Plan Your Visit - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (2024)

• First-Time Visitor's Guide

  First trip to Joshua Tree? Start here with the need-to-know information.

• Welcome to Joshua Tree

  Find essential trip planning information here: visitor center hours, entrance fees, an event calendar, where you can take pets, and more.

• Park Maps

  Start your planning with a map of the park.

• Get information about campgrounds in the park. There are no grocery stores, restaurants, or lodging inside Joshua Tree National Park.

• Things to Do

  There's so much to do! Get information on nature walks, backpacking trips, stargazing, photography, wildflower viewing, and more.

• Places to Go

  Find out about park destinations, from must-see spots like Skull Rock or Keys View to quieter areas like Cottonwood Spring and Black Rock.

  See Also

  Laws & Policies - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)Laws & Policies - Grand Teton National Park (U.S. National Park Service)Horseback Riding - Destination YellowstonePark Rules and Regulations - Acadia National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

• What's OpenWhat's Open

  Learn about current conditions, closures, construction and other relevant info before you arrive.

• Visiting During the Busy Season: Oct-May

  The park can be extremely busy on weekends, holidays, and spring break. If visiting during these times, here's our best advice.

• Visiting in Summer

  Sweat the small stuff so you can enjoy a summer visit to Joshua Tree.

• Frequently Asked Questions

  Find out the answers to the most common questions about visiting the park.

• It's all fun and games until...Safety

  A safe visit is a fun visit. Extremely hot in the summer. Surprisingly chilly in the winter. Prickly plants. Venomous animals.

• Accessibility

  Where to go and what to do while visiting the park with accessibility concerns.

• See where Joshua Tree is located in southern California. Find out which park entrance will work best for you.

  See Also

  How to Get to Yellowstone National Park (Best Airports and Roads)

• Translations

  Find information in Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish.

• Nearby Attractions

  Visit one of the many parks within a day's drive from Joshua Tree.

Be Prepared

Though beautiful, the desert environment can be harsh and unforgiving. Preparedness is critical for your safety. Please remember the following when planning your trip.

• There are no gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, or hotels. Bring all your own food, water, and supplies.

• There is no water available in the interior of the park.

• Cell phone reception is very limited.

• The park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You are welcome to drive in and out at any time.

• Springtime and holidays are the busiest times of the year and the park can be very crowded.

• On hot days, avoid hiking during the hottest part of the day, take shade breaks, and carry plenty of water. In the summertime, extreme heat poses a very serious safety risk.

Help Protect the Park

While the rangers help take care of the park, we rely on visitors to be good stewards and help take care of the place for future generations.

• While visiting, leave only footprints and take only pictures. Do not take any plants, rocks, or cultural artifacts with you.

• Give the wildlife space, and don’t feed them. Secure your food and trash from animals, and don't leave any garbage or food scraps behind.

• Be considerate of others. Share the trail and be conscious of your noise level. Flying drones is prohibited.

• To protect your pet and the native wildlife, pets are not allowed on the trail.

• Campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings in campgrounds. Do not use park vegetation, living or dead, for fuel. When finished, completely extinguish your fire.

• Please respect the speed limits. They are lower in National Parks to help protect wildlife, like the federally-threatened desert tortoise.

• Graffiti is illegal. Please e-mail us to report incidents of graffiti.

• Vehicles, street-legal motorbikes, and bicycles must remain on designated roads. They are not allowed on trails or off designated roads. ATVs, UTVs, OHVs, and dirt/motocross bikes are prohibited.

• Firearms may be possessed in accordance with California state and federal laws. However, they may not be discharged in the park. Fireworks, traps, bows, BB guns, paintball guns, smoke bombs, and slingshots are not allowed.

Current Conditions