Photo: NPS / Emily Hassell

Cottonwood Campground

62 sites · $17.50–$55 · Reservations · RVs to 35 ft

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Reservations$17.50–$55 / night

Reserve a site ↗Booking and payment are handled by Recreation.gov.

🧭 Directions Apple Maps

62Sites

62Reservable

$17.50–$55Per night

35 ftRVs

3 group

Reservations

Reservations are required year-round and can be made up to six months in advance. Book a site at www.recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

Fees

Campsite Fee Individual Campsite Fee. A maximum of six people, three tents, and two cars may occupy an individual campsite, only if there is space available. Some sites only have enough parking for one vehicle.	$35.00
Group Campsite Fee There are three group campsites. Tents only. RVs and habitable trailers prohibited.	$55.00
Senior/Access Pass Campsite Fee Nightly camping fee for one site for a camper with a Senior or Access pass. A maximum of six people, three tents, and two cars may occupy an individual campsite, only if there is space available. Some sites only have enough parking for one vehicle.	$17.50
Senior/Access Pass Group Campsite Fee Nightly camping fee for one site for a camper with a Senior or Access pass. There are three group campsites. Tents only. RVs and habitable trailers prohibited.	$27.50

Season & hours

Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day. Check in and check out are at noon. Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am. In the summer, Loop B typically closes and Loop A usually becomes first-come, first-served.

🕑 Partial Summer Closure: Jun 1, 2027 – Aug 28, 2027

Amenities

Toilets · Flush Toilets - year round
Showers · none
Drinking water · year round
Trash / recycling · year round
Laundry · none
Camp store · none
Firewood for sale · none
Ice for sale · none
Food storage lockers · none
Dump station · year round
Amphitheater · year round
Camp host · none
Cell reception · none
Internet · none

RVs, trailers & access

RVs	Allowed, up to 35 ft
Trailers	Allowed, up to 35 ft
RV notes	There are no hookups for RVs at any campground in Joshua Tree. Cottonwood Campground has RV-accessible potable water and dump stations. Generator use is permitted only from 7-9 am, noon-2 pm, and 5-7 pm. RVs and trailers are allowed in sites if space permits. RVs and trailers are not allowed at the group campsites at Cottonwood Campground.
Roads	Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Type	Developed Campground
Campfires	Because of the park's very dry climate, fire danger in Joshua Tree is almost always very high. Be cautious. Campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings or grills that are found in park campgrounds or picnic areas. Keep fires small. Bring your own firewood. You may not gather park vegetation, whether living or dead, to fuel your campfire. If you plan to have a campfire, bring extra water to douse it thoroughly.
Wheelchair	Most campsites have uneven terrain. Many roads are unpaved. The paved roads are crumbling and uneven. The Cottonwood Visitor Center has ADA access and the parking lot is well paved and flat. There is a wheelchair accessible restroom.
ADA	The Cottonwood Amphitheater is ADA accessible from Loop A. There are no ADA accessible campsites in the campground. Campgrounds with ADA accessible campsites include Indian Cove (site 1), Jumbo Rocks (site 122), and Black Rock (site 61).

Getting there

Cottonwood Campground, Cottonwood Springs, CA 92277

Cottonwood Campground is near the South Entrance near Cottonwood Spring. There is an access point along Interstate 10, 25 miles east of Indio. The Campground is off of Pinto Basin Road, next to The Cottonwood Visitor Center.

Contact

760-367-3001 · jotr_info@nps.gov

Other campgrounds in Joshua Tree

Belle18 sites · $12.50–$25 · First come, first served · RVs to 35 ft Black Rock99 sites · $17.50–$35 · Reservations · RVs to 35 ft Hidden Valley44 sites · $12.50–$25 · First come, first served · RVs to 24 ft Indian Cove101 sites · $17.50–$55 · Reservations · RVs to 35 ft Jumbo Rocks124 sites · $15–$30 · Reservations · RVs to 35 ft Ryan32 sites · $2.50–$30 · Reservations · RVs to 35 ft Sheep Pass Group6 sites · $27.50–$55 · Reservations · No RVs White Tank15 sites · $12.50–$25 · First come, first served · RVs to 24 ft

About Cottonwood

The Cottonwood Campground is reservation only and has 62 sites, potable water and flush toilets. The Campground is near the Cottonwood Visitor Center in the southeast part of the park. The closest metropolitan area is Indio about 30 miles away. Cottonwood Campground fees will increase to $35 per site starting January 1, 2025. Cottonwood Group Campground fees will increase to $55 per site starting January 1, 2025.

Photos

A view looking down onto the Cottonwood Campground showing the bathrooms, tent sites and RV sites. — Cottonwood campground has individual and groups sites, including an amphitheater for evening ranger programs. · NPS/Robb Hannawacker

A picnic table in a campsite is next to a road. — The landscape around Cottonwood is that of the Colorado Desert, which encompasses the southern edge of the park and a large portion of Southern California. · NPS/Robb Hannawacker

Rows of seats are in front of an outdoor stage. — Cottonwood campground has individual and groups sites, including an amphitheater for evening ranger programs. · NPS/Robb Hannawacker

A campsite with a picnic table and fire pit. — Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. Located in the southern park of the park at lower elevation, it has little shade from vegetation. · NPS/NPS/Robb Hannawacker

A small building with two doors and a circular sign that says "women" — The Cottonwood Campground has running water and flush toilets. · NPS/Robb Hannawacker

Campsites

Site-by-site details (sizes, hookups, shade) for this campground are coming soon.

Conditions at camp

🌤️ Forecast

Wed, Nov 11

Tonight

54°F

Clear

Thu, Nov 12

Day

71°F

Sunny

Thu, Nov 12

Night

53°F

Partly Cloudy

Fri, Nov 13

Day

65°F

Mostly Sunny

Fri, Nov 13

Night

50°F

Partly Cloudy

Sat, Nov 14

Day

62°F

Mostly Sunny

Sat, Nov 14

Night

48°F

Partly Cloudy

Sun, Nov 15

Day

63°F

Sunny

Source: National Weather Service (weather.gov)

🔥 Wildfires nearby

No active fire perimeters nearby. ✅

Source: National Interagency Fire Center (WFIGS)

🗓️ Typical weather

Days are typically clear with less than 25% humidity. At 3,000 ft, Cottonwood is lower in elevation than other campgrounds and is usually 5-10 degrees warmer than the northern part of the park. The day time temperature is often over 100°F (38°C) in summer and around 60°F (15°C) in winter. Temperatures can drop below freezing during the winter. Weather can change quickly. Check a weather forecast before camping.

Rules

Each site is varied on size and parking. Ensure you know the specifications of your campsite on recreation.gov before purchasing your permit. A vehicle towing a trailer, popup, 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. Check in and check out are at noon. There is a 30-day camping limit each year. Only 14 of these nights may take place from October-May. All tents, tarps, and other camping equipment must be set up within 25 feet (7.6 m) of the picnic table or fire grate. Food must be stored securely where wildlife cannot get to it. Any scented or odorous items, including sunscreen and toiletries, must be secured as if they were food. Campsites left vacant for 24 hours will be treated as vacant. Holding or reserving campsites for persons not present is not allowed. Pets must remain on leash at all times and may not be left unattended. No slacklines in campgrounds.

Trails near camp

Campground information from the National Park Service. Confirm current status with the park before you go.