Ryan Campground

Ryan Campground was amazing. The location is peaceful and not too crowded, making it a great spot to connect with nature. The stargazing here is incredible — the night sky is full of stars, as long as you avoid visiting during a full moon when the brightness hides most of them. At the time we stayed, no fire pits were allowed due to fire restrictions, but it didn’t take away from the experience. Highly recommend this campground if you’re visiting Joshua Tree.

I did enjoy the campground. Stayed in spot 15 which is fits two cars or one large camper van. 15 is near the bathroom. A popular spot for launching of recreational activities so this vaulted potty gets lots of use. Spots on the west side of the campground were a little more private and quiet. Some stargazing but not as much as cottonwood campground. Ryan’s Ranch is easily accessible thru this campground and parking from 10:00am -6:00 pm is allowed in designated spots. I would add if it’s a holiday consider entering the park from 29 palms entrance. The line to get in the yucca entrance was at least 1 hr long.

Best campground in the park!! Every site is so spacious, the boulders and foliage are incredible and provide plenty of shade. The bathrooms are well kept with sooo many rolls of toilet paper (why?? Lol) and the trash cans are basically empty and easy to access. No potable water on site so come prepared people! My only complaint is the teens in the campground being rowdy and blasting music/hooping and hollering til past midnight on a Thursday… but that’s nothing against the beauty of the park itself, so my five star rating still stands.

A lovely campground. The amenities are the same as the other campgrounds in the park. This one differs in that it has more expansive views while still being close to the rocks and Joshua trees. There are a few hikes that connect to the campground and a few people are even climbing right from their sites. Beautiful.

Best campground in JT! Small, no RVs multiple trails out of the CG.

Solid camping spot, the best spots here are on the perimeter, so you're not in the space of others camps, and get unobstructed views of the area. Being close to the Headstone climbing rock is a huge plus, we woke up extra early to be first on the rock, super important if you want to climb in cool weather. Otherwise you're stuck waiting for larger guided groups to take over the rock, and waiting turns. If you expect a first come first serve site, I'd recommend getting there some time Thursday for the weekend, Friday everything is usually taken.

Camping is available inside the park, call ahead or visit website to check. While Jumbo Rock is super popular, we went with the lesser known Ryan campground and it was amazing - boulders, fields of joshua trees, and some serenity can be found. Its a smaller campground - about 30 sites, but some privacy can be found. We saw people climbing the rocks throughout - follow rules and be careful! Enjoy beauty in the backyard of southern California.

Awesome campground. It’s hard to get a spot so you should get there early. Check out is at 10 so you should be there around 8 to try to grab a spot. There is no service in Joshua tree which is a good escape from the outside world. That being said, try to plan ahead and drop a pin if you are meeting people. There are restrooms but with no water so stay frosty out there.