Camping in the Jumbo Rocks Campground: Joshua Tree National Park

Camping in the Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park puts you right in the middle of the action.  Located in the middle of the park, you’ll be just minutes from dense groves of Joshua Trees, the incredible Jumbo Rocks and uninterrupted desert landscape.  

Whether you’ll be camping in a tent, a van, or a camper, you’ll love your stay at Jumbo Rocks Campground.  And what the campground lacks in amenities, it makes up for in silence and solitude.

So let’s jump right into everything you need to know about camping in the Jumbo Rocks Campground!

Important Links

• Jumbo Rocks Campground website
• Jumbo Rocks Campground Reservations – Make Reservations Here
• Joshua Tree National Park Map
• Hiking the Arch Rock Trail
• Camping Checklist Freebie – Never Forget a Camping Item Again!
• Camping Journal – Never Forget Your Camping Trips Details Again!

Location

Let’s start with the location!  Jumbo Rocks Campground is right in the middle of Joshua Tree National Park.  Joshua Tree, CA is the closest town and is about 40 minutes away.  

The campground is about 3 hours from Los Angeles, CA and about 3.5 hours from Las Vegas, NV.  

Campground Fees and National Park Fees

Jumbo Rocks Campground recently raised their fees to $30 per night.  For a campground with little to no amenities, this may seem a little steep, but you are truly paying for the location.  The only cheaper option is if you have a Senior or Access pass, and then the fee is only $15 per night

As for entering Joshua Tree National Park, you will need to purchase some sort of national park pass to be in the park.  Yes, this is in addition to your camping fees.

The standard vehicle fee is $30 and good for 7 days from purchase.  This covers everyone in the vehicle.  If you enter on a motorcycle, the fee is $25 and is also good for 7 days.

Joshua Tree Annual Pass Options

If you plan to camp in or visit Joshua Tree National Park multiple times in a year, you’ll want to purchase the $55 Annual Pass.  This pass gives you and a vehicle full of guests entry into Joshua Tree for 12 months.  

And if you are the national-park-obsessed friend, you’ll want to purchase the America the Beautiful Pass.  This pass is $80 for US Residents and will give you and a car-full of guests entry into all of the US Federal Recreation Areas for free for 12 months. 

Ok, so you know the location and the fees, let’s get into all the details about camping in the Jumbo Rocks Campground. 

Reservations

Camping reservations at Jumbo Rocks Campground, and all of Joshua Tree’s campgrounds, can be made up to 6 months in advance at this website.  For example, if you are making a reservation for October 8th, you can make said reservation on April 8th.

You can book up to 14 days in a row, but only 14 total days between October and May.  There is also a 30-day camping limit per calendar year.  So if you plan on camping here multiple times per year, make sure you are keeping track of your total days.

Each site varies in size, so make sure you read the description very carefully before booking.  Some sites are MUCH larger than others, which is ideal for an RV or for a group.  

Know Before You Go

All campgrounds have rules and regulations, but campgrounds within a national park often have even more rules!  These keep the campground nice and the visitors safe, but they also keep nature and wildlife protected.  

So here are a few rules that you’ll want to know before going into Jumbo Rocks Campground.

• Check-in and Check-out is at noon each day
• Hammocks and Slacklines are Prohibited
• All Unoccupied Campsites left vacant for 24 hours will be treated as vacant – You will then lose your reservation
• Quiet hours are from 10pm to 6am daily
• Generators are only permitted from 7-9am, 12pm-2pm, and 5-7pm
• Dogs are permitted, but must remain on a 6-foot leash
• Trailers must be under 20 feet long (35 with tow vehicle)
• RVs must be 35 feet or under
• Campfires are allowed in a fire ring, but NEVER permitted between June 15 – Oct. 1st
• All food needs to be stored in a vehicle or in a locking container

Now that you know most of the rules, let’s dive into the details of the ways to camp at Jumbo Rocks Campground.

Tents, Overlanding, and Vans

Each site is allowed a maximum of 6 people and 3 tents.  However, not all campsites can accommodate the maximum number of people and tents.  Make sure you read the site description carefully before booking.

2 vehicles are allowed per site, and there is no overflow parking.  You will need to carpool if you have more than 2 vehicles.  If you are planning on car camping, you are welcome to sleep in your vehicle, but only at a lawfully occupied, designated campsite, not at any trailhead. 

Campers and RVs

RVs are allowed at Jumbo Rocks Campground, but be aware there is no water and no hookups.  Not all sites have enough room for trailers/RVs, and some can only accommodate short trailers.  Make sure you read the details very carefully when booking here if you are camping in a trailer/RV.

At Jumbo Rocks Campground, there is a trailer limit size of 20 feet, with an overall length limit of 35 feet including the tow vehicle.  Site 84 is roughly 40 feet and is the longest campsite.  The rest you’ll have to be very careful when booking.

The limits for people, vehicles and tents are the same for these sites.  6 people, 3 tents and 2 vehicles.  Also, be aware that the towing vehicle and a trailer/popup/tent trailer/fifth wheel—or a motorhome towing a vehicle—are considered two vehicles.

Now here’s a look at getting water and accessing a dump station.

Potable Water and Dump Station

There is no water station or dump station at the Jumbo Rocks Campground.  This doesn’t affect you if you are in a tent, but for those in some sort of RV or Van, here are your options.

For Potable Water, there IS potable water at the Black Rock Campground (near campsite 6) and at the Cottonwood Campground (between the visitor center and the campground).  You can go there and fill up before getting parked.

And for a Dump Station, there is one at the Black Rock Campground (near campsite 6) and at the Cottonwood Campground (between the visitor center and the campground). Using these dump stations costs $5 to use. You can pay at any entrance station, before or after use.

Amenities

Every camper has seen those campgrounds that are overflowing with amenities.  You know the ones with a pool, full hook-up, and maybe even some entertainment.

Well Jumbo Rocks Campground has none of those things, but it’s still a must-stay campground!  The location of this campground makes up for the lack of niceties.

If you are camping here, there are no electric or other hook-ups, and there aren’t any showers or flushing toilets.  All they offer is a place to park, a spot for your tent, and pit toilets.  

But what it lacks in flash Jumbo Rock Campground offers peace and quiet away from the rush of the Coachella Valley.  The quiet desert, surrounding jumbo rocks, and nearby groves of Joshua Trees offer so much more than those flashy campgrounds offer.  

Showers

If you’re anything like me, I NEED to shower after a day out in nature.  Maybe I could put it off for a day, but I need a shower.  And as we already know, there aren’t showers here.  Nor are there showers at any of the other Joshua Tree Campgrounds.  So what do you do?

In the town of Joshua Tree, CA there are a few places to shower, for a fee.  Joshua Tree National Park makes the formal recommendation to “contact private campgrounds, gyms, motels, and travel centers” and be prepared to pay anywhere from $5 – $30.

Nearby Hiking

If you are planning to go camping in Jumbo Rocks Campground, you might be looking for a way to pass the time during the day.  This campground is literally in the middle of the national park.  Essentially, you are pretty close to just about anything.

You are actually walking distance from the Skull Rock Trail, which starts right in the middle of the campground.  You are also a short drive from the popular Arch Rock, Heart Rock and Split Rock Area.  For more on the trails, check out this post about hiking in Joshua Tree.

Conclusion

If rustic camping in the silence of the desert is your type of camping, Jumbo Rocks Campground is the campground for you!  Being at the center of the action in Joshua Tree National Park, you can’t go wrong camping here.

As always, feel free to email me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions.

-Happy Camping!