Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Palm Springs, CA

Beautiful mountain view and desert plants. Cactus were just beginning to bud. Camping spots are a little tight for larger RV's. There was a bit of city glow from Palm Springs so stargazing wasn't as good as we'd hoped. Had great hikes on the many paths. Drove through Joshua Tree National forest, through Cholla and Ocotilla gardens. Saw Skull rock and the fabulous gigantic rock formations. Had a bit of a time getting our 36 ft RV situated so we could extend our slides, and had to park our toad at the bathhouse(only a short distance away), but overall a great two day stay.

The 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.

The southern part of Joshua tree is the quieter end of the park (especially in the summer). We got up to watch the sunrise and didn't see another car for 2 HOURS.

The campground is sandy and dusty (as is the whole park since it's a desert), and each site has a concrete picnic table and a fire ring. Unlike most of Joshua Tree's campground, Cottonwood does have a water point (and flushing toilets)-- and it is just down the road from the Cottonwood Visitor Center (a very basic ranger station that also has bathrooms -- but no fancy gift shop of cafes like some other NPs)

Cottonwood is a great site if you are coming in from Palm Springs/Palm Desert/Coachella and you want to spend an incredible night under the stars. It's just 7 miles off of I-10, but there aren't any cities around so there isn't any distracting light in the sky. Also, because there aren't any cities around, bring whatever food and fuel you need. It's 40+ miles out of the park heading north to get gas, so make sure you get gas in Indio or Coachella when driving in.

Cottonwood is 20$ a night, (the other campgrounds without water are $15). During the summer sites are first come, and there were plenty to choose from -- There were only 3 other campers we saw there. Rumor is that this site is also last to fill up in the busy months because it is much further out of the way from the other campgrounds. Don't forget to fill up your water jugs before you leave if you're headed north deeper into the park.

If you want to make the Mastodon Peak hike (3 miles) or do the Lost Palms Oasis Trail (8 miles) this is best place to stay for an early morning start. I was lazy, and opted for a drive to the Cholla Cactus Garden, and a walk around the nature path.

There's not much privacy between sites since there aren't any trees -- and also no places to hang hammocks without some creativity.

The pros: elite sites are nice with two concrete pads and turf. You park on gravel, but the rest is nice. The people are friendly, but the front desk could be friendlier. They also have two nice dog parks. The sunset view is lovely. All streets are paved. The cons: this area can get VERY windy. So windy, that we closed our slides on two,occasions during our two weeks stay. The sites are also close together. We wanted to to spend a lot of time in Palm Springs and found the distance too far. There is really nothing in Desert Hot Springs except a burger joint and a small breakfast cafe. The biggest problem with this place is the exit area. There is a huge dip in the road. We scraped a bit (45’ MH) and I saw many other TTS and 5th wheels scrape bottom. This needs to be fixed.

Definitely not the norm for us to stay in a place like this, but we had some things to do in Palm Springs and wanted to be close.  With taxes and fees, and additional dog fees, we paid about $87/night, and that's in the cheapest spots.  Yipes. 

It's close to the freeway and the road noise is loud and never stops. There is also a freight train that frequently runs along behind the park, and it's very loud.

Other than the noise and the high price, it's a very nice RV park.  Lots of amenities and activities.  There's also free wifi, download/upload was pretty slow but streaming and browsing was good.  Two pools/hot tubs (one is adult only), tennis courts, library, gym, showers, laundry, 3 dog parks (one is under construction), trash pickup service (though I'm personally not a fan of leaving my bags of trash outside for someone to pick up), a club house, storage units, lots of community activities. We asked if they had recycling and they said to bag up our recycling and leave it out with the trash.

We stayed here for a weekend and had no reservations and there was plenty of room in November.

Laundry way too expensive at $5 for wash and $5 for 45 min dry. Credit card payment only and the dryer didn't dry our clothes all the way.

Nice park, but way too pricey for us!

Thousand Trails Palm Springs offers a great pool and hot tub area with a lively, mixed-age crowd—perfect if you’re in your 30s and looking for variety. The bathrooms and laundry facilities are well-maintained, and the location is unbeatable for exploring Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, conveniently situated right off the highway. However, the park is busy and crowded, with plenty of palm trees and tight spots that can be tricky for larger rigs. Electrical maintenance during our stay further limited site availability, adding to the congestion. Despite the challenges, the proximity to local attractions makes it a convenient option.

Make sure you have your registration and insurance handy when you arrive.

As a long-time outdoor enthusiast and dog owner, it's with a heavy heart and a sense of duty that I share an alarming encounter at Campsite Desert Rose Collective. This venue, which promises peace and relaxation in the Palm Springs desert, instead presented a nightmare scenario. During what was meant to be a serene escape, my senior dog and I were subjected to a horrifying attack by two large, unrestrained dogs, introduced onto the premises by an acquaintance of the owner. These dogs, with a history of aggression, inflicted serious wounds on my pet and left me with physical injuries and deep-seated trauma. The ferocity of the attack and the owner's lax oversight on such known threats is deeply concerning. 

The aftermath was a scene of chaos, with my dog desperately fleeing into the desert night and me, bruised and bleeding, in pursuit. The potential danger this poses to any visitor, especially those with children, is chilling to contemplate. I shudder to think of the consequences had my daughter, often donned in a playful puppy costume, been in attendance.

 It is not without reluctance that I find myself advising against a visit to this establishment. No charm or amenity can compensate for a blatant disregard for basic guest safety. This incident was not merely unfortunate but a clear indication of gross negligence. Until comprehensive safety measures are visibly implemented and enforced, I implore potential visitors to prioritize their well-being and seek alternative locations for their desert adventures.