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Cottonwood Group

Joshua Tree National Park — hiking

Location: Twentynine Palms, CA, CA

Price: From $55 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (54 reviews)

Season: Memorial Day through Labor Day

Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Cottonwood Group Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. The group campground is part of the main Cottonwood Campground and has three sites that are by reservation only.

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-group to be notified when sites open up.

Cottonwood Group Campground offers excellent stargazing and wildflower viewing opportunities in Joshua Tree National Park's southern section. Google reviewers consistently praise the spacious, private group campsites with convenient amenities including water pumps, fire rings with grilles, and picnic tables under awnings.

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 Group: Book early—this is a federal campground with only 3 group sites by reservation only Each site accommodates around a dozen tents scattered among shrubs for privacy Download the NPS app before visiting for trail maps and additional park information

Skip Cottonwood Group if: No hookups available at sites. Seasonal operations only (closed Labor Day through Memorial Day). Group campground only—not suitable for individual campers.

Best time to visit Cottonwood Group: Memorial Day - Labor Day — Official operating season per verified data.

Nearby campgrounds: Cottonwood Campground (Ca) (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 Group

Cell signal at Cottonwood Group (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
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    CamperWatch›CA›Cottonwood Group
    Cottonwood Group — photo 1
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    Joshua Tree National Park — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Cottonwood Group

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    Twentynine Palms, CA, CA★ 4.8 (54 reviews)From $55/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 Group Campground is one of the best places in Joshua Tree National Park for stargazing and wildflower viewing. The group campground is part of the main Cottonwood Campground and has three sites that are by reservation only.

    Best for:HikersFamiliesSites:Tent
    LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

    Verified facts

    RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
    Stay limit14 days
    HookupsNo hookups.
    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:✕ No hookups available at sites✕ Seasonal operations only (closed Labor Day through Memorial Day)✕ Group campground only—not suitable for individual campers

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a federal campground with only 3 group sites by reservation only

    Each site accommodates around a dozen tents scattered among shrubs for privacy

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

    Best: Memorial Day - Labor Day

    Official operating season per verified data

    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
    cynthia_lasala@nps.gov
    Getting there →

    The address below is not the physical address of the campground. To get to the campground, take Interstate 10 to the 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 Group cost per night?+
    Cottonwood Group costs $55 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
    What season is Cottonwood Group open?+
    Cottonwood Group is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Cottonwood Group have hookups?+
    No hookups.
    What is the maximum RV length at Cottonwood Group?+
    Cottonwood Group is primarily a tent camping facility.
    How do I make reservations at Cottonwood Group?+
    Cottonwood Group 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 Group?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cottonwood Group is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Cottonwood Group open, and what are check-in times?+
    Cottonwood Group is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

    Official resources

    Print Facility Map
    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.

    $55 /night★ 4.8 (54)
    SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
    Dates full? Get an availability alert
    FAQ
    How much does Cottonwood Group cost per night?+
    What season is Cottonwood Group open?+
    Does Cottonwood Group have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Cottonwood Campground (Ca)

    Twentynine Palms, CA

    From $35/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?

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    $55 /nightNo booking fees
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