Cottonwood Campground
The Quick Take
Cottonwood is Joshua Tree's quiet southern outpost, and that's exactly its appeal. While most visitors pile into the park's northern campgrounds near Twentynine Palms, Cottonwood sits at the lower Colorado Desert end, surrounded by fan palms and ironwood trees instead of the iconic boulder fields. You get potable water and a dump station here -- luxuries by Joshua Tree standards -- plus access off Interstate 10 makes it the easiest campground to reach from the Palm Springs and Indio corridor. The trade-off is real: you're a solid 45-minute drive from the park's most photographed spots like Skull Rock and Hidden Valley. But the Cottonwood Spring Oasis trailhead is steps away, the birding is genuinely excellent, and the sites are less packed than anything on the north side. Choose Cottonwood if you value a mellower vibe over proximity to the park's greatest hits.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 62 sites are reservable.
Book at Joshua Tree LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
1 ADA-accessible campsites. Accessible restrooms available. 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. Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:All tents, tarps, and other camping equipment must be set up within 25 feet (7.6 m) of the picnic table or fire grate.
- Bear Safety:Food must be stored securely where wildlife cannot get to it.
- Checkout:Check in and check out are at noon.
Pro Tips
Loop B typically closes in summer, and Loop A switches to first-come, first-served -- if you're visiting June through September, skip the reservation and show up early morning for a walk-up site instead of paying the booking fee for a campground that may not honor loop assignments.
The Cottonwood Spring Oasis trail starts right at the campground and connects to Lost Palms Oasis, one of the largest stands of native fan palms in the park. Do the full out-and-back in the morning before the desert heat sets in -- it's about seven miles round trip and you'll likely have the canyon to yourself.
Cell service is nonexistent here, so download offline maps and any recreation.gov confirmations before you leave Indio. Stock up on firewood and ice there too -- the nearest camp store is over an hour's drive inside the park, and there's nothing sold at the Cottonwood Visitor Center.
Photos
NPS/Robb Hannawacker
NPS/Robb Hannawacker
NPS/Robb HannawackerGetting There
Directions
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.
Get directions
