RV Camping at Joshua Tree National Park National in California

There are a handful of natural wonders inside the United States that you won’t find elsewhere. The Joshua Tree National Park in California is one of those wonders. The amazing and unique Joshua tree only exists within the Mojave Desert. Thousands of people visit and camp at the national park each year to experience the unique biome and plant life. Joshua Tree National Park is also RV friendly so you can bring your travel trailer, RV camper, class A-C vehicle, and other recreational vehicles that fit the campsite rules.

If you do not own an RV, then RVnGO can help you find the right RV rental near you. With hundreds of available RV rentals near California, you can browse through a variety of RVs from real hosts. As a person-2-person RV rental platform, RvnGO makes finding and reserving RV rentals easier than ever. Find affordable RV rentals in California today by creating a free account at RVnGO.com.

What is Joshua Tree National Park?

Joshua Tree National Park is an 800,000-acre region located in California, next to the San Bernardino National Forest. A place like San Diego, Riverside, Los Angeles, and Chula Vista are relatively close with easy-to-access highways leading to the park.

The slow-growing Joshua tree, which covers much of the park’s ecosystem, is the most famous aspect of the park. Named by Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojave Desert in the mid-1800s, the tree’s unusual shape reminded them of the Bible story in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer.

The trees bloom between February and April. They are also pollinated by the yucca moth, which spreads pollen from tree to tree while laying her eggs in the flowers.

Campgrounds Near Joshua Tree National Park

There are over half-a-dozen campgrounds in the park that make it easy to experience the great outdoors like never before. There are two types of campgrounds at Joshua Tree National Park: Reservation and first-come, first-serve campgrounds. To make your trip as smooth as possible, it is recommended you reserve your spot ahead of time. The list of available sites includes:

Reservations Required Campsites

• Black Rock: 99 sites. $25 per night. 4,000 feet in elevation. Water, flush toilets, tables, fire grates, and a dump station. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length
• Cottonwood: 62 sites. $25 per night. 3,000 feet in elevation. Water, flush toilets, tables, fire grates, and a dump station. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length
• Indian Cove: 101 sites. $25 per night. 3,200 feet in elevation. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length
• Jumbo Rocks: 124 sites. $20 per night. 4,400 feet in elevation. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length
• Ryan: 31 sites. $20 per night. 4,300 feet in elevation. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length

 

First-come, First-serve Campsites

• Belle: 18 sites. $15 per night. 3,800 feet in elevation. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 35 ft Max Length
• Hidden Valley: 44 sites. $15 per night. 4,200 feet. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 24 ft Max Length
• White Tank: 15 sites. $15 per night. 3,800 feet in elevation. Pit toilets, tables, and fire grates. No water. RV Accessible – 24 ft Max Length

 

The park is very popular travel destination, particularly during the months of October through may. It is possible that all campsites at Joshua Tree National Park may be full during this time. However, you can visit the Camping Outside of the Park page to find a nearby campground so you can explore the park during the day.

How to Reserve a Camping Spot at Joshua Tree National Park

To reserve your spot at one of the five campgrounds, you must first visit the campground page and ensure your RV rental from RVnGO fits the specifications. All reservation required campgrounds have a max RV length of 35 ft. This includes anything hitched to the vehicle. The only two campgrounds that have a max length of 24 ft are the Hidden Valley and White Tank campgrounds.

To lock in your reservation, visit www.recreation.gov and type in the name of your campground in the search bar.  Select your campground (ensure it is the right one in the correct state), and then pick your spot and dates from the campground reservation page.

Things to Do at Joshua Tree National Park

There is much to do and explore at Joshua Tree National Park. Make sure to bring your hiking boots as the park have hundreds of amazing hiking trails to experience. You can also bring your bike if you’d rather enjoy a comfortable ride on the miles of paved and dirt trails. You can also sign up for one of the many tours provided by the kind rangers.

• Hiking: Over 200 miles of hiking trails to experience.
• Photography: Capture stunning scenes and views during your hikes and travels.
• Birding: Catch sight of amazing desert birds in the area.
• Stargazing: The park is far enough from large cities and civilization that there is very little light pollution. This has made Joshua Tree a great place for viewing the night sky. Bring your telescope and camera to capture views of the milky way you just cannot get in the middle or near a major city.
• Ranger Programs: There are constant ranger programs offered that can educate campers and visitors about the park. Ranger-led programs are easy to sign up for and hard to miss with plenty of available dates.
• Rock Climbing: The high desert monzogranite climbing mecca is famous for its traditional-style crack, slab, and steep face climbing. Joshua Tree offers challenges for all ability levels with more than 8,000 climbing routes, 2,000 boulder problems, and hundreds of natural gaps to choose from.
• Horseback Riding: The Backcountry and Wilderness Management Plan provides for 253 miles of equestrian trails and trail corridors that traverse open lands, canyon bottoms, and dry washes.
• Backpacking: Covering an area of more than 792,000 acres, almost 85% of which is managed as wilderness, Joshua Tree National Park has good wilderness backpacking opportunities for those who are prepared.

 

Find the Right Campsites for Your RVnGO Rental with CAMPnGO

Looking to plan out your next RV vacation? Then you can’t go wrong with An RV rental from RVnGO. With RVnGO, we connect you to real people and RV rentals near California and Joshua Tree National Park.

Simply create a free account and start browsing the hundreds of RV rentals near California. Now, with CAMPnGO, you can also find great parks and campgrounds to easily plan out your next outdoor adventure. Bring your family, friends, and significant other along and take in a breath of fresh air at one of the most unique ecosystems in the United States.