Another night hovering at 4000-feet elevation — this one dry camping at the Black Rock Canyon Campground at Joshua Tree National Park in the mountains north of Palm Springs, Calif.
The Joshua Tree NP website states: “Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California.”
There are nine different campgrounds offering about 500 developed campsites. “Most campgrounds in Joshua Tree are first-come, first-served, throughout the year. Reservations are available for Black Rock and Indian Cove campgrounds during the busy season from October through May.
“There are no hookups for RVs at any campground in Joshua Tree. Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds have RV-accessible potable water and dump stations. At Hidden Valley and White Tank Campgrounds, RVs and trailers may not exceed a combined maximum length of 25 feet.”
Because this was a brief afternoon – overnight stay, I opted for reserving a site online ($10/Senior Pass, no booking fee) at Black Rock because of its close proximity to town and our traveling route. For specific information about costs, amenities, and places to camp in Joshua Tree NP, click here.
Photo: (Click on image to enlarge) Site 90, Black Rock Campground, Joshua Tree National Park. (Julianne G. Crane)