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Backpacking Permits For Joshua Tree National Park Available Online

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Published Date

February 2, 2023

Backpacking permits for Joshua Tree National Park can be obtained online/Kurt Repanshek file

Planning a backpacking trek in Joshua Tree National Park in California? You can obtain the necessary permit online at recreation.gov.

For the rest of February you'll also be able to self-register for a backcountry permit at trailheads in the park. However, the new online system will be fully implemented on March 1 and the self-registration, paper-based permits will no longer be available.   

According to park staff, the online system will:  

  • Improve the visitor experience and more effectively communicate important safety information.

  • Better protect cultural, natural, and wilderness values and improve the sustainable use of the backcountry.

  • Provide park rangers with better data to inform future park planning and decision-making.    

The reservation fee is $6 per wilderness backpacking permit and will allow for a group size of 1-12 people. A new component to reserving a backpacking permit is selecting a zone based on camping location. Details about zone designation are described on the park website.  

Backpacking remains at-large except for the high-use zone Boy Scout Trail. Camping along the Boy Scout Trail requires backpackers to camp in a designated campsite reservable through recreation.gov. In all other zones, backpackers must camp at least one  mile from any backcountry trailhead, at least a half-mile from any road, and at least 200 feet from any trail. 

There is no limit to backpacking permits, but parking at backcountry trailheads is limited. Backpackers are encouraged to arrive early to find a parking spot. Backpacking permits are only required for overnight stays, not day hikes.   

Online permits can be obtained at recreation.gov up to six months in advance, and up to the day of the trip until 2 pm. In-person permits are located at the Main Headquarters Office Building 100, 74485 National Park Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277, which is open between 8 am and 4 pm.  

For more information about backpacking in Joshua Tree, visit this page.

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