March and April are traditionally the busiest times of the year at Joshua Tree National Park. A typical spring day includes limited parking, full campgrounds, and a line to get into the park. Visitors planning to see the park during this time of year can plan out their visit and still experience the wilderness and wonder that the park offers to three million visitors a year.
Here are a few ways to be prepared for the busy season and help protect the park:
- The week before Easter, as well as most Saturdays and Sundays, are peak visitation times. The park may become drive-through only as the parking lots reach max capacity during times of extreme visitation.
- Be flexible with your plans. The best hike may be the one at which you find parking.
- Visitors can park along many roadsides, though some roadside parking is prohibited.
- Vehicles should not park on vegetation or create a new parking spot. Never drive over a curb to make a new parking space.
- Avoid the park entrance in the community of Joshua Tree during busy times – waits can be up to two hours. Use either the Twentynine Palms entrance or the Cottonwood entrance to avoid crowds.
- Purchase your park pass at one of the park’s visitor centers – this will save time at the entrance stations and improve the flow of traffic.
- Avoid visiting popular areas between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm.
- Weekdays can be less crowded than weekends – consider visiting the park Monday through Thursday.
- Campgrounds are almost always full during the spring. To have a better chance of camping, make a reservation at recreation.gov to reserve one of the 350 reservable sites in the park.
- Look to one of the private campgrounds adjacent to the park or explore the desert areas open to camping at a Bureau of Land Management property.
- Many campgrounds intersect with hiking trails. If you have a campsite in the park, look for a trail that connects to your campground. This will save you time and patience not having to find a parking spot at a trailhead.
- Find a new favorite spot to explore in the park. There is no one best campsite, trail, sunsets or stargazing.
Park officials thank visitors for their continued stewardship and love of the park.
Source: NPS