Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more!
Black Rock Campground lies among one of the thickest Joshua tree forests in Joshua Tree National Park. Its location on the park's northern perimeter makes it a popular rest stop for hikers, birders, horseback riders and RV campers. Black Rock is one of four campgrounds in the national park that requires reservations year-round. To get the most out of your visit, Plan Like a Park Ranger
Travelers who enjoy warm, dry winters flock to Joshua Tree from October through May, when temperatures hover between 70 to 90 degrees during the day and drop anywhere between 40 to 60 degrees at night. Summer is the park's off-season due to uncomfortably high desert heat. Black Rock is at an elevation of 4,000 feet and has a mix of both sun and shade.
The facility is convenient for RV camping, complete with flush toilets and a dump station. There are no hookups. Black Rock is one of two campgrounds in the national park that provides drinking water. There are 99 individual sites in the facility. Showers, laundry and other amenities are available in the town of Yucca Valley five miles away.
Hello from Joshua Tree National Park! IMPORTANT INFORMATION. We are looking forward to your visit. If you are not planning to keep your reservation, please cancel on Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. This will help us to fill our campgrounds with happy campers and prevent vacant campsites. If you are planning on keeping your reservation, we can’t wait to see you! Please be aware of our campfire, pet, quiet hours policies and prohibition of collecting live and dead vegetation, animals and geologic resources. Become more informed by visiting our regulations webpage: Camping Regulations - Joshua Tree National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) .
Camper Trucks/Vans, RVs and Trailers: Be sure your equipment fits with your reserved campsite. Many of our campsites cannot accommodate large trailers and RVs and most are for tent camping only. Tent only sites can accommodate camper trucks/vans. Please check the site parameters, parking limitations (some sites can only park one vehicle) and “Need to Know” information for your reserved campsite. There is no extra parking available. The earliest you may check in is 12:00 noon the day of your arrival. However, you may arrive after that, anytime of day/night until 12:00 noon the following day.
Late Arrivals: If you know you are arriving a day late, please modify your reservation through Recreation.gov 24 hours in advance.
No Shows: Overnight: A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time on the day following the arrival date. No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night’s recreation fee for a campsite or forfeit the entire day-use fee for a day-use facility.
Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am.
Generator Hours: Generator use is permitted only from 7:00 am-9:00 am, 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm, and 5:00 pm- 7:00 pm
Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more!
Please call 760-367-3001 for Black Rock Canyon Campground information or if you will be arriving the day after your reservation begins.
Reservations are required year round and can be made the same day or up to 6 months in advance.
No-Shows
Overnight Facilities: A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out (noon) time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time (noon) on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night’s recreation fee for a campsite.
*Note: the entire reservation will be cancelled for no-shows.
There is no entrance fee at Black Rock, but a separate $30 entrance fee is required in the main part of the park. Passes can be purchased ahead of time here
The park allows six people, two vehicles and three tents per site, however, some sites are small and may not accommodate the maximum number of people and vehicles. See Site Details for specifics.There is no overflow parking. Trailers count as a vehicle.
There are no electric, water or sewer hook-ups available at individual campsites; a dump station is located nearby. Flush toilets and potable water are available in the campground.
Generator use is permitted only from 7–9 am, noon–2 pm, and 5–7 pm.
Pets are not allowed on trails but are welcome in the campground, on any dirt road or within 100 feet of any road. Pets must be on a leash no more than 6 feet long at all times. Pets may not be left unattended or tied to an object; leaving pets in unattended vehicles is strongly discouraged – especially on warm days.
Don’t Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by obtaining firewood near the park and burning it on-site, and do not use park vegetation, living or dead, for fuel.
All organized events require a special use permit and must be held in designated areas; contact the Special Park Use Coordinator, jotr_permit_office@nps.gov
STOP THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. Remove plants, seeds, animals, and mud from boots, gear, pets, and vehicles. Clean your gear before entering and leaving the recreation site. Stay on designated roads and trails, and follow local guidelines for firewood. For more information visit the National Invasive Species Information Center.
The unique shape of Joshua trees and the huge rocks that surround them draw tourists and scientists alike to the national park. Within the Black Rock facility, the surrounding trees form silhouettes against the landscape during sunrise and sunset and display bunches of blooming white flowers in early spring.
Campers staying at Black Rock may have the chance to view the elusive desert tortoise, found only in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Visitors may also want to keep their eyes out for more typical desert inhabitants such as lizards, rattlesnakes, scorpions, coyotes, ravens and desert tarantulas during the cooler months of the year. Bobcats and mountain lions do live in the park, however they are rarely seen near humans. Birders may also be pleasantly surprised at the variety of species found around the campground.
There are many great hiking trails around Black Rock, including some with spectacular views of the low desert and high peaks around Palm Springs. Popular rock climbing sites are within a half-hour drive from the campground.
Reservation Cancellations & Changes
Cancelling a Reservation: Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. Depending on when you cancel in relation to your arrival day, it may be considered a late cancellation (see below).
Changing an Existing Reservation: When changes are made prior to the cut-off window:
If a customer wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee.
There is no change fee if a customer extends or shortens a reservation, as long as the change includes dates from the original reservation. If they choose to depart early, they may forfeit the recreation fee for the day of departure.
There is no change fee if the customer wants to switch sites that are the same price with the same reservation dates in the same facility.
If a reservation is made that includes dates beyond the maximum booking window, that reservation cannot be changed until 18 days have passed from the original booking date.
Late Cancellations or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window
Individual Campsites: A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee.
Changes or Cancellations within the Cut-off Window: Once a reservation date has begun, customers cannot change a reservation using the online system or through the Call Center (see below for early departures). If the location is staffed, on-site personnel may or may not be able to assist with changes or cancellations (check with local staff).
No-Shows
Overnight Facilities: A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out (noon) time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Staff will hold a campsite until check-out time (noon) on the day following the arrival date.
No-shows are assessed $20.00 service fee and forfeit the first night’s recreation fee for a campsite.
*Note: the entire reservation will be cancelled for no-shows.
9800 Black Rock Canyon Road Yucca Valley CA 92284
9800 Black Rock Canyon Road Yucca Valley CA 92284
For campground inquiries, please call: 760-367-5554
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Take Interstate 10 to Route 62 into the town of Yucca Valley. Turn south on Joshua Lane and follow signs to campground, about five miles from the turn.
If coming south on Highway 247, go straight across Highway 62 and continue onto Joshua Lane. There will be no sign for the park as you cross Route 62.