Cottonwood Campground (Ca)

Joshua Tree National Park — hiking

Location: Twentynine Palms, CA, CA

Price: From $35 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (1637 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. Easy access from Interstate 10, makes it a popular stopover for travelers.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cottonwood-campground-ca to be notified when sites open up.

Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing with easy access from Interstate 10. Campers praise the clean flush toilets, potable water, covered canopies, and picnic tables.

Wildlife alert: Gray Fox, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Black-throated Sparrow, Phainopepla, Desert Spiny Lizard, Zebra-tailed Lizard, Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Insider tips for Cottonwood Campground (Ca): Book early as this is a popular federal campground that fills quickly Odd-numbered sites park along the roadway while even-numbered sites are tent or back-in RV spots Download the NPS app before visiting for trail maps and additional park information

Skip Cottonwood Campground (Ca) if: You need full RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs. You require guaranteed year-round availability — seasonal operations apply.

Best time to visit Cottonwood Campground (Ca): October-May — Warm, dry winters with daytime temperatures between 70-90°F and nighttime temperatures between 40-60°F attract visitors during peak season.

Nearby campgrounds: Cottonwood Group (Twentynine Palms, CA), Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park (Twentynine Palms, CA), Sheep Pass Group (Twentynine Palms, CA), Ryan Campground (TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cottonwood Campground (Ca)

Cell signal at Cottonwood Campground (Ca) (Twentynine Palms, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Cottonwood Campground (Ca)
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) — photo 1
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) — photo 2
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) — photo 3
See all photos
Joshua Tree National Park — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cottonwood Campground (Ca)

Share:
Twentynine Palms, CA, CA★ 4.4 (1,637 reviews)From $35/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Cottonwood Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. Easy access from Interstate 10, makes it a popular stopover for travelers.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV48 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need full RV hookups — no hookups available at most sites, only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You require guaranteed year-round availability — seasonal operations apply

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a popular federal campground that fills quickly

Odd-numbered sites park along the roadway while even-numbered sites are tent or back-in RV spots

Download the NPS app before visiting for trail maps and additional park information

Best: October-May

Warm, dry winters with daytime temperatures between 70-90°F and nighttime temperatures between 40-60°F attract visitors during peak season

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Gray Fox, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel, Black-throated Sparrow, Phainopepla, Desert Spiny Lizard, Zebra-tailed Lizard, Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
760-367-5554· Joshua Tree National Park
Getting there →

The park headquarters address is not the physical address of the campground. To get to the campground, take Interstate 10 to the I-10 exit 168 Mecca/Twentynine Palms exit and follow signs to Joshua Tree National Park. The exit is 25 miles east of Indio, California.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Joshua Tree National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Joshua Tree National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cottonwood Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) costs $35 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Cottonwood Campground (Ca) open?+
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cottonwood Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Cottonwood Campground (Ca)?+
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) can accommodate RVs up to 48 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cottonwood Campground (Ca)?+
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cottonwood Campground (Ca)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cottonwood Campground (Ca) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cottonwood Campground (Ca) open, and what are check-in times?+
Cottonwood Campground (Ca) is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$35 /night★ 4.4 (1637)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cottonwood Campground (Ca) cost per night?+
What season is Cottonwood Campground (Ca) open?+
Does Cottonwood Campground (Ca) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cottonwood Group

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $55/night

Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $30/night

Sheep Pass Group

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $55/night

Ryan Campground

TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA

From $30/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$35 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability