Black Rock Canyon Campground

We booked a camp spot there. Not the best one as we did not have any shade at all. You can park 2 cars and 2 tents. This campsite is not located inside Joshua Park but very close to the entrance gate (about 10minutes). This location offers easy access to easy hikes. The toilets are clean, no shower. RV damper is available. Fire pits and barbecue on each spot. Going back to Joshua tree, we would book a campsite directly inside the park. The hidden trail campground is perfect.

Amazing campsite. If you’re planning a trip to Joshua Tree this is the best campground to stay at. This camp sits at a higher elevation than the other campgrounds and is not as hot as the others. Every site has Joshua Trees surrounding it providing shade and a spectacular view. The rest rooms are flushing and where clean, there aren’t showers but they do have water available throughout the camp ground if you want to bring a solar shower set up.. Each site comes with a picnic table and a nice screened fire pit. Another great thing about this camp is that it’s right next to the town of Yucca Valley making it easy to find food and you also have good cell reception. Reminder to get up at night and take in the stars and get some pictures..

My friends and I stayed here in late October 2024 at site 067. This campground is part of Joshua Tree National Park but is not within the park limits. There is no park entrance fee needed for this campground. This campground gives the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere but you're a short 5 minute drive to civilization. There is a camp host on site. Ours was friendly, but by the book as far as tent limits and the number of people. Our fault for missing the details on our reservation, but a majority of these sites are larger than most other campgrounds I've stayed at so, we honestly didn't see any issues. We were within the limits of our site and honestly still could have entertained a couple more tents. This campground is fairly clean, restrooms are passable, various hiking trails surrounding the grounds, and limited to no shade. If you are looking for dark skies for telescope viewing or star gazing, there are better sites deeper into JTree.

We stayed here for 3 nights in the middle of April. The weather was great and the hiking was wonderful. We did the eureka peak, westside loop and panorama loop trials. There were some flowering cactus of different species with pink red and white flowers. We stayed in campsite 75. Contrary to the site description we had no problem finding space for 1 large, 1 medium and 1 small tent with our two cars and a 13 ft popup placed over the picnic table. The bathrooms were close by and clean the water one space over with the visitor center a short walk.

Located within the edge of the park, this campground has a good number of places to accommodate tents, rv’s and vans. With a couple of nice trails that depart from it, it’s also a great spot to warm up your hiking skills prior deep diving into the heart of Joshua Tree. A couple of toilets are available through the camp as well as water pumps. Each spot has a fire pit and a bbq for your personal usage. Last, a few grocery stores are a few miles distance in case you are missing things.

This location is 12 miles from the west park entrance, but it has nice views of the surrounding hills, access to a couple of hiking trails, water and bathrooms. The downside is there tend to be many mega campers here with large groups that all run their generators even outside the normal prescribed hours. It’s not peaceful at all. We’ve been camping for the last 30 years and this ranks as the worst in terms of noise. We wouldn’t camp here again.

Very rustic and be ready for serious camping/tenting. But the views of the desert mountains are stunning at sunset. You feel like your light-years away from the world

Campsite was awesome and restrooms were clean. Road is in pretty bad shape and the campsites are not level. It has some great trails, but is about 45 minutes into the park. Great views.

Not a terrible campground, but the spots were very close together compared to other national park campgrounds. The host was nice and the bathroom/grounds were generally clean.

I came here to hike the Panorama Loop in late Feb, and I loved it! The weather was windy so come prepared with layers if you're coming on a relatively cold day. During the hike, I put my jacket on and off multiple times. The journey up and down the mountain was easy, and the views were beautiful. Parking was a bit challenging because there are limited spots scattered in different parts around the campgrounds.

Nice little nature center that is nestled within a bunch of Joshua Trees and next to Black Rock Campground. I like this area because it is one of the thicker areas of Joshua Trees. I felt like I got more of an up-close experience with them because there are so many of them around here. The ranger station has a gift shop, maps to help guide you and an area to stamp your national park passport book. The nearby campground has 99 sites with picnic tables and a fire ring at each spot. Campsites vary in size and can accommodate both tents and RVs. There are also several trails you can hike on at this location. This area was originally developed to be a Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground back in the 70's.

This is a great place to visit if you want to do a short hike at Joshua Tree, but don't want the full National Park experience. I was only going for an hour so a helpful park employee let me know about this option. There was free parking and satisfied my desire to hike a bit in the desert. This is not a substitute for anyone looking for the full Joshua Tree experience.

I decided I need some Joshua tree photos for Instagram but didn't want to deal with hassle/vastness of Joshua Tree National Park so I thought Black Rock Canyon would be the right place! The Black Rock Canyon Ranger station (or Black Rock Nature Center according to Google) is the perfect place to start your Black Rock adventure. Black Rock Canyon Overview * Small part of Joshua Tree National Park * Completely free to visit; unlike the main portion of the Joshua Tree park * Has spotty cellphone reception on parts of the trails * Features multiple short trails - High View Nature Loop, Panorama Loop, Short Loop, etc. * Has tons of Joshua trees So as you can see, Black Rock Canyon presents itself as an affordable (free), safer (cell reception), condensed alternative to the main Joshua Tree Park. The Black Rock station is where you will want to park for Black Rock Canyon trails. There is free parking on a paved lot. Google Maps may want to take you to other places for the trailhead; but, it may attempt to lead you on to closed/private roads. The Black Rock Canyon Ranger station is very well equipped as ranger stations go. There are clean restrooms, printed brochure maps (uncommon post pandemic), a gift shop, and even a small art exhibit! Unfortunately, the gift shop does not sell food. The reason I knocked off one star is because the road to Black Rock Canyon station is suboptimal. It is a maze of very narrow, pothole plagued roads. The roads are in a bad enough condition that I would prefer a dirt road and be concerned with tire damage. Overall, my experience with Black Rock Canyon station was good! The trails were fun, though, it didn't look exactly like the Joshua tree photos featured on social media. Black Rock Canyon is much more lively with dense fields of Joshua trees and shrubs than the barren, rocky desert-scape Joshua Tree is known for. Amenities: (Spotless!) Restrooms, Printed Maps, Art Exhibit, Gift Shop Parking: There is free parking available on a small, paved lot. The lot was nearly full on February Sunday morning.

Awesome camping spot when visiting Joshua tree! All campsites have a fire pit and table. Campsites are pretty spacious. Campgrounds are well kept and rangers are very friendly.

Awesome campsite. Bathrooms at this location are overall clean and well maintained. The campsites are a little tight and close to together, but luckily more than half the site was empty when I went. Some spots are definitely better than ours. #20 was a pretty good & large spot. For $25, I would definitely return to this spot in the future.

Wind, rain, it's okay but check the whether for your stay before reserving your spots. No shades during summer I'd bet. It's nice that the site is so close to stores. You don't have to bring all your camping gears, you can just put your tent up for sleep looking at the stars.

Black Rock is a fantastic campground! The spots are spacious and the bathrooms are clean. It is also a very short driving distance to many trailheads in Joshua Tree. My husband and I stayed for just one evening prior to doing a 1 night backpacking trip in Joshua Tree. In the future, we will just plan on staying at Black Rock campground and doing day hikes in Joshua Tree. It's a really cool view and a great campground. One thing to note is that the sites at the highest elevation are amplified noise-wise. If you know that you are going to be a louder group, I'd recommend finding a spot at a lower elevation. I would highly recommend this campground!

Camped here for two nights and it was a pretty good campground. Pros: - close to Eureka and West End Loop hikes, which we did - clean bathrooms with soap and toilet paper - beautiful site and night sky Cons: - Angela, the woman at the office, is a huge bitch with quite a nasty attitude. I don't know what she's doing working in hospitality. - no outlets anywhere, so bring an external battery - not spaced out enough in between neighbors. You'll hear all their conversations.

Very nice campground located on the north end of Joshua Tree. Check-in at the ranger station was efficient. Rangers were pleasant. Campsite was decent-sized. No one was immediately around us because the campgrounds were definitely not full. Most of the campers kept it low-key at night, which was nice. Every campsite comes with concrete picnic table and a fire pit. There is very, very little shade so bring a canopy. Nice trails, ranging from 1-2 miles to much longer ones. We saw jackrabbits and tons of lizards and some great birds. We also heard plenty of coyotes at night. It can get really hot (and cold) out here but we got lucky and it only hit 80 at the highest. Restrooms were the cleanest I have seen in any campgrounds. Real, flush toilets. Bravo. This is a beautiful area and very relaxing. A very nice, well-kept campground will bring us back in the future.

Black Rock Canyon Campground,located 5 miles north of Twenty Nine Palms Hwy is a scenic location with campsites for tents,campers,trailers and RV's near Joshua Tree National Park with plenty of hiking,biking,walking,day packing and back packing opportunities! This is a great,safe and comfortable camping location that features fire pits,benches and tables,a info center and plenty of open spaces for everyone who visits! Great for seasoned and first time campers as well! If you need or forgot something the city of Yucca Valley is only 5 miles away! In the evening the skies are filled with millions of beautiful stars! Perfect for an overniter,a few days or as a launch point camp for a california deserts camping adventure! We enjoyed our experience here very much! . . . . #blackrockcanyon #joshuatree #joshuatreenationalpark #californiadreamin #californiadreaming #camping #hiking #panoramatrail #yuccavalley #29palmshwy #29palms #jthavn #ilovejoshuatree #gocamping #waynesalvatti #seetheusa #photografxworldwide #nitesky #starsinthesky

I left my heart at Black Rock Canyon! :) It was a quiet, peaceful, beautiful area. Campsite have fire pits (favorite part). Short, but sweet hikes in the area. Not as populated as other camp sites, another plus! It was perfect! I can't wait to go back. Totally recommend it. Also, restrooms were clean. :)

Not a terrible site... but it was miserably windy this past weekend. There are a bunch of wind mills in the area, so I'm not sure if the area is always windy? When my friends and I went into the actual park, it was easily 10 degrees warmer and there was no wind. The wind was honestly the game changer - our tents were flopping all over the place, and our food would go cold ~2 minutes after serving up. Mother Nature's attitude has nothing to do with the campsite experience though, I give the place 3 stars because the ranger was kindof a narc. Note to future campers: They're strict on the rules. No more than 6 people, 3 tents, and 2 cars - and the tents have to be within 25 feet of your fire pit or picnic bench. You've been warned!

Clean and very friendly hosts but this is not camping inside Joshua tree. You're just off the edge of a housing track On a dead-end road that does not even go into the park. You're sitting at the border. Lots of light pollution. Some of the spaces have plenty of room. Some are very close together. Most people seem to be just using this campground as a stop on their way to somewhere else. If you want a Joshua tree experience try Belle or Jumble Rocks Campground.

This was a great spot to stay and use as base camp for our travels through Joshua Tree. The roads were a bit winding and snug with the rig we had but we made it work. Bathrooms were clean with flushing toilets.

Black Rock Campground Ranger Station and campground is an excellent place to set up camp if you are here to visit Joshua Tree. The sites are managed very well by the rangers and the campground is well equipped with restrooms and running water. The restrooms have toilet paper, but no soap by the sink or towels/dryers. The campsites have a campfire pit with grill attached, picnic table, and ample room to park your car. It can get pretty dark at night, so be sure to bring a headlamp. Make sure to have a tent that can withstand the wind and cold temperatures at night. So get ready to rock the day and night away at Black Rock for your next camping destination!

This is one of the National Park Service campgrounds right near Joshua Tree National Park. It isn't technically in the national park as you don't have to pay the national park entrance fee to stay here. Even so, it is run by the NPS and one of the only NPS campgrounds that has both running water and full restrooms (not just an outhouse). Oh AND you can make reservations at this campground - several of the other NPS campgrounds inside the park are first come-first serve. I camped here over the Thanksgiving holiday and while it was exceptionally cold at night (I just had a tent and light sleeping bag), I was happy to be able to make a campfire and actually burn it for warmth (and cooking). The campsite was a good size and a fair distance away from other campers. I had plenty of room for my tent and car and enjoyed meals at the picnic table. I also saw a great sunset and sunrise from my site. Park rangers were nice and there was a little gift shop as well that had more to offer than the picked over visitors center. Although it's a 10-15 minute drive to the entrance of Joshua Tree National Park, I would highly recommend this campground to anyone in the area. I can't wait to stay here again!

Black Rock is great however outside Joshua Tree NP so you have to pay $15 more to enter on top of your camp reservation. That is one thing we were unaware of. However they take reservations and RVs and the site was lovely. I would stay again but I like being inside the park better if possible. They have ample bathrooms and a RV dump station with water fill ups.

Great place to camp, outside of Joshua Tree Park and close to the 29 Plams Hwy, the sky views are amazing since city lights are far away. You don't have to pay the park fees to get in (although you will visit the park anyway while here) and it's close to Walmart, Starbucks and any convenience store if you need something real quick. It's well maintained, clean, quiet (depending on your neighbors, but we never had problems). Book the spot months in advance, they are very hard to find. Restrooms are pretty close no mater where you camp, same for trash cans, spots have fire pits also. They recycle bottles and plastic, so save them separately.

We were originally headed to Jumbo Rocks Campground located in Joshua Tree National Park, But when we arrived we were asked if we had reservations. We said no because we've been here before & Jumbo Rocks doesn't require reservations. They informed us as of earlier last month, reservations are now required & all sites are full. They then mentioned all the other campgrounds inside that were first-come, were full as well. We now found ourselves at a nearby hospital parking lot googling nearby campgrounds with tent availability. This is how we discovered Black Rock Canyon Campground. Not only was I impressed that we didn't have to pay $25 entrance fee into the park, but they impressed me more by saying it's only $20 per night to camp (2 cars per site). Other nearby campgrounds wanted to charge $10 per person, per night....and weren't half way as clean! We arrived mid day sat., 3/3/18 and was lucky enough to grab a site for one night, without reservations. The weather was nice & cool, but they had a 50mph wind advisory, which made this trip short. I was overall pleased with this campground. Amenities included flushing toilets, women & men restrooms that were maintained daily, multiple bathroom stalls, sinks with running water & mirrors, large dumpster trash bins, propane recycling bin, water spigots throughout campground, fire pit with grill, concrete picnic table with benches, and spacious camp sites for large tents & parking. I did hear a dog bark a few times, so I believe it may be pet friendly, but you might want to call to verify! There's also hiking trails & a nature center for kids to enjoy! We will definitely come back, but next time we'll make reservations online so we can stay 2 nights instead of 1 night!

My wife and i spent a couple days camping here in April to celebrate our anniversary. The campsite wasn't busy at all but the wind was insane at night, so prepare your trip accordingly. Each campground comes with a firepit but you do have to bring your own wood. There were lots of hiking trails and places to climb rocks. There were restrooms that are cleaned daily, but they didn't have showers. It was really relaxing being able to just hang out and enjoy your surroundings without all the distractions. I would recommend spending some time out here if you ever get the chance

This was a great campground for visiting Joshua Tree National Park. You're in the park, but not you're not IN the park - you don't have to pay for parking and the entrance into the park is about a 15 min drive away. This means that the grounds are much more well-kept and way less crowded than many of the sites that are deeper into the park. Holla! There were bathrooms (with flushing toilets and running water) that were cleaner than most other public restrooms I've ever seen! The campsites themselves are good-sized, with fire rings and a metal grate on top that comes on and off to cook with. There isn't great privacy but it's the desert - what are ya gonna do. Plenty of Joshua trees right next to your tent though, which is super cool that you don't have to hike far to see the namesake of this cool area. There are several hikes nearby the campground that you don't have to drive to get to. The ranger in the station was super helpful recommending hikes and spots to see in the area. If highly recommend this site and will definitely be staying here next time I visit Joshua Tree.

Solid camping spot in Joshua Tree. I spent a weekend in Joshua Tree with a big group of friends and we booked three campsites in advance. Our sites were conveniently located close to the restrooms and about a 20 minute drive from the national park. The bathrooms are very clean, but don't forget to bring your own soap! The campsite also has fire pits and picnic tables for your convenience. My only gripe with Black Rock is that the campsites are very close together. We could hear our neighbors talking for what seemed like the entire night. We spoke to a ranger during our first night at Black Rock and learned that their is no noise after 10:00 pm, or you risk getting a huge ticket from the local police. If noise is a problem for your group, I would look for another campground. As for the weather, it gets very chilly in the winter. I recommend bringing lots and lots of layers- I'm talking three pairs of socks, beanies, gloves, and multiple pairs of pants. If you're looking for a nice getaway close enough, but far enough from LA, I recommend staying at Black Rock Canyon. The spectacular night skies, sunsets, and incredibly recreational opportunities (i.e. climbing, hiking) make J-Tree the perfect weekend getaway.

Black Rock was the perfect camp ground. It was affordable. The sites were large. The bathrooms were nice. Walking around other camp grounds that were directly in the Joshua Tree national park, I noticed that they were basically porta potties that came with wasps. Our bathroom, had a large sink, and beautiful porcelain toilet. There is also a nice pit for the campfire that had a fold over grill that cold be used to cook on. The stars were brilliant and the neighbors were respectful. We booked 2 months in advance.

Just got back from camping at Black Rock. It's probably the last weekend that you can go where the weather is bearable-- breezy with a mixture of sunny and overcast skies. For $15/night, it was a good deal. Campgrounds are for a max of six people and two cars. Bathrooms consists of toilets and sinks but no showers and are spaced out evenly through the campsite. I was very happy with the cleanliness of the bathrooms-- a definite plus. We saw kangaroo rats, bluejays, pinacate beetles and squirrels while camping. Campsites are not that far from one another and there is not that much tree/bush coverage. Lack of trees means lack of shade-- be sure to bring a canopy to create some shade. Blackrock is the first campsite from the west entrance to the park. It's good for first time campers as it is close to grocery stores, has flat ground, numerous trails, has in ground firepits and you're able to park where you camp. I have AT&T for my cellphone and had good reception and 3G internet-- yes, kind of counterintuitive to the idea of camping but useful for emergency purposes (and checking my email!!). It was kind of odd to be so close to civilization-- you could see the lights of the nearest town but it was dark enough to see all the stars at night!

We decided to camp here in leu of getting a motel for the night on our way to Tucson. It was the best decision we've ever made! The campground is clean, well-maintained, has running water and bathrooms, and the spaces spacious enough so your don't feel crammed in next to other campers. Each campsite comes equipped with a fire pit with a grill, so you can cook food and warm yourself simultaneously. There's also a table at each campsite. The campsite was quiet and super close to some hiking trails. We got up early the next morning for a sunrise hike and we were not disappointed. If we ever make it back to Joshua Tree, we will definitely be staying here again! At $20 a night, it's a steal. The only draw back is that there are no showers at this site.

We spent 3 nights here over Thanksgiving week and had a wonderful time visiting Joshua Tree National Park. This review focuses more on our campground experience. Our campsite was site 92, which was very tiny and close to the bathrooms. We knew we would be close to the bathrooms, but didn't know that the site was so tiny. There was limited space to park our small Subaru, and it had a strange slope and a lot of gravely channels that looked like mini washes, which made it very difficult to set up our 6 person tent within 25 feet of the firepit. We were more like 30 feet away in the one place that provided a flat-ish, more gravel-free surface and would fit our tent. No one said anything about our tent location until our final night, which took us by surprise since we had been there two previous nights with friendly camp hosts and rangers walking by our site saying hi and moving on. This site is really only suited for a 1-3 person tent if you try to place your tent within the 25 feet to the firepit requirement. The camp host was really friendly and provided us with great information and tips on hiking within Joshua Tree National Park. If it wasn't for a few other camp issues, I would have given this a 4 star rating because of how helpful she was. Pros -Reservations can be made in advance -Flushable toilets & water -Hiking trails on the edges of the campground -Wildlife: coyotes, birds, owls, and kangaroo rats -Friendly camp host -Firepits & picnic tables -Gift shop and interpretive displays on site -Beautiful sunsets and mountain views -Close to the city, but it doesn't feel like it Cons -Windy: 2 our of 3 nights. One tent pole got bent by the wind. Spent quite a bit of time chasing down chairs, plates, camp gear, etc. -No camp sink to wash dishes -Bathrooms did not have soap to wash hands -Campsites were close together, some were pretty small, very little privacy since Joshua Trees provide limited privacy -Some campers were really loud, and sound seemed to really carry within the campground -Main road going through campground was pretty bumpy. I was glad that we brought the high clearance Subaru over the low clearance Honda -Bathroom light sensors didn't consistently work at night. Bring your headlamp because sometimes you may have to use the bathroom in the dark -Rocky campsites -Sloped sites We want to camp near Joshua Tree again, but we will probably explore alternative campground options next time.

This was our first time to camp at Black Rock as we are usually up in the mountains. We had a large group of friends camping with a total of six sites reserved. As we pulled into the campground, the camp hosts were there to greet us (in their golf cart). The first thing out of their mouth was we better be quiet because of the size of our group. Now the average age of our group is mid-40's and we are all usually in bed by 10. We were all taken aback by the way we were welcomed to the park. The roads in the park (compared to the Los Angeles Forest and San Bernadino Forest parks) are horrible. They looked to be paved at one time and then not maintained. There were huge holes that a small car would likely bottom out just driving to a site. We managed to find our site, but only after a friend scouted it out and then we followed pulling the camper. We didn't think signs existed showing what loops contained the different numbered sites; however, we did see a small sign on the way out. The sign did not include a directional arrow, so numbers on it seemed pointless. We had a similar issue when it was time to leave and we couldn't find the dump station. After circling the park several times, we stopped and asked for directions at the office. The dump station had the standard blue and red lines for water. However, there was no hose on the top of the risers. If you have an RV, you know that the spring is in the middle and the pipe extends up and a hose is connected at the top of the riser pipe. You bend the spring over and then use the hose to rinse your sewer line or connect to your equipment. It was 6:38 PM on Saturday night when the camp host came to our site to let us know that we were being too loud. Now, the BBQ was going and we had people sitting between two camps talking. I'm not sure what qualifies as loud, but we were definitely not out of control. I don't even think the radio was playing at this time. The unfortunate thing is you can't really say anything or even argue while at the park or you can get thrown out. The camp hosts let us know they are from Maine, so maybe that is how things work in Maine? Scenery in the entire area is beautiful, but the really nice rock formations in addition to the Joshua Trees are in the park itself. We drove about 15 miles to get to the park and do some hiking one of the days. The reason this park got two stars was for the bathrooms. We've never camped at a place with cleaner, nicer (flush) toilets with a well stocked toilet paper supply. Someone in the group even commented that the bathrooms were cleaner than most restaurants. If you have an RV or a vehicle that's not made to off-road, keep looking for a place to camp. If you plan to pitch a tent and be in bed at 6 PM, you've found the right park for you!

Loved this campsite! My husband and I were looking for a quick getaway, and decided to try this site! Restrooms were very clean, ranger/attendants were very helpful upon check in and gave us a map of the trails that were nearby and schedule for events that they had going on in the coming weeks. (We were bummed we didn't plan around these because there was a full moon night hike that sounded so cool!) We were close enough to walk to a couple of the hiking trails and spent a few hours enjoying the view. There's not a ton of shade on the campsites or the trails we took (duh), so make sure to plan accordingly. Overall the place was clean and quiet, and the view of the stars at night was breathtaking! We can't wait to go back again soon!

We recently went to this campground while we visited Joshua Tree National Park. This campground was amazing. It is beautiful, quiet and the spots are a really nice size! They have flush toilets and running water in the bathrooms but other than that, it is you and nature. Such a great spot to see stars!

Really loved my stay at Black Rock Canyon, the place is really beautiful and a lot greener than you would think the desert would be. Campsites are roomy , we had plenty of room and space for 6 people to spread out and enjoy the out doors. Be careful with the Joshua Trees they are spikey ass hell, almost poked my eye out jumping out of my tent too fast. The camp site had a concrete bench which was ideal for camping. Each campsite had a nice underground fire pit with a movable grill. What was really nice about Black Rock Canyon is the bathrooms were very clean and there is a source of water, so you don't have to waste space bringing water or spending extra money. There were some breath taking sunrises and sunsets to enjoy and plenty of wild life, I saw tons of different types of birds, I saw a fox and pack of coyotes, and a rabbit big enough to feed a small army. Also went on a great hike, they have several different trails. It does get very windy and cold here so make sure you plan accordingly for the season.

Black Rock is a pretty good camping experience for those who want to experience the desert yet still have amenities like running water and toilets that flush. This camp has been a J-Tree fixture forever, and it's age definitely shows. The roads around this camp are reminiscent of the Rincon Trail - OK, an exaggeration... But the roads are still extremely weathered, worn, full of ruts, enormous potholes and they're badly in need of regrading and resurfacing. The entrance road right up to the camp has been recently paved, so maybe this will happen soon? It would also be helpful if the parking spurs were leveled & paved as well. Many of them are eroding away. It's fine for those of us with Jeeps, trucks and full-size vans, but if you're showing up with a sports car, minivan or sedan, choose your site carefully before you go... During my recent stay with friends this weekend, the weather, scenery and sky were all perfect. There's simply nothing better than a crisp, clear night sky over the desert, with shooting stars, the Milky Way and even being able to easily see the International Space Station fly overhead. It was surreal, as was the crimson and orange sunrise while enjoying the aroma of Vanilla nut coffee and the warmth of a campfire. While there are no showers here, the restrooms are absolutely first rate. Clean, big and shiny with great toilets and sinks. They even have small heaters for winter campers using the bathroom. However, be sure and keep a flashlight with you when you have to go. The motion sensing lights turn off a little too soon for some of us doing our business. While there aren't many water spigots, they are easy to find and use. The large trash and recycling bins are great too. The Rangers at the station are extremely friendly and helpful. We had a few motorcycles at our site, exceeding the strict letter of the rules and everything was cool with no hassles. Good camp hosts which aren't too uptight or too lax can make all the difference... The camp is also very dog friendly, so make sure you bring a pooch or two. Kirby gave it two paws up... Because this is high-desert camping, you want to avoid J-Tree anytime between June and early October. It's just too hot and there's very little shade here. And in the winter, it gets extremely cold with some serious snowfall. There's a narrow seasonal gap which is just right. And of course, don't forget that it's incredibly windy here much of the time. That translates into a high-quality, properly oriented, well-staked tent with taut guy lines in place. No loose camp chairs or items and remember to tie everything down. Gusts can be brutal here at over 60 MPH. Seriously... Black Rock has numerous well-worn and easy to follow hiking trails surrounding the camp. It's close enough to town to run in for food & supplies. The $15 fee is extremely reasonable. And of course you can (and should) make on-line reservations. Black Rock completely fills up on weekends during certain peak times of the year and you do not want to simply show up. I would reserve at least 2-3 months in advance - or more. The "best" sites IMHO are the ones along the outside edge and corners of the camp. These are farther away from water spigots, but are a little quieter, with unrestricted views. Everyone has their own favorites, but I like #30 and #95, especially if you get #95 and #96 together. If the roads and spurs were repaved, this would be an easy 4-5 star park. Have fun!

Review is for the campgrounds at Black Rock. This is my second time doing the 2 night weekend stay at Joshua Tree Black Rock campground. While the grounds are actually outside of the National Park, they are one of the only ones you can reserve; the other ones are first come first serve, and I'm too much of a planner for that. The sites are fairly spacious for a public campground, and include a fire pit and a picnic table. There are men's and women's toilets & sinks (no showers) as well. It's about a 20 minute drive to the park from here, but you're going to spend most of your time driving through the park, to/from etc. anyway, so it's not a big deal. We did have some late-nighters come in blaring music at 1am on Friday night, and I was surprised there wasn't a campground attendant to say something about it. *I've* definitely been shushed for being too loud at a campsite before. Moving on. We did meet one of the rangers on Saturday evening. He was great, and provided a ton of information, and he was really cool. We were having a good time drinking mojitios (what?) and playing some Scrabble and he basically hung out with us for 20 minutes. My biggest complaint, and they are really big, so it's a pretty big complaint, is the freaking potholes on the road to get in and out of the campground. HOLY MOTHER OF POT HOLES. Seriously. Please use my personal $60 I have paid to use these sites in the past year to fix the dang potholes. They are awful. Other than that, it's all good in the hood. What more do you want from a campground?

Day hike review: free parking at the ranger station and great directions from a ranger to do the panorama loop. The summit is worth the hike. A little less than a 3 hour adventure which is perfect for a day hike.

Black Rock Campground.. as well as the Ranger Station were great. This place is great for those who haven't camped in the desert before. And, there are trails that lead off from Black Rock Canyon Ranger Station for those who want to explore Joshua Tree. My friends and I camped here in May. The weather was not only great, but our camp sites were pretty good too. We were there for four days and three nights. When we arrived on Thursday, the campground was pretty empty which was nice since it gave us time to explore the area. More people arrived on Friday, but a majority of the people arrived on Saturday morning and were camping for just the weekend. What's nice about this campground is that there is running water as well as flushable toilets. Also, the toilets were always pretty clean. We didn't encounter too many dangerous animals while we camped, but we did see a snake. :) The campsite we had was pretty flat so it was easy to find a place to set up our tents. While there wasn't too much shade here, it was nice that it wasn't too hot while we were there. The first night there was super windy, so all the tents were shaking. Lucky for us, we staked down everything well. Don't forget to bring a hammer if you're camping! I would come back to camp here. BTW most of the campsites had only two parking spots per site and there is a three tent per camp site rule.

Just as stated below in a previous review, my friend and I were confronted by a very aggressive older park ranger. He confronted us in the middle of the road as we were walking back from the restroom to reprimand us for leaving our fire unattended. He then threatened to call law-enforcement, and attacked us with questions of why there was vegetation in our fire pit. We felt incredibly uncomfortable, we tried to apologize and he continued to raise his voice at us in front of our neighboring campers. We felt as if we were being scolded like little children. Definitely will not camp here again.

Pros - Can reserve in advance. Clean, spacious sites with enough shrubbery around that you feel sort of private. Nice "real" restrooms (BYO soap) although they are spaced pretty far apart. This is the only Joshua Tree campground with flush toilets, from what I understand. Cons - The sound carries and people are loud here. Hard ground. Abysmal road conditions! There is a warning on the park website about potholes, and it was really that bad. Also, this campground is located about 15 minutes outside of the main entrance of the park, so it's not a super convenient place to stay. The wind was insane at night... we barely slept with our tent blowing around so much. Not sure if that's a regular thing, but I see another review mentioned it too, so be prepared! I think next time I would try for one of the walk-in campgrounds located inside the park.

This is a great campground. Lots of places to hike around. clean restrooms. No showers. Honestly I think the sites are a little close which is why 4 instead of 5 stars. In fact ours was so close to a group of D-bags that we heard some conversation that was a little to personal and resulted in my Mr. having to convince me to not go over there and advise them just what I thought of their opinions on women... But that's a conversation for another time. The scenery is so surreal. And you're free to pretty much wander off into the desert and explore. Loved it. Minus the D-bags it was a great experience.

My boyfriend & I camped at Black Rock for 2 days & 1 night. I choose Black Rock because I'm new to camping, wanted to be able to make a reservation ahead of time, and having toilets while camping appealed to me. Next time I would definitely stay at a campground in the park. The scenery around Black Rock, though beautiful, just doesn't compare the to incredibly beautiful scenery in the park. The camping sites were really close together, so I could hear the chit chat of our neighbors (off putting). The weekend we were there was crazy windy, which made sitting around outside relaxing unenjoyable. I'm not sure if that's due to the campground or just the general weekend conditions. From Black Rock we did a few hiking trails. The Hi View trail is short, quick, and has a really cool view of the snow covered San Jacinto mountains and Yucca Valley. We also did a longer hike from the California Backpacking & Hiking trail using the Short Loop trail & Fault Line. I really liked the Fault Line portion a lot - lots of joshua trees, expansive views, and a cool perspective on the campground.

This was my first time staying in an actual campsite at Joshua Tree. I would stay here again. $20/site per night. Campsites 78, 79, and 81. Pros: Very scenic and picturesque grounds, especially if you want to see a lot of Joshua trees. This is one of only two grounds, I believe, that has flushing toilets. I went in spring 2016 (windy and cold at night) and the bathrooms were decently clean and stocked with toilet paper, although no soap. The rangers at the station were helpful and provided free maps and information about the park. There is also a gift shop. Cons: Most of the campsites seem to be relatively close together. I would have preferred more space. I didn't think the campsites were that roomy themselves, but this might be standard for these types of campgrounds. I wouldn't call them cramped though. Another downside of staying in Black Rock is that it is outside the park's boundaries, so you have to drive at least a good 20 minutes to reach the closest park entrance, which I believe is at the north of the park. You also have to pay the $20/car entrance fee--but if you go during National Park Week, entrance is free. As for the campsites themselves, 81 was by far the best, in my opinion. 81 is at the top of a hill and is large enough to comfortably fit three tents and two cars. 79 was relatively uneven, small, and more aggressively sloped. That being said, it had a little more privacy because of that. It was also the smallest of the three. 78 was decently-sized. An SUV and large tent fit comfortably. It had a little privacy due to bushes/trees and the aforementioned slope, so the sites below it and next to it didn't seem too close. The nice thing about all three of these sites was that there weren't neighbors directly across the street. 80 sat more or less right across from 81, but it was the only one and like I said, 81 had a lot of room, so that wasn't an issue at all. To me, a major downside of these three sites is that they are all on a hill going up from 78 to 81 and the bathroom is at the bottom of the hill. It wasn't a long walk, but when you're already tired, cold, and the coyotes are out (which was neat to hear), it's a bit of a nuisance. That being said, we chose those three sites for their privacy and space. Word on privacy though--there are "camp parents" who you can contact if people are violating quiet hours (like we did). They asked us to turn our music off (understandably, although it was pretty low) and keep our voices down. Quiet hours were from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The drive to the campsite does go through a residential neighborhood, but once in the campsite I was pleased by the lack of "civilization." Also, camping on a flat surface in the desert means you may see city lights very far away--this wasn't a big problem at Black Rock. A final note--town is only about 20 minutes, if that, away. There is a Walmart, grocery store, gas stations (which sell firewood), local outdoor store, restaurants, etc.

The camp ground are not too slanty, but the ground is pretty hard so make sure the tent stakes are sturdy. Super windy and cold and night, so be prepared. It's pretty close to the stores if you forget anything or want more food. The ranger station is air conditioned, and has a clean bathroom. (Actually, all the bathrooms at the campsite are pretty clean. Kudos.)

I loved this campsite. It was easy to find, plenty of flat space for the tent and a bench. This campsite includes a bathroom, but no showers. We slept right next to the yucca. Only con was that you can see the city from the site.

Beautiful! Awesome! Amazing! This place is fantastic!! The best part of our stay was the snow. Yup, snow in the desert! Yes, we've seen snow before but the contrast of the hot, sandy desert and the snow was quit amusing. The staff at the ranger station were all very nice and friendly with lots of helpful information on the hiking trails. One helpful tip: this place fills up fast on a weekend. Either come early and get a spot or make your reservation online. We got lucky that there was such crappy weather and lots of people decided not to come out or we wouldn't have gotten a spot.

Liked this place eventhough it's literally minutes from town. It feels tucked away and if you can't find a spot in the park they sometimes have last minute cancellations. When we booked it, it said sold out but there were several empty sites. Bathrooms really clean and the RV spots are pretty spacious which is what we booked but had tents so actually worked out for us. The only thing i don't think they enforce the quiet hours rule, we had a large group a few sites away that were really loud till 2am two nights in a row... the tent sites seem cramped , so glad we got an RV site. Definitely would come back

This campground is awesome! We went in mid January for a weekend getaway & loved it. The bathrooms are nice and clean (flush toilets). Also, there are some decent trails right there. Even though it was packed & crowded, our campsite felt very private. The park entrance is about 10-15 minutes away so it's a little inconvenient if that's why you're there... but it's also nice to be away from the tourists. Coyote Corner is only 10 mins away, so a hot shower is way more accessible than camping in the park. The sky is AMAZING at night. We thought that being right off of the city would ruin the stars, but it definitely didn't. Such a view! Overall, I would absolutely camp at Black Rock again-- and recommend it!

Great Hiking-You have to hike to Warren Peak! The most amazing views and you feel like you are on top of the world. The campsite itself is nothing great especially if you are in an RV. The sites are uneven and the roads are horrible. There is no road maintenance at all. There are no hook ups, but there is a dump station with clean water. The good thing is its $15 per night

Great place to take the kids for hikes . My two boys and I had a blast . It was a little cold but other than that it was beautiful weekend

I LOVE this place - off the beaten track when visiting Joshua Tree. You probably should go somewhere else, so that we can get a spot when we show up. We hate it when we can't get a spot :) Oh, it can be insanely windy, so be prepared!