the surrounding areas."

Wildlife watching: Campers at Box Canyon report frequent wildlife sightings, with Nick A. sharing that "we had two foxes come and visit the campsite" during a late November stay when temperatures remained moderate.

Horseback riding: Black Rock Equestrian Campground provides specialized facilities for equestrians with "10 corrals, picnic tables, bbqs and fire rings" and "amazing" trails including "an overland trail from here to the south end of Joshua Tree NP which is around 35 miles long."

What campers like

Privacy between sites: At Simply Camping, visitors appreciate that "all the sites being spread out" which provides "plenty of privacy" while still being "close to the Copper Mesa Mountains."

Stunning scenery: Campers consistently mention the dramatic landscapes, with one visitor to Rancho Capotista describing the experience as "raw desert camping" that offers an authentic wilderness experience.

Geological features: Box Canyon campers highlight the "shear cliffs that are heavily eroded" with "very distinct layers of floods," creating a dramatic backdrop for camping according to Kenny W.

Winter camping: Multiple reviews recommend visiting between October and April, with Terry B. noting that Corn Springs is "hard to get to but worth the drive" during cooler months when the desert climate is more hospitable.

What you should know

Sand conditions: Several Box Canyon reviews mention challenging terrain, with Joe C. advising "would recommend 4wd but i suspect you could get in without" and Kenny W. warning about "very loose sand" making it "very easy to get stuck."

Water availability: Most dispersed camping areas require bringing all necessary water. At Shabby Shanty, despite being listed with drinking water, the nearest reliable water source is in town, requiring adequate planning.

Temperature extremes: Richard D. shares an experience at Corn Springs where "it was so dang hot at night that we slept out on the ground with our dog as opposed to inside the camper van" only to be "woken up and surrounded by coyotes."

Cell service: Coverage varies significantly by location, with Dan X. reporting "a little cell service with ATT" at Corn Springs, while most other dispersed sites offer limited to no connectivity.

Tips for camping with families

Wildlife education: Box Canyon provides opportunities for children to explore and learn about desert wildlife. Nick A. reports that "the kids did some exploring" and even "found a Geocache" during their family camping trip.

Safety precautions: When camping with children at Corn Springs, Terry B. warns about "petroglyphs, unfortunately some have been ruined with graffiti" requiring parental supervision to protect both cultural resources and children.

Avoid summer months: For family camping, multiple reviews emphasize avoiding peak summer heat. Taylor notes about Corn Springs that "we had a lot of fun here! It was really hot so we'd only go back during winter time."

Tips from RVers

Road conditions: Access to Corn Springs requires navigating "about 6 miles of dirt road, but fairly well maintained with minor washboarding" according to Terry B., making it accessible for most RVs with careful driving.

Leveling challenges: At Black Rock Equestrian Campground, Judith W. notes camping spots are "almost all sloped but not awful" and the "lot gets regularly graded" making it manageable for smaller RVs with proper leveling equipment.

Backup water supplies: Several reviewers mention unreliable water sources at established campgrounds, with Paul A. reporting "well was dry, luckily I carry water" during a January visit to Corn Springs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the camping regulations and permit requirements for Joshua Tree National Park?

Backcountry camping in Joshua Tree requires registration at one of the dozen designated backcountry boards throughout the park. You cannot camp just anywhere - you must register first and follow specific regulations. When backcountry camping at locations like Box Canyon Dispersed, remember there are no amenities or trash cans, so pack everything out. For established campgrounds like Corn Springs Campground, regulations typically include quiet hours, fire restrictions (especially during high fire danger), and proper food storage to prevent wildlife encounters. Always check the official Joshua Tree National Park website for current permit requirements and fire restrictions.

Where are the best campgrounds for tent camping in Joshua Tree National Park?

Joshua Tree National Park offers several excellent tent camping options. Black Rock Equestrian Campground provides spacious sites with picnic tables, BBQs, and fire rings on mostly sloped but manageable terrain. For those seeking a more remote experience, Boy Scout Trail Backcountry Sites are accessible from the west entrance and offer a true wilderness experience. Backcountry camping requires registration at designated boards throughout the park. These options provide different experiences depending on your preference for amenities versus solitude.

What amenities are available at Joshua Tree National Park tent camping sites?

Amenities vary across Joshua Tree's camping areas. Santa Rosa Springs Campground in the nearby San Bernardino National Forest features basic sites with natural beauty but minimal facilities. Within Joshua Tree itself, most established campgrounds provide picnic tables, fire rings, and BBQ grills. Shabby Shanty offers stunning views overlooking a dry lake bed with privacy and proximity to park amenities. Most Joshua Tree campgrounds have pit toilets, but water availability is limited - campers often need to bring their own or collect from central locations. Cell service is spotty throughout the park, with some areas receiving limited AT&T coverage. No electrical hookups are available at standard tent sites.

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