You are here

Home » Busy Season Coming To Joshua Tree National Park

Busy Season Coming To Joshua Tree National Park

Share

Published Date

December 6, 2020
Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park should know that the busy season is coming to the park, and that could lead to limited camping/Kurt Repanshek file

Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park should know that the busy season is coming to the park, and that could lead to crowding and limited camping/Kurt Repanshek file

Winter holidays and the spring months are the busiest times of the year at Joshua Tree National Park in California. Crowded conditions create limited parking, full campgrounds, and lines at park entrances.

The three best ways to prepare for your visit to Joshua Tree National Park, according to park staff, are:

  • Buy a digital pass ahead of time by logging onto www.recreation.gov.This pass will make entry to the park quicker and easier.

  • Avoid entering the park between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and avoid exiting the park around sunset.

  • The most crowded days in the park will likely be the day of and around Christmas, New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, and Presidents’ Day. Every weekend in the spring is also extremely congested. Skip these days for a more relaxing visit.

Other tips to prepare for your park visit:

  • The park may become drive-through only as the parking lots reach maximum capacity during times of extreme visitation. Visitors may be turned away from popular parking areas.  

  • Be flexible with plans. The best hike may be the one where parking is readily available.

  • Visitors can park along many, but not all, roadsides. Never drive over a curb to make a new parking space.

  • Weekdays are usually less crowded than weekends—consider visiting the park Monday through Thursday.

  • Make a reservation at www.recreation.gov to reserve one of the 350 reservable campsites in the park. If there are no reservation sites available, there likely will not be first-come, first-served sites available when you arrive. Look to one of the private campgrounds adjacent to the park.

  • Many campgrounds intersect with hiking trails. Campers can hike trails that connect to their campground to avoid busy parking lots.

  • Find a new favorite spot to explore in the park. There is no one best campsite, trail, or sunset spot.

Related Stories:

Joshua Tree National Park To Increase Camping And Amenity Fees
A Day In The Park: Joshua Tree National Park

Stories about:

Story Categories:

Support National Parks Traveler

Your support for the National Parks Traveler comes at a time when news organizations are finding it hard, if not impossible, to stay in business. Traveler's work is vital. For nearly two decades we've provided essential coverage of national parks and protected areas. With the Trump administration’s determination to downsize the federal government, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s approach to public lands focused on energy exploration, it’s clear the Traveler will have much to cover in the months and years ahead. We know of no other news organization that provides such broad coverage of national parks and protected areas on a daily basis. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

EIN: 26-2378789

Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places

A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.

Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:

  • Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
  • Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
  • Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
  • North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
  • Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
  • Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
  • Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.

Comments

Submitted by Steve Brown on December 7, 2020 - 11:22am.

Southern California has gone into a full shutdown as of December 7, 2020.  Joshua Tree National Park campgrounds are closed.  Hotels and vacation rentals are only supposed to accept lodging bookings for essential workers.  We'll likely be on lockdown until next year.


Submitted by AngelEyes on December 16, 2020 - 8:23pm.

The camogrounds at Joshua Tree are closed as tourists have been overcrowding (and abusing the land) increasingly during the pandemic.  Please stop encouraging people from all over the planet to tour our gateway town with like 4 ICU beds total.  


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

Your urgent support helps the National Parks Traveler increase awareness of the wonders and issues confronting national parks and protected areas.

Support Our Mission

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.