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National Park · California

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a US national park located in southeastern California, straddling north-central Riverside County and part of southern San Bernardino County. It is 19 mi east of Coachella. Running it is the National Park Service. 2.9M visitors came in 2025.

Photo: Sergiy Galyonkin, CC BY-SA 4.0
Visitors in 2025
2.9M
record 3.3M in 2023 · National Park Service
Busiest month
March
3.0× July
Where
19 mi east of Coachella
4 places to stay in Coachella
Established
1994
National Park Service
In brief

A national park, 19 mi east of Coachella

Summers are hot

July and August highs run 107–107°, and about 187 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓

Plan where you’ll sleep

The nearest town with many places to stay is Indio, 24 miles west. Where to stay ↓

One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.

About 187K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 98% of the 7,770 attractions we track.

March is the busiest month

March averages about 419,869 visitors, 3.0 times July. When to go ↓

Joshua Tree is inside the park

Joshua Tree sits inside the park’s boundary. Where to stay ↓

Written from National Park Service visitor counts, NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Updated when the Park Service posts a new month.

When to go

Crowds and weather by month

Below are monthly visits and typical highs at Joshua Tree.

0100K200K300K400K500K60°80°100°120°January: about 273,129 visitors, high 71°JanFebruary: about 297,285 visitors, high 74°FebMarch: about 419,869 visitors, high 81°MarApril: about 358,645 visitors, high 87°AprMay: about 245,686 visitors, high 95°MayJune: about 174,712 visitors, high 104°JunJuly: about 139,235 visitors, high 107°JulAugust: about 144,288 visitors, high 107°AugSeptember: about 161,555 visitors, high 102°SepOctober: about 208,024 visitors, high 91°OctNovember: about 307,013 visitors, high 78°NovDecember: about 333,863 visitors, high 69°Dec107° highs
Jan71° / 43°273K
Feb74° / 47°297K
Mar81° / 53°420K
Apr87° / 59°359K
May95° / 66°246K
Jun104° / 73°175K
Jul107° / 79°139K
Aug107° / 79°144K
Sep102° / 73°162K
Oct91° / 62°208K
Nov78° / 49°307K
Dec69° / 42°334K
Bars: average monthly visitors, 2022–2025. Line: the typical afternoon high. Green months are mild and quieter than average. Visitors: National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Coachella. Coachella’s full climate →
About

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park is a US national park located in southeastern California, straddling north-central Riverside County and part of southern San Bernardino County. Named after the endemic Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia), found in the park and surrounding areas, Joshua Tree is situated some 130 miles (211 km) east of the city of Los Angeles and roughly 78 mi (125 km) east of the city of San Bernardino. Among some of the closest cities to the park are Indio, Palm Desert, and Palm Springs. Originally declared a national monument in 1936, Joshua Tree was redesignated as a national park in 1994 when the U.S. Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act.

Type
National Park
Established
1994
Area
1,234 square miles
Run by
National Park Service
Listed
International Dark Sky Park (2017)
Wikipedia readers
187K a year
Official site
nps.gov/jotr
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Facts: Wikidata.
Plan your visit

Opening times and entry

Address74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597(760) 367-5500
HoursAll dayJoshua Tree National Park is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Visitation increases as temperatures moderate in the fall, peaks during the spring wildflower season, and diminishes during the heat of summer. Some areas of the park are designated for day use only. Visitor centers keep separate hours;…
Entrance fees
  • Private Vehicle$30
  • Motorcycle$25
  • Per Person$15
Getting thereFrom I-10, take exit 117 for CA Hwy 62 toward 29 Palms/Yucca Valley. This will allow you to access the West Entrance, the North Entrance, Black Rock, and Indian Cove. Take exit 168 off I-10 to come in at the park's South Entrance.
National Park Service. Check the park’s site for closures and alerts.
Where to stay

Where to base yourself for Joshua Tree National Park

You can sleep inside the park (9 places). To stay close, try Indio (42) and Palm Springs (198).

Cottonwood Visitor Center9 in the park1234567Indio42Palm Springs198La Quinta18Twentynine Palms25Coachella4Cathedral City21Indian Wells9Salton SeaAcrisure ArenaSalvation MountainLake CahuillaAnza-Borrego DesertSan Jacinto Peak20 mi
Visitor centerPark landHighways12Places to stay in town
  1. 1Salton Sea
  2. 2Acrisure Arena
  3. 3Salvation Mountain
  4. 4Niland Geyser
  5. 5Lake Cahuilla
  6. 6Anza-Borrego Desert
  7. 7San Jacinto Peak
Inside the park

Stay in the park

9 places · 8 campgrounds · 1 RV park

  • Hidden Valley Campground campground
  • Jumbo Rocks Campground campground
  • Hidden Valley campground
  • Cottonwood Campground campground
  • Black Rock Canyon Campground campground
  • White Tank Campground campground
35 min drive

Indio

42 places to stay · 20 hotels · 12 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 9 RV parks

The closest town with somewhere to stay.

94,269 people

24 mi west of Cottonwood Visitor Center · 9 mi to the park

1 hr drive

Palm Springs

198 places to stay · 178 hotels · 6 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks

45,315 people · 27% vacation homes

41 mi west of Cottonwood Visitor Center · 12 mi to the park

45 min drive

Palm Desert

38 places to stay · 35 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground

53,259 people · 27% vacation homes

31 mi west of Cottonwood Visitor Center · 12 mi to the park

Compare 8 towns
TownFrom the visitor centerDrivePlaces to stayPeopleTypical homeSafety
Indio24 mi west35 min42 20 hotels · 12 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 9 RV parks94,269$458KC+
Palm Springs 27% vacation homes41 mi west1 hr198 178 hotels · 6 motels · 6 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 2 RV parks45,315$604KD
Palm Desert 27% vacation homes31 mi west45 min38 35 hotels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 1 campground53,259$542KC−
La Quinta 28% vacation homes27 mi west40 min18 17 hotels · 1 inn or B&B39,440$662KC
Twentynine Palms31 mi northwest45 min25 8 hotels · 7 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park25,939$268K—
Coachella19 mi west30 min4 1 hotel · 1 campground · 2 RV parks45,411$368KC
Cathedral City37 mi west1 hr21 13 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground · 5 RV parks52,375$453KC+
Indian Wells 44% vacation homes29 mi west45 min9 9 hotels4,992$1,078KC+

Day trip from

Straight-line miles.

Moreno Valley80 mi westSan Bernardino89 mi westRiverside91 mi westOceanside93 mi southwestFontana97 mi westSan Diego98 mi southwest

Getting there

Nearest airports with airline service, from the visitor center

PSPPalm Springs · major hub40 mi
IPLImperial County65 mi
SBDSan Bernardino · major hub84 mi
Places to stay: Overture Maps (hotels, motels, inns, lodges, campgrounds, RV parks; not vacation rentals) · roads: Overture Maps / OpenStreetMap contributors · park boundary: National Park Service · town figures: U.S. Census ACS · Safety: TownRatings Safety grade · airports: OurAirports. Distances are from Cottonwood Visitor Center; drive times are estimates.
Make a day of it

Also near Joshua Tree

Every place here is under 63 miles away.

Big draw128 mi LakeSalton Sea230 mi Stadium & arenaAcrisure Arena340 mi LandmarkSalvation Mountain435 mi MountainNiland Geyser531 mi LakeLake Cahuilla648 mi State parkAnza-Borrego Desert State Park750 mi MountainSan Jacinto Peak63 mi MountainSan Gorgonio Mountain
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Salton Sea: NASA, Public domain · Acrisure Arena: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0 · Salvation Mountain: Joe Decruyenaere, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Niland Geyser: California Department of Transportation, Public domain · Lake Cahuilla: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park: No machine-readable author provided. Miskatonic assumed (based on copyright clai, CC BY 2.5 · San Jacinto Peak: Wattewyl, CC BY 3.0 · San Gorgonio Mountain: Doc Searls, CC BY-SA 2.0

Visitors

2025: 2,932,644 visitors

Each bar is one year, from 2016 to 2025.

2.5M20162.9M20172.9M20183M20192.4M20203.1M20213.1M20223.3M20233M20242.9M2025
Every full year the Park Service has counted. 2020 (gold) was the pandemic year. Green is the record (2023). National Park Service visitor use statistics, recreation visits by calendar year.
Common questions

Joshua Tree: common questions

What town is Joshua Tree National Park near?

Coachella, CA, about 19 miles west.

When is the best time to visit Joshua Tree National Park?

January, February, March, November and December, with highs of 69–81°. March is the busiest month (about 419,869 visitors).

How many people visit Joshua Tree National Park each year?

2,932,644 in 2025, according to the National Park Service. The record is 3,270,404, set in 2023.

How far is Joshua Tree National Park from Riverside and San Diego?

About 91 miles west of Riverside and about 98 miles southwest of San Diego, as the crow flies.

What is the closest airport to Joshua Tree National Park?

Palm Springs (PSP), about 40 miles away.

Where should I stay near Joshua Tree National Park?

Inside the park: Hidden Valley Campground, Jumbo Rocks Campground and Hidden Valley. Nearby: Indio (24 mi, 42 places to stay), Palm Springs (41 mi, 198 places to stay) and Palm Desert (31 mi, 38 places to stay).

From locals

Local tips in Coachella

Questions and tips go in Coachella’s Town Square.

When do you go to beat the crowds at Joshua Tree? Where do you eat after a visit to Joshua Tree? Is Joshua Tree worth it with small kids? What do visitors to Joshua Tree usually miss?

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · National Park Service visitor use statistics · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.