Cottonwood Campground - Joshua Tree National Park

Cottonwood Campground is near the park's southern entrance off Interstate 10. This campground has 62 campsites and some of the park's best stargazing and wildflower viewing!

Cottonwood Campground -  Joshua Tree National Park

The Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park is located in the southern portion of the park, approximately 25 miles from Indigo, California. There are two loops of a campsite along with group camps. During the busy season from October through May, reservations are required at this campground.

The campground has running water and flush toilets nicely situated among the campground loops. One thing to know about this campground and most of the camping at Joshua Tree is there are cacti prominent in the campground. If you are camping with your kids or a pet, please be careful and aware of where everyone is walking. Make sure to pack comfortable but durable shoes so your feet are protected.

We saw some great birds during our visit to the Cottonwood Campground along with a Desert Black-tailed Jackrabbit that moved way to quickly for a photo. We found ourselves driving the loops a few times looking at all of the birds that were in the bushes and cactuses.

Joshua Tree National Park Entrance Fee

7-day single-vehicle park pass - $30.00

7-day individual park pass - $15.00

7-day motorcycle park pass - $25.00

Joshua Tree National Park Annual Pass - $55.00

Valid for one year through the month of purchase. Admits one private, non-commercial vehicle or its pass holder.

$80.00 For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days  -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.

Campground Fees

Make sure to check with the park for the most updated camping fees

Campground Reservations

Are Reservations Available? Yes

Are Campground Reservations Available? Yes
Phone Number? 877-444-6777
Online? Reservation.gov 
How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? Reservations can be made up to six months in advance.

Park Ranger John Pro Tip - Joshua Tree is a great park to visit in the winter! June through August typically receive uncomfortably high desert heat ranging from the upper 90's to low 100's and over 14+ hours of daylight and little shade. Most visitors and campers prefer warm, dry winters when temperatures range between 70-90 during the day and 40-60 degrees at night.

Cottonwood Campground General Information

Season: During the Summer (the park's off-season), the park typically closes some campsites in Cottonwood Campground between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Usually, the A Loop remains open while Loop B is closed.

Number of Sites: 62
Check-in time:
Check-out time: 12 pm (Noon)
Campground Address:
Cottonwood Oasis Rd.
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Latitude/Longitude:
Latitude: 33° 45' 0.0000" N
Longitude: 115° 49' 30.0000" W
Elevation: 3000 feet
Accessible Sites:
The Cottonwood Amphitheater is ADA-accessible from Loop A.
There are no ADA-accessible campsites in the campground. If you want to reserve ADA-accessible campsites, please look into Jumbo Rocks Campground, site 122, and Black Rock Campground, site 61, which are both ADA-accessible.

Campground Amenities

Potable Water? Yes
Bear Box in site/area? No
Flush Toilet Restrooms? Yes
Laundry: No
Showers: No
Is Wi-Fi available? No
Is Cellular Service Available? No
Is there a camp host available on-site? Yes
Is firewood available for purchase? No
Amphitheater: Yes, Year Round
Are fire pits/fire rings available at each site? Yes
Are Picnic Tables available at each site? Yes

RV Camping at Cottonwood Campground

Hookups Available: No water or electric hookups are available at this campground.
RV Length: RVs and trailers are allowed in sites if space permits.

A few sites can accommodate longer 35 feet RVs. These are sites 1A, 3A, 5A, 9A, 11A, 13A, 15A, 17A, 19A, 21A, 23A, 25A, 27A, 29A, 31A, 1B, 3B, 5B, 7B, 11B, 15B, 17B, 21B, 23B, 27B, 29B, and 31B.

Generators: Generator use is permitted only from 7–9 am, noon–2 pm, and 5–7 pm.
Dump Station: Yes

For a fun adventure, check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built-in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss! 

Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando.

Campground Regulations

The maximum number of people in a campsite: Maximum of 6 people
The number of cars per campsite: 2 cars. A vehicle towing a trailer, pop-up, tent trailer, or fifth wheel—or a motorhome towing a vehicle—is considered two vehicles.
Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am.
Pets Allowed: Yes, but they must be on a leash less than 6 feet
Make sure to remember to B.A.R.K.

B - Bag your pet's waste and dispose of it properly.
A- Always leash your pet, leashes may be no longer that six feet in length, under your control and not left unattended.
R- Respect Wildlife - keep you and your pet plenty of distance from park wildlife.
K- Know where you can go; pets are welcomed throughout Greenbelt Park, except inside the Ranger Station.

A vehicle towing a trailer, pop-up, tent trailer, or fifth wheel, or a motorhome towing a vehicle is considered two vehicles.

Camping fees must be paid within one hour of selecting a campsite.

There is a 30-day camping limit each year. Only 14 of these nights may take place from October to May.

Don't forget to pack these items

Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water. 

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.  Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors. 

Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.

Water Bottle 

Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.

 National Park Passport Stamps

Make sure to bring your National Park Passport Book with you or we like to pack these circle stickers so we don't have to bring our entire book with us. 

Things to do and nearby attractions at Cottonwood Campground

Visit the Cottonwood Visitor Center - Open 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM has exhibits, flush toilets, and a bookstore.

Stargazing - Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in the park for stargazing! in fact, this area attracts astronomers and amateur sky watchers to witness the uninterrupted views of the night sky with very little light pollution. Other campgrounds have several large rock features or Joshua Trees to partially obstruct your view, but not here!

Viewing Desert Wildflowers - When most people think of the desert landscape, they think of harsh and rugged environments and forget how beautiful it can become during the wildflower season. Of course, it depends on the season as rainfall, mainly from October through February, sunshine following rains, and winds can have a large influence. The best times are typically from January to mid-April.

Hiking Trails - Numerous hiking trails are nearby, including Cottonwood Springs, Mastodon Peak Loop, and Lost Palms Oasis. Other trails close by are the Bajada Nature Trail, the Cholla Cactus Garden, and the Arch Rock Nature Trail in the White Tank Campground, which has fascinating large rock formations.

Tours available in/near Joshua Tree National Park

4-Hour Rappelling Adventure in Joshua Tree National Park - Joshua Tree offers some of the best rock-climbing in the National Parks System with over 9000 climbing routes! Routes include anything from beginners to pros, and their certified climbing guides will help you choose the route that best fits you. Guides also provide you with all the necessary gear and training, and all guides are Wilderness First Responders.

Private Vacation Photography Session with a Photographer in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park - A professional Flytographer will contact you after booking, and they will help you choose your preferred location. Your photographer can double as a guide, offering travel tips and recommendations. This private, personalized experience provides 15-60 high-resolution photographs (based on the package). We have used Flytographer in the past and had an AMAZING experience!

Joshua Tree National Park Offroad Tour - Do you want to go deep into the park away from the crowds and witness epic views of the Mojave Desert, Joshua Trees, and wild rock formations? If so, taking an offroad tour may be for you! Must be at least 6 years old and includes National Park Fees, bottled water, snacks, and a local guide.

Parks near Joshua Tree National Park

• Mojave National Preserve
• Castle Mountains National Monument
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
• Death Valley National Park
• Channel Islands National Park
• César E. Chávez National Monument

Check out all of the national parks in California, the neighboring national parks in Arizona, Nevada national parks, and national parks in Oregon.

Don't forget to read our Beers Inspired by US National Parks post.

Additional Photos of Cottonwood Campground