Joshua Tree National Park

Climbing Closures in Towers of Uncertainty area MORE INFO >>> The National Park Service has temporarily closed the Towers of Uncertainty climbing area located along Geology Tour Road to all recreational use including climbing due to active raptor nesting. The major crags affected are Two Bolt Rock, Lava Dome, Cave Rock and Reef Rock. The park service expects the area to reopen to recreational use following nesting season. Additionally, the Necropolis area near Quail Springs/Trash Can Rock may have raptor nesting activity, but is not closed to climbing or other recreational activity at this time. FOJT encourages everyone to respect sensitive raptor nests for the protection of these awe inspiring birds, and the ecosystem they are an integral part of. More Info: http://www.friendsofjosh.org/?cat=70 Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

Figures on a landscape...

OVERVIEW 

Joshua Tree is a world famous area with thousands of routes, countless boulder problems and a very limited number of campsites. Long popular as a winter destination, it's appeal has only grown throughout the years as climbers of all abilities have discovered the mild temperatures, grippy rock and surreal landscape which make it a must visit area on any climber's list.

Today’s park visitor comes from throughout the globe, with some here to climb and others simply here to gaze at the wonder. Looky- loos can crowd some areas during the weekends, but that’s part of the park’s mission allowing everyone the opportunity to enjoy the park.

That said, sometimes Joshua Tree's popularity outgrows its carrying capacity, and is often the case, overnight camping can become very scarce, very fast. While the park service has made strides to expand the number of campsites, it has strengthened its rules about the number of campers per site, along with the number of vehicles per site. Current prices of overnight camping can be found here, along with other specific campground information. Other overnight options are listed below.

The fee to enter Joshua Tree is currently $15 per vehicle, which is good for 7 days from the date on the receipt. When time permits, the rangers will check the out-going traffic for valid receipts. An annual pass is also available, and at $30, stands as an excellent value for those visiting the park more often. Both are purchased at the check stations at the entrances to the park. Cash and credit cards are accepted.

The rock itself is quartz monzonite and tends to be fairly solid, but the less traveled and/or newer routes can have the dreaded "ball bearings underfoot syndrome" making those friction moves a tad more dicey. The best rock sports a coating of "desert varnish" or patina which darkens and solidifies the rock considerably.

CAMPING 

There is no running water in the Park. Come prepared with a 5-gallon or more jug if planning on staying more than a day.

• NPS Campground Details - specific information about each campground

• Joshua Tree Climbers' Ranch - a.k.a. "The Pit"

• BLM land for the squeeze.

Ryan Campground Submitted By: Adam Stackhouse on Mar 11, 2008

Sunset from site #2 Hidden Valley Campground Submitted By: Brad Warne on Oct 14, 2008

HOTELS, MOTELS, B&Bs, and VACATION HOMES 

Weekends are crowded during peak season! With its proximity to Los Angeles and San Diego, the Park draws more than 1 million visitors annually. Plan accordingly and have a backup plan if the campgrounds are full. There are numerous inexpensive motels in the nearby towns of Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, and 29 Palms.
Lodging Overview

• 29 Palms Inn

• Best Western

• Country Inn

• El Rancho Dolores Motel

• Harmony Motel

• High-Desert Motel

• Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

• Homestead Inn Bed & Breakfast

• Joshua Desert Retreats - Vacation Rentals

• Joshua Tree Inn

• Joshua Tree Oasis

• Joshua Tree Vacation Homes

• Motel 6

• Oasis of Eden Inn

• The Desert Lilly aka Rosebud Ruby Star

• Roughley Manor Bed and Breakfast Inn

• Sunnyvale Garden Suites Hotel

REST DAY ACTIVITIES 

• Keys Ranch Guided Walking Tour - 90 minute tour offered at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from October through May

• The Integratron - "a one-of-a-kind building designed as a rejuvenation and time machine"

• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

• Pioneertown Check out the old west!

• 29 Palms Murals - A collection of 20 murals scattered throughout this desert town.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

• Official NPS website - lots of good information about the Park

• Todd Gordon's climbing website - a wealth of information, history, and photos

• Friends of Joshua Tree - a local non-profit access group

• Joshua Tree NP Map - digital map of Joshua Tree with GPS coordinates

• Joshua Tree virtual tour - sit back and explore the Park from home

• Old-timer Bill Keys - The story of Bill Keys

• First Timers Guide to Joshua Tree - A fantastic resource with lots of helpful hints and advice for any Joshua Tree visitor

GEAR, SUPPLIES AND MEDICAL 

• Just down the road in Yucca Valley, one can find most any service and supply necessary; from major grocery stores and ubiquitous fast food joints, to auto lube and tunes.

• Nomad Ventures is the local place to get climbing gear, guidebooks and information about the climbing in Joshua Tree. The folks are friendly and very knowledgeable.

• Guide books for the area range from the no frills Bartlett guides to the fairly exhaustive Vogel guides as well as a couple of bouldering specific guides. All have something that the other doesn't.

• Nearest hospital is the High Desert Medical Center in the town of Joshua Tree. Cell phone coverage in the park IS SPOTTY AT BEST to NONEXISTENT AT WORST. There is an emergency phone in near the restrooms in Hidden Valley Campground/Intersection Rock. Use only in an emergency.

GETTING HERE 

Other Interesting Stuff 

What makes the largest variety of Yucca special? See here

Some formations are in designated Wilderness Areas, while others are not? Which is where?

Sport climbs of Joshua Tree 

http://www.mountainproject.com/scripts/Search.php?searchType>>>>>

whipping off monaco! photo of Kodye Tanner taken by Brian Hackler Monaco, 5.11a Submitted By: Kodye on Jan 22, 2007

Shaking out and getting psyched for the business... Father Figure, 5.12d Submitted By: Josh Beck on Jan 25, 2004

Stefan at the crux of Pitch 1 Dos Chi Chis (5.10a) Submitted By: Chris Owen on Feb 21, 2006

Current Weather 

This weeks forcasted weather from NOAA

Lost Horse Weather Station from Ca. Water - updated hourly

Joshua Tree Webcam from NPS - updated every 15 minutes

Lost Horse Weather Station from NOAA

The Classics

Featured Route For Joshua Tree National Park

Stem Gem V4  CA : Joshua Tree National Park : ... : Stem Gem Boulder

Located in a small group of campsites on the Southern end of the Blob formation. Please ask permission for bouldering in occupied campsites.Stem Gem is the Quintessencial JTree boulder problem, embodying the essence of Joshua Tree climbing: Highly technical and often times perplexing movement across extremely friction dependant, featurless granite. Indeed, this problem has nary a hold on it, the only thing making it climbable is its coarse fricti...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Joshua Tree National Park Slideshow

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Loner	Joshua Tree Sunset	Bird and Brodie launching the Space Pod. Photo: Er...
Desert Tortoise. Photo by Blitzo.	Welcome to Joshua Tree	Quite the sunset
"L"	Saddle Rocks at sunset. Photo by Blitzo.	I beg to differ.
Joshua Tree sunset. Photo by Blitzo.	Night Sky. Photo by Blitzo.	A typical Josh spring flower show...
Spring wildflowers near the southern entrance.	Bob Cat. Photo by Blitzo.	Hawks and moon. Photo by Blitzo.
Road Runner in a willow. Photo by Blitzo.	Horny Toad. Photo by Blitzo.	Tarantula. Photo by Blitzo.
Stinkbug. Photo by Blitzo.	Butterfly. Photo by Blitzo.	Joshua tree blossom. Photo by Blitzo.
Joshua Tree-snow. Photo by Blitzo.	Dune Primrose. Photo by Blitzo.	Desert Lily at sunset. Photo by Blitzo.
Datura blossom	Desert Willow. Photo by Blitzo.	49 Palms Oasis. Photo by Blitzo.
Beavertail in bloom. Photo by Blitzo.	Hedgehog flower. photo by Blitzo.	Joshua Tree Saloon. Photo by Blitzo.
One of a million Joshua Tree pebbles	Snow in Joshua Tree 01-12-07. Photo by Blitzo.	Love those desert town murals...
Giant Nolina. Photo by Blitzo.	An imitation Blitzo	J Tree in the fall
The little town of Joshua Tree at night. Photo by ...	BETA PHOTO: Days forthcoming...	Sunset in Jtree- stop the car and get out... you c...
Wacky clouds on a gorgeous afternoon.	Just another gorgeous afternoon in the Tree	sunset
A typical Jtree sunset	Joshua Tree	For some, their first view of the park. The full m...
Joshua Tree Sunset	Coyote Corner. Need a hula hoop? Photo by Blitzo.	This way to JTNP. Photo by Blitzo.
Need resoles? New website positiveresolesjt.com. P...	One of my bros...	Yucca/Rock/Moon
My version of a Josh sunset...	Boulders in 'The Tree'	Captured aura atop a small unknown formation
One of the many cool things about this park... Ma...	More cool history from the park. Would love to kno...	Too bad about the LA smog but the view was cool fl...
Labeled this one (see other shot), I think they ar...	Spring bloom at the cholla garden. April 08.	Furry creatures at the Cholla Garden, JTNP.
Hummingbird and Ocotillo flowers, JTNP.	Springtime 08 at the Cholla Garden.	Winter can bring snow and a different look to the ...
Sunrise across the desert floor.	Joshua Tree Sunrise	Historic graffiti captioned: "Huntin' Willie Boy 1...
A true fixture in the Park.	Patty Fienup and one very large Joshua Tree.	Juvenile Sidewinder Rattlesnake. Photographed at ...
Pack it out.	Spring bloom in the Ocotillo patch. April '08.	Amazing beauty near Cottonwood Springs, April '08.
Tarantula	BETA PHOTO: Cottonwood Springs	Cottonwood Springs
Dropping into the beautiful and vast Pinto Basin.	Pinto Mountain (elev. 3983) surrounded by the lowl...	Unusual sand dune formation in Pinto Basin
Leafing Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) in Pinto B...	Roadside Ocotillos	Cholla cactus (Opuntia genus)
The vast Pinto Basin	A Climber's Friend. Scrub Oak Jay on top of an old...	Anyone know what kind of cactus this is??
Mountain Project gets around.....	Joshua Tree National Park	Odd looking rock.
Another stunning January day of romping around in ...	Truly miles of piles of rox	Instead of Glinda, good witch of the North, it was...
Another scrub oak jay.	Trees, rocks, and sky...	It's an artsy kinda thing...
Just getting started...	Another gorgeous view from the Wonderland	Weekly rentals, great location, cheap!
Horny toad spotted by my wife on the Oasis hike.	On the hike out of the Wonderland of Rocks in earl...	If you stare long enough something happens....
The park's namesake tree.	Sunset brought to you by Joshua Tree	Another spectacular sunset in Joshua Tree, CA
The new sign at the Joshua Tree Laundromat. Photo ...	JT Sunset	If I remember right this is Lost Palm Oasis near C...
Pretty yucca	Joshua Tree sunset	Afghan hound or indian headdress?
Kangaroo Rat stuck in a beer bottle. You'll see th...	Climbers in Real Hidden Valley.	Winding road through Joshua Tree
Classic Desert Sunset in Joshua Tree	My 1000th photo submission!	One Joshua Tree helping out another...
Climbers and Fall Moon Atop Chimney Rock	Sunrise over Hidden Valley	Joshua Tree Shadow at Sunset
This is my favorite reason to be in Jtree.	Only a shadow of himself...	The Three Musketeers
The Fish	Ryan Ranch ruins