Hidden Valley Campground

What an outstanding deal. $25 to stay right in the heart of Joshua Tree National Park. Hidden Valley Campground is located right in amongst a field of huge weathered boulders which make a great hiking opportunity right from your campsite. The rangers I spoke to during my stay were very helpful and friendly and I could not have been more pleased.

Hidden Valley Campground is by far my favorite in Joshua tree. It is great for just venturing out without a car and just climbing on the rocks. It is so fun. If you want to watch serious rock climbing, walk or drive down to cap rock a bit farther on park boulevard. This area is the best for amateur/recreational climbing. I'm also glad campfires are allowed here, because in most other campsites in Southern California, they aren't allowed due to fire danger.

Hidden Valley Campground is a really cool place! The big rocks are easy to climb and give you amazing views of the desert. For serious rock climbing - there’s a huge rock where climbers are always hanging out—it’s fun to watch! There’s also lots of parking, so finding a spot is never a problem. If you want to climb, explore, or just enjoy the view, this place is for you!

Best campground in the park in my opinion. Closest to many classic climbs.

The absolute best place to camp and climb in Joshua Tree!

Best ever in my recent trip to California. Miss it already. I will visit again definitely.

Quiet and peaceful no fire through our the park was a bummer but the night sky makes you forget everything.

Best place to star gaze. Went here to see Persede meteor shower. This place was over crowded with people as it’s an annual celestial occasion. I believe it should be less crowded on normal days. This place is heaven for star gazers and people who love adventure and camping. This place is special as we can see silhouette of Milky Way galaxy gas cloud. Overall had a fun night. Pack enough insulation to keep yourself warm at nights and try to get a tripod and other camera equipment to see the miracle at night.

This was probably my favorite hike of the whole trip. Hidden Valley Nature trail was so beautiful. Great for beginner hikers as it wasn't too long. We came during sunset time and it was breathtaking. There's an awesome amount of rocks, joshua trees, beautiful views, and you can lay to see the stars. I will definitely be back!

Cool campground located within beautiful Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree National Park. This are was one of my favorite places to explore while I was here in the park. There are 44 sites with pit toilets, fire pits, but no water. The sites are are first-come, first-served and require pre-payment at an entrance station. The area is surround by large boulders and Joshua Trees. Just remember that it is prohibited to tie a hammock to any of the trees here. Definitely make some time to walk the Hidden Valley nature trail while you are here. There are picnic tables near the trailhead that you can eat at.

This is one of my favorite spots in the park. Wonderful photo opportunities all hours of the night and day. If you are into milky way astrophotography this is one of the best spots. If you are going to visit Joshua Tree national park then you should plan a stop here. There is a large parking lot, but there are also plenty of people stopping here so you may have to park out on the street if overcrowded. I think the ranger said the gates close at sundown so you can park right outside the drive way. There is hidden valley trail close by which is an easy 1.1 mile hike through the amazing landscape, boulders, diverse desert terrain. Plenty of pics posted for you to see the amazing views and surrounding area. The trail is just 1 part of hidden valley and there is so much more to explore. It is fun to see people camping here, picnicking, and enjoying a bonfire under the stars. Hidden Valley is a great place for easy hiking, nice views, photo opportunities. Definitely worth a stop here on you visit to the park.

Easy trail for all ages and sizes. My go-to spot for all visiting friends and family. Plenty of nearby parking options, shady spots for a breather and breathtaking picture-worthy views. Great trail to see or engage in some epic rock climbing as well!

Hidden Valley is part of Joshua Tree National Park and a must see if you are ever in California. If you love the desert, you will be in heaven. Hidden Valley is a pretty easy hike, and if you can't hike there is a lot to see from your car or a short walk. The summers are brutal so try for the Fall or Winter. The Joshua Tree is just beautiful. There are many to be seen along with other cactus and plants. The area is pristine. Please help keep it that way. Do not take anything from the park, please. If you are lucky you may see some jack rabbits or other cute creatures. The lizards are adorable and are so fast. You will love every minute at Hidden Valley. The silence will give you a break from the busy world and remind you to take a minute and just look at the beauty of nature. Have the best time. Always take in water with you. And, of course, there is a campground. It fills up fast so make reservations.

If you love bouldering and camping, you need to pay this place a visit! We came on a Friday morning/afternoon and had the hardest time finding a campsite here because everything was taken already. However, we drove in circles for a while and was lucky that one group was leaving that evening. If you're planning to secure a good spot, try coming during the middle of the week...early in the morning. We paid $20/night with 2 cars at our site and 2 tents (I think 3 tents is the max). This I think there are about 30 campsites here, more or less, but if you can't find a spot, a short drive down will bring you to one of the other 8 campgrounds nearby. There are many boulders that you can climb here. Often during the day, you'll find groups of climbers taking over rocks at almost all camp sites. A short hike around this campground and behind the campgrounds will bring you to even more popular climbing and even hiking spots. Climbs here are pretty finger intensive and the rocks are made of granite so be ready for scrapes, cuts and bruises. Make sure you bring plenty of water and firewood. The nights get pretty cold and the mornings can be ridiculously hot. It's always advised to come with people who know what they're doing (in terms of camping/survival/etc.), but if you're not traveling with pros, search their website to learn tips and tricks and preservation techniques! Please keep this place clean and beautiful so that everyone can enjoy it! I can't wait to come back!

Best campground in Joshua Tree! Get there early (or earlier in the week) to claim a camp site! They are typically full on weekend haha! There are about 36 sites here -- you can drive around on both sides and try to find a site that does not have a orange permit. The permits are on-site and located in the little metal box on the wooden post as soon as you drive into the campground. It's $25 per night.

When we visited Joshua Tree NP during Thanksgiving weekend the Hidden Valley Campground was full. It's my understanding that this campground is first come first served. We drove around looking for a site so my review will be based on my observations, the amenities available, and my camping experience. My family and I camp on an average of 10-12 sites per year. Hidden Valley campground is a popular campground because of it's location to the surrounding area. There are many trail heads nearby and many popular places for rock climbing. The campground has vault toilets, trash receptacles, fire pits, but no running water. You can fill up on water at the Visitor Centers and bring firewood. Most sites appear to be able to accommodate a small tent but wouldn't be able to accommodate my 10x14 Kodiak canvas tent. There appeared to only a handful of sites that could accommodate a large tent. Would I camp here if space was available? Definitely yes! The location to Hidden Valley nature trail is within walking distance and my family thoroughly enjoyed the 1.0 mile hike. There are many small rock formations in the area for little kids to climb, and the location of the campground is perfect for traveling to other parts of the park. Hidden Valley has the highest concentration of Joshua Trees to view making this a must see area. There is a day use area located across from the campground where you can find picnic tables and BBQ grills.

I loved staying at this campground! Very simple but nice. Not much shade unfortunately and I was a bit bummed that I couldn't hang my hammock anywhere. There are plenty of toilets but were unfortunately often dirty and smelled horrible. They clean them frequently but people are just slobs who don't clean up after themselves. People were friendly and we met some really cool people camping here. Also really enjoyed all of the places we could hike to from here! I mainly wanted to write this review to say BEWARE OF THE SQUIRRELS! They're kinda aggressive. One tried to steal my food off the table when I was just a few feet away. And my friend left food in the tent without me knowing, we went out for a couple hours and came back to a hole in the side of the tent. They ripped open all of her food and pooped in it too.

The pit toilets were freshly emptied. Hearing your turd fall 10 feet onto dry concrete might be the most satisfying thing I've ever experienced. Thank you!

09/22/17-09/24/17 First time camping in Joshua Tree and it was a great experience! After doing research decided Hidden Valley would be my first choice since Ryan and Belle were closed during the summer months. Arrived on Friday around 10 am and the site was filling up. There was about 7 spots left when I got there and found a great spot #19 backed up into the boulders. There were two sites both to the left and right and though there were other spots that were more secluded (all taken) the one we had was good enough. Fit my eight person tent just fine and was flat. I noticed some of the other spots were very small (#33) and were on an incline but most had enough room. By Saturday around noon the campground was full. The people next to us in their RV actually shared their spot with others who were tenting. Then by Sunday morning there were only about 5 campers left. Overall beautiful campground. Clean, restrooms had tons of toilet paper, close to town and across from the popular hidden valley trail. Would definitely stay here again!

Very cool, will be back. No water ,first come first serve. No cell so your off grid, climb big prehistoric rocks. Rock climbing with ropes, freestyle or walking or hiking.