Ryan Campground

Joshua Tree National Park — hiking

Location: TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, CA

Price: From $30 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (789 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Download the NPS app prior to visiting the park – trail maps and more! Ryan Campground lies amid the huge, steep rock formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known. In close proximity to many boulders and rock formations, it is a popular camping location for families with kids.

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

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

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

Ryan Campground offers family-friendly camping amid Joshua Tree National Park's iconic steep rock formations, with a 4.8/5 rating from 181 Google reviews. Popular for rock climbing, hiking, and wildlife viewing with access to trailheads at the campground.

Wildlife alert: Desert Cottontail, Western Bobcat, California Chipmunk, Pallid Bat, American Goshawk, Bell's Sparrow, Ground Snake, Great Basin Fence Lizard, and Western Side-blotched Lizard documented within 8km

Insider tips for Ryan Campground: Fill water containers before arriving - no water available at campground Book reservations early as this is one of four park campgrounds requiring year-round reservations Pit toilets are maintained with adequate toilet paper supply

Skip Ryan Campground if: You need RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites. You require potable water on-site - bring self-contained unit or fill water before arrival. You prefer modern facilities over pit toilets.

Best time to visit Ryan Campground: Year-round — Year-round operation with warm, dry winters attracting travelers.

Nearby campgrounds: Sheep Pass Group (Twentynine Palms, CA), Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park (Twentynine Palms, CA), Indian Cove Group (Twentynine Palms, CA), Indian Cove Campground (Twentynine Palms, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Ryan Campground

Cell signal at Ryan Campground (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.

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Joshua Tree National Park — hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Ryan Campground

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TWENTYNINE PALMS, CA, CA★ 4.5 (789 reviews)From $30/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! Ryan Campground lies amid the huge, steep rock formations for which Joshua Tree National Park is known. In close proximity to many boulders and rock formations, it is a popular camping location for families with kids.

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 RV32 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric Hookups
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Drinking Water

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 RV hookups - no hookups available at most sites✕ You require potable water on-site - bring self-contained unit or fill water before arrival✕ You prefer modern facilities over pit toilets

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Fill water containers before arriving - no water available at campground

Book reservations early as this is one of four park campgrounds requiring year-round reservations

Pit toilets are maintained with adequate toilet paper supply

Best: Year-round

Year-round operation with warm, dry winters attracting travelers

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: Desert Cottontail, Western Bobcat, California Chipmunk, Pallid Bat, American Goshawk, Bell's Sparrow, Ground Snake, Great Basin Fence Lizard, and Western Side-blotched Lizard documented within 8km

Location

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

Driving Directions Take Interstate 10 to State Highway 62. Turn south on Park Blvd. Continue 5 miles to the West Entrance; Ryan is approximately 11 miles from the entrance. If coming from the east, taking Interstate10, take the Desert Center exit north onto State Highway 177. Continue on State Highway 177 turning west onto State Highway 62 to Twentynine Palms. Turn south on Utah Trail. Continue 3.5 miles to the North Entrance. Ryan is approximately 13 miles from the entrance.

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 Ryan Campground cost per night?+
Ryan Campground costs $30 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What season is Ryan Campground open?+
Ryan Campground is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Ryan Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Bring self-contained unit or tent camp.
What is the maximum RV length at Ryan Campground?+
Ryan Campground can accommodate RVs up to 32 feet.
How do I make reservations at Ryan Campground?+
Ryan Campground 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 Ryan Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Ryan Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Ryan Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Ryan Campground 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.

$30 /night★ 4.5 (789)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Ryan Campground cost per night?+
What season is Ryan Campground open?+
Does Ryan Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Sheep Pass Group

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $55/night

Jumbo Rocks Campground — Joshua Tree National Park

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $30/night

Indian Cove Group

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $55/night

Indian Cove Campground

Twentynine Palms, CA

From $35/night

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