Joshua Tree National Park's campgrounds are popular, and fill especially quickly on weekends and during spring break. Summer is the off-season in this desert wilderness. Plan accordingly and reserve as early as possible. Most of the time camping is first-come, first-serve. The park does accept reservations year-round, up to 12 months in advance for group sites. Cottonwood -- called “Bedrock” -- has three tent-only group sites, Sheep Pass has six tent-only group sites, and Indian Cove has 13 tent and RV group sites. Minimum to maximum campers allowed at group sites varies.
Aside from group sites, Belle, Hidden Valley, Jumbo Rocks, Ryan, White Tank and Cottonwood are all first-come, first-serve campgrounds. Sites at Black Rock and Indian Cove campgrounds can be reserved October through May, and up to six months in advance. In summer, they, too, are first-come, first-serve. Sheep Pass has only group sites. Non-group sites accommodate six people, three tents and two vehicles in various combinations, such as two cars or a motor home towing a car.
In summer, temperatures soar above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Water is scarce, but you probably shouldn't try getting your water from desert plants -- and climb into a cool hole in the ground like lizards do. Black Rock and Cottonwood Campgrounds have running water and flush toilets. RVs fill up with water here and use the dump stations. Otherwise, you can fill up water jugs at Indian Cove Ranger Station, Oasis Visitor Center or West Entrance. None of the campgrounds have showers, so if you don't have an RV with one, you might want to bring a solar shower bag.
Also bring your own wood. Campsites have fire grates and picnic tables. To discourage wildlife such as coyotes from invading campsites, store food and everything scented in animal-proof containers. Bring clothing for layering because temperatures change drastically within 24 hours, as much as 40 degrees. In winter at the higher elevations, snow falls in winter. Before going, read the park's website.
The Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), a member of the agave family, is the Mojave Desert's signature plant. With its outstretched branches rising upward as if in supplication, it might have been named by pioneers after the biblical Joshua. American Indians have used leaves from the tree for weaving, and flower buds and seeds for eating. Animals, including Scott's oriole, lizards and wood rats, and insects use the trees for food and shelter. The tallest in Joshua Tree National Park reaches 40 feet and is about 300 years old. As with all of the nature in the park's fragile ecosystem, take only pictures.
Many campers come to Joshua Tree to climb its monzogranite rock formations. Rock climbers with ropes, and boulderers with nothing more than nimble shoes and a mat and spotter below scale vertical walls with only tiny finger and toeholds. But with 8,000 climbing routes on more than 400 formations, Stargazing also is popular at the park. At Cottonwood Campground, the stars shine so brightly, you feel you could almost reach up and touch them. Wildflowers bloom at Joshua Tree between February and May. Wildlife viewing includes desert tortoise, lizards, snakes, squirrels, coyotes and birds. Ranger-guided hikes are popular. Some campers come simply for the stark beauty of this wilderness where at end of day, oranges, magenta and pinks tint the arches and boulders, and wash over the big blue sky, silhouetting the Joshua trees.
