What to expect for the first time in j tree?

I'm headed to Joshua tree for the first time in October is their anything I should know before I go? How are the climbs? Gear? Camping? etc?

It's a LARGE area.  Some of the crags are not that easy to find.  Maybe these days with GPS things are easier, but we found it really easy to "wander in the wilderness".  

Also, it's the "high" dessert....Oct can be HOT, or it can snow on you!

The other thing...Idelwild (Taquitz & Suicide) are only about 1 1/2 hrs drive away. (In case it gets too warm at J Tree)

I don't know about camping / rreservations for the same; but it's a Nat. PARK now (as opposed to a Nat. Monument, as it was until a few years ago) so probably lots of non-climbers there too.

expect a sun burn, bloody hands and fingers, "runouts", and people packed in like sardines

It has been a National Park since 1994, and there are indeed more people than ever visiting from all over. Camping is a huge pain these days, and lots of people end up backcountry camping by parking at Boy Scout Trail and hiking out a mile. Unfortunately, many folks don't bother hiking more than a couple hundred feet and they leave all kinds of trash behind. Don't do that.

Hidden Valley is the "climber's camp", near lots of classic climbs and bouldering. It's first-come first-serve, and there are only 44 sites so you gotta be lucky, or show up early to cruise around and ask people when they're leaving. Weekends are the worst, but it can be difficult any day of the week.

Jumbo Rocks is the biggest campground in the park and it's very nice. It switched to a reservation system this year, so check recreation.gov. It's closer to the Twentynine Palms entrance to the park, which is where Rib Co is. Go there if you enjoy ribs, they are superb.

Indian Cove campground is also large and will be reservable when you're there. It's a separate entrance and isolated from the majority of the park and there is some climbing there.

Black Rock Campground isn't really in the park, it's a few miles west. It's convenient enough to drive to the park from there (or take the shuttle), but not ideal if you're looking to stay long-term near climbing.

Typically October is pretty dreamy.  Like @Robert said, It can be very warm it can be unseasonably cold.  High winds are normal but you can almost always find the right sun/shade/wind protection you want.  

Gear - bring a full rack of doubles and plenty of options to extend your anchors whether belaying from the top or setting up top ropes.  Walk-offs are common, so be mindful to source your exit plan before launching upwards.  Scrambling or being cliffed out could easily happen, best to read the beta or have a plan of descent before you go up.  Some formations have rappel stations, some even have convenience anchors.  There is more sport climbs that you think but probably not in the sense you've experienced elsewhere.  Plan to walk-off and be joyful when you don't need to.  Please don't trample our desert when lost.  

Camping is hit or miss.  More miss on the weekends than hit.  October brings peak season with climbers, hikers, and folks from those horrid coastal towns to the west looking to enjoy a little nature or at least post some photos on IG.  

NPS camping, lots of it but mid-week is your best bet for success.  Everyone will tell you if you're looking for partners or to capture some climbing scene to try Hidden Valley first - which will also host climbers coffee probably starting some Saturday around then. Walk a mile backcountry Camping is an option too. JTNP Camping

No water is in the park so I'm assuming you have a car to get you in/out of the entrances (you can fill there or in town).  The RoadRunner Shuttle should be returning too - a dirtbaggers dream to hop the free shuttle for supplies or to the hot spot parking areas.  

Climbsmart is in October if you're looking for a modestly priced instruction, communal gathering and camping outside the Park.  CLIMBSMART

If camping is uber grim you can bivy at the dry lake bed north of JT.  It's free, it's BLM, it's giant.  

Traveling with a pal or looking for a vacation rental?  Tons of those in town too, including Joshua Tree Vacation Homes

Hobo Greg wrote:

Uh, not really. The park itself is about 800,000 acres but the climbing is limited to an area maybe 1/5th that size. And the book has great directions and maps, so if one is getting lost, that's on the user.

I agree that it's on you if you get hopelessly lost, but it definitely happens:

https://www.desertsun.com/story/news/local/2018/05/26/new-zealand-hiker-missing-few-days-joshua-tree-found-hurt-alive/647365002/

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-joshua-tree-hike-couple-20171024-story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/22/magazine/voyages-joshua-tree-lost-hiker.html

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-missing-couple-found-20161118-story.html

Robert Hall wrote:
Also, it's the "high" dessert....Oct can be HOT, or it can snow on you!

Is it? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_D…

Xam wrote:

Is it? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_D…

It depends what part of the park you are in. Part is Mojave (high) desert, and part is Colorado (lower) desert. They each have their own ecosystems, and I believe Hidden Valley Loop is where they overlap. There’s some info about all of this on the signs around the loop.

I stand corrected.  Having grown up in the CA high desert, we always referred to jtree as the low desert but now I know and knowing is half the battle.

Hobo is correct... the crest of the Little San Bernardino Mt. Is the geographical demarcation line separating Mojave from Sonora desert... but there is climbing right close to the Parks South entrance... Todd G has some of it posted... and just south of I10 you can find more craging all along that part ... but it’s best visited in February.

Susan’s rentals are the best!

And if you want really good sport climbing... go to NJC... the time spent driving there equals about the same time as waiting at the main entrance.

The clowns who run JTNP, need to figure out the main gate fubar and the whole camping fiasco.

Get a guidebook. Most of your questions will be answered. The books by either Vogel, or Miramontes, are what you need.

You can expect wild temperature swings, choss and the strong desire to drive to Red Rock

The land of 10,000 climbs, 100 worth doing. Choose wisely.

Expect to somehow have an amazing climbing trip while simultaneously being underwhelmed by every single climb you do.

Also don’t bother trying to camp inside jtree, just bivy in the blm salt flats every night and be sure to get to the gates early

Sounds like JT has jumped the shark!

You should expect someone to tell you that you should climb up into the space station

You should also expect multiple pretentious van lifers with stupid dogs.

Be sure to bring a baggie of shiitake mushrooms to sell to the college kids who want to have a jtree “experience”

You should expect to get lost looking for a 30ft V3.

Robert Hall wrote: It's a LARGE area.  Some of the crags are not that easy to find.  Maybe these days with GPS things are easier, but we found it really easy to "wander in the wilderness".  

Lol. No one goes to those crags. For your first visit you’ll be fine with the main walls that everyone goes to (which also have trivial approaches such as lost horse wall, Hemingway wall, saddle rock, and the various formations around hidden valley campground. 
If you’re planning on going to a wall where you think you’re going to need gps on your first visit, you’re doing it wrong. 
Douchy pro tip: Cell phone service is nonexistent in the park (for Att at least) but if you’re worried about finding your way around just save pins in your google maps on your phone using the locations found on the MP map and then download the area for offline use in google maps. It’ll still know where you are based upon the internal accelerometer even without cell service. 

Any older climbers to that area remember the “Boom Boom Bar”? Yes, I know it burned down.