Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground accommodates pets across its tent sites and RV spaces with full hookups, providing clean facilities and desert vistas ideal for dogs. Located minutes from Joshua Tree National Park, this campground features separated sites with privacy bushes that help create a more secluded experience for campers with animals. Giant Rock Dispersed camping area permits pets with no restrictions, offering an expansive area for off-leash exploration away from more crowded campgrounds. Both Black Rock Campground and Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree National Park allow pets but require them to remain on leash at all times. The campgrounds are clean and well-maintained despite the presence of fire ants in some areas.
Giant Rock Dispersed camping offers excellent stargazing opportunities for campers with pets, with unobstructed views of meteor showers and night skies enhanced by minimal light pollution. The desert landscape provides ample space for pets to explore, though owners should be aware of extreme temperature fluctuations that can affect animals. During summer months, early morning or evening walks are recommended to protect paws from hot sand and rocks. Cell service varies throughout the region, with Verizon providing 5G coverage near Giant Rock but becoming non-existent in more remote camping areas. Wildlife encounters are possible, so keeping pets secured during dawn and dusk hours helps minimize interactions with coyotes and other desert animals. The area remains remarkably clean despite its popularity, though weekend visits see higher traffic and more visitors stopping by for pictures.
$35 / night
"You're not allowed to use ANY surrounding vegetation for campfires (even kindling) so be prepared to cart in your own wood and kindling."
"Originally booked this site because it is a good endpoint for the California Riding & Hiking trail though the national park, so if you’re looking to run or complete the traverse, it is a good spot"
$15 - $55 / night
"There is a tiny "lake" with reeds and visiting birds who congregate around the water. Fishing offered, but no swimming. I spent a very serene time with just myself and my cat."
"A great spot away from the main Joshua Tree strip. We visited for one night during the waning height of COVID and staff was taking all the necessary precautions."
$55 / night
"The sites are tucked into the rocks which block wind and kept us nice and warm at night. Bats flew just overhead for a couple hours and I thought it was magical!"
"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."
"Free camping just outside Joshua Tree. No amenities or designated campsites. Large open area where you can camp wherever you'd like."
"As others have noted, this a giant dry lake bed. There is tons of space, plenty of room to spread out and not be near other campers, which there are many on the weekends."
$30 / night
"They're situated between HUGE boulders so they're nicely tucked away from high winds that can sometimes pick up."
"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."
"My favorite place to camp near Joshua Tree. Lots of space."
"We set up fairly close to the paved road by the solar panels. Land was flat, plenty of room for ourselves and quiet."
"Nobody too rowdy, people left respectful distances between rigs, GREAT location for travel caravans.
- The most paved way in is to take Sunfair to Broadway."
"Close to town. Looks like the road may get kinda messy with rain. ☔️"
$25 - $60 / night
"Comfortable partial hookup sites, pet friendly, and nice people. Theres a dog park next door. The bathrooms are clean, and the laundry facilities work well (although coin only, no cards)."
"Located close to the town of Joshua Tree so you can still grab a bite to eat if you’re not up to cooking. Easy access to the west entry gate but this gate tends to get busy on holiday weekends."
"Giant Rock is a popular location. There is plenty of space for individual or group camping. A steady flow of visitors stop by for pictures, but overall, it's quiet during the week."
"Even at 81 deg outside, the desert wind keeps you cool. I travel with a cat and she's been absolutely loving rolling around in the sandy dirt. "
"My buddy and I went hunting nearby, I was surprised to come across beautiful sand dunes in the area, great hiking, great sunset, perfect spot."
TravelerComfortable partial hookup sites, pet friendly, and nice people. Theres a dog park next door. The bathrooms are clean, and the laundry facilities work well (although coin only, no cards).
RangerVery clean, dog friendly ( with dog park) helpful nice staff, propane available, small playground and swimming pool, picnic tables and grills at each site
GuideNot a very attractive drive in. Lots and lots of trash in the shrubbery and fields along the highway. Reservation and check in was easy. Staff were very friendly and accommodating. The RV park itself is attractive and seems to be fairly well maintained. It seems there are two rv areas. A lower older area and an upper newer and more attractive area. We were in the older area. Site was gravel with a small concrete area. Unfortunately, no one there seems to care about the dog poop everywhere (not exaggerating!). We and the people behind us parking had to clean dog poop off our site before we could set up. When walking our dog we saw poop everywhere. Dog park was ok, but on the small side and would be better with a gravel base instead of the dirt (very, very dusty and results in a dirty, dusty dog). There is a huge field adjacent and owned by the rv park that you can walk and or run your dog. But also full of poop. Bathroom smaller, older in the lower area. Much nicer, more modern bathrooms in the newer area. Two laundry rooms but no front loaders and the older laundry room only had two washers and two dryers. Can use quarters or an app. Pool and spa seemed pretty popular but we didn’t use. Area could really use some lighting at night. Very dark with minimal lighting in the older section. Trash is picked up every morning if you leave outside your site.
LegendBeautiful park with lots of amenities. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed as it is open seasonally. Wifi is the normal bad. Dog park is wonderful as well as the free putting course.
GuideShadow Hills RV Resort is a stellar urban RV resort with all the amenities. Full hookups, daily trash pickups at each site, cable tv, large level pads with privacy hedge, small dog parks scattered throughout, gated security, nice restrooms w/ showers (free). We were visiting family who were just a short bike ride away. Can be extremely windy here. Desert X environmental art installations are nearby.
RangerThis campground was small, but cozy. They have an unheated pool (which looked a little dirty) no hot tub, and about 3 recreational rooms. One had a pool table with a comfy looking couch, and the other had tables for card playing.
There was a dog park outside, but not much more. There was a picnic table and a grill in just about every spot.
Water pressure was fantastic, and I got t-mobile cell service here.
TravelerHad a wonderful time with the kids and our two doggos here! Great dog park, family friendly and the hot springs was just perfect for all of us. Even have 3 temperatures so the kids can enjoy hot springs too! Thanks for a wonderful stay! We’re here last week of March 2024.
GuideThe is a beautiful Thousand Trails RV Resort in Palm Springs, California! The park is large, very spacious and so clean! The gorgeous Palm trees are a little bit of a parking hazard, but they were here before we were! 😊 And besides, they are so beautiful to look at every day. The park feels like a day on beach with white sand to park on in most spaces, towering Palm trees, and brightly colored tropical flowers. What a treat in the winter! We are here in November and December and daytime high’s are in the low 80’s. The park is split in half with one side 30 amp FHU and the other half 50 amp FHU. For TT members, there is not an additional charge for 50 amp. Quite a deal! There is plenty of room to get out and walk in this park, along with a nice dog park, playground, billiards room, swimming pool and spa, horseshoes, 8 pickle ball courts, many laundry rooms and restrooms, and community recreation room. The surrounding mountains ranges are pretty amazing, too. This park is close to it all in the Palm Springs area and everything is within a short drive. Joshua Tree National Park and the Salton Sea is just over a half hour away. The Thousand Trails Palm Springs RV Resort is perfect and we will definitely be visiting again!
For videos on this park and others, check out our YouTube channel: Jeff & Steff’s Excellent Adventure.
GuideTHEY HAVE SELF CHECKIN, for after hours I think that’s something everyone must know, especially if you can’t get ahold of them. We stopped for one night, we thought about staying another but we just wanted to get home. We had no complaints, other than the bathrooms were closed, but I was atleast warned about that when I called. I got cellphone service. The pool seemed very nice & clean. The dog park was honestly amazing, I loved it & then dogs loved it.
Pet friendly campgrounds near Landers accommodate various travelers with their 4,000-foot desert elevation creating dramatic temperature swings between seasons. Winter temperatures frequently drop below freezing at night while summer days regularly exceed 100°F, requiring campers with pets to plan accordingly for both themselves and their animals.
Morning hikes with dogs: At Ryan Campground, trails provide accessible exploration with pets on leash. "Ryan was a beautiful site with great rock formations all around," notes Alex R., while another camper adds that it's "close to the Boy Scout trail which leads to Indian Cove." For active pets, the central location makes it easy to access multiple trails.
Rock climbing observation: The massive boulders at Jumbo Rocks Campground create natural climbing opportunities. "Our days scrambling across the rock formations—each turn revealing a new panorama," shares Jama A. Sites are positioned among rock formations that serve as windbreaks while providing entertainment for pets and owners alike.
Wildlife watching: Early mornings at Black Rock Campground offer wildlife viewing opportunities when temperatures are mild. "Quails running around everywhere, cool little spot at JTree, a little different than Jumbo and the other climber sites," writes Michael K. Morning or evening walks minimize hot sand exposure for pet paws while maximizing wildlife sightings.
Secluded camping spots: Indian Cove Campground offers private sites between rock formations. "The sites are tucked into the rocks which block wind and kept us nice and warm at night," says Heather L., who adds, "What I loved best was that it was pet friendly! My dog loved it as much as I did!" These natural barriers create privacy not available at more exposed sites.
Stargazing access: Dark skies remain a primary attraction with minimal light pollution. "The sunsets and night sky have to be some of the best in the world," states Chance C. about Jumbo Rocks. Another camper recommends "visiting during a new moon" to maximize star visibility, creating perfect evening conditions for quiet time with pets.
Campsite amenities: Joshua Tree RV & Campground provides extras that make pet camping easier. "They rent every other spot so you're not quite on top of your neighbors," notes Karen M., while another visitor appreciated the "nice community area with picnic tables, microwave, BBQ, and games." These spacing considerations reduce pet-to-pet interactions for reactive animals.
Fire restrictions vary seasonally: Check current regulations before arriving as conditions change. Fire rings exist at many sites but may be unusable during high-risk periods. Ryan Campground visitor Maura E. reports, "These campgrounds are quite large... I couldn't even hear any of the other campsites around us!" This spacing helps during high fire danger periods when cooking alternatives are needed.
Extreme temperature management: The temperature difference between day and night can exceed 40 degrees. "The desert has been known to test adventurers, so travel safely," warns Justin L. For pets, this means early morning walks before the ground heats up and ensuring adequate water supplies throughout the day.
Limited cell coverage: Service varies dramatically by location and carrier. "Cell service was just adequate," mentions Mark D. about Black Rock Campground, while at Joshua Tree Lake RV & Campground, campers report stronger signals. Prepare offline maps and emergency plans, especially when traveling with pets requiring medical attention.
Choose sites with natural playscapes: The rock formations serve as built-in entertainment. "The kids liked biking the loop. The scenery and starry night sky are breathtaking," shares Kathleen D. about Ryan Campground. Children and dogs alike benefit from these natural features rather than manufactured playgrounds.
Plan for wind management: Secure loose items as desert winds arise suddenly. "Be aware of extreme temperature fluctuations that can affect animals," advises a seasoned camper. Sites with rock windbreaks at Indian Cove provide better protection for tents and help keep pets comfortable overnight.
Bring supplemental water: No reliable water sources exist at most campgrounds. "Camp sites here and at most campgrounds in Joshua Tree are first come first serve," notes Les R., adding that sites include "picnic tables and firepits, and there are outhouses and trash containers within quick walking distance." Plan for 1-2 gallons of water per person per day, plus additional water for pets.
Size restrictions matter: Not all dog-friendly campgrounds accommodate larger rigs. "Sites are good for tent camping or small campers," advises Gary H. about Indian Cove, while at Giant Rock Dispersed, Brad B. notes "plenty of space for individual or group camping." Match your vehicle size to appropriate locations.
Hookup availability: Full-service options remain limited. "Would be a 5 star if it had water, a dump station or electric," comments Gary H. about Indian Cove. For those needing services, Joshua Tree RV & Campground offers "full hookups" according to Mark, which proves essential during extreme temperatures when climate control affects pet comfort.
Road condition awareness: Access roads vary dramatically in quality. "The road was quite bumpy, but we managed with a campervan," shares a North Joshua Tree visitor, while Giant Rock campers report, "Verizon Cell service was non-existent at our site, but we would get 5G at the Rock." Plan routes carefully, especially when towing, to avoid damage on rough desert roads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Landers, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Landers, CA is Black Rock Campground — Joshua Tree National Park with a 4.2-star rating from 56 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Landers, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 199 dog-friendly camping locations near Landers, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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