You are here

Home » Backpacking Permits For Joshua Tree National Park Available Online

Backpacking Permits For Joshua Tree National Park Available Online

Share
By Compiled From N... - February 2nd, 2023

Backpacking permits for Joshua Tree National Park can be obtained online/Kurt Repanshek file

Planning a backpacking trek in Joshua Tree National Park in California? You can obtain the necessary permit online at recreation.gov.

For the rest of February you'll also be able to self-register for a backcountry permit at trailheads in the park. However, the new online system will be fully implemented on March 1 and the self-registration, paper-based permits will no longer be available.   

According to park staff, the online system will:  

  • Improve the visitor experience and more effectively communicate important safety information.

  • Better protect cultural, natural, and wilderness values and improve the sustainable use of the backcountry.

  • Provide park rangers with better data to inform future park planning and decision-making.    

The reservation fee is $6 per wilderness backpacking permit and will allow for a group size of 1-12 people. A new component to reserving a backpacking permit is selecting a zone based on camping location. Details about zone designation are described on the park website.  

Backpacking remains at-large except for the high-use zone Boy Scout Trail. Camping along the Boy Scout Trail requires backpackers to camp in a designated campsite reservable through recreation.gov. In all other zones, backpackers must camp at least one  mile from any backcountry trailhead, at least a half-mile from any road, and at least 200 feet from any trail. 

There is no limit to backpacking permits, but parking at backcountry trailheads is limited. Backpackers are encouraged to arrive early to find a parking spot. Backpacking permits are only required for overnight stays, not day hikes.   

Online permits can be obtained at recreation.gov up to six months in advance, and up to the day of the trip until 2 pm. In-person permits are located at the Main Headquarters Office Building 100, 74485 National Park Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277, which is open between 8 am and 4 pm.  

For more information about backpacking in Joshua Tree, visit this page.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.