Cottonwood Campground

Cottonwood Campground is a desert campground in Joshua Tree National Park with 62 individual sites and 3 group sites spread across the landscape at about 3,000 feet elevation. The facility provides water and flush toilets, with parking areas designed to accommodate recreational vehicles and trailers of various sizes.

The campground was created as part of Joshua Tree National Park's development to provide visitor access to the desert's natural formations and landscape. Its facilities have been adapted over time to serve the growing numbers of campers exploring this region.

Local regulations reflect environmental preservation efforts, with specific rules protecting Joshua trees and juniper vegetation from recreational equipment attachment.

The campground is accessible year-round, but conditions are most comfortable from October through May when temperatures are cooler. Campers should know that certain seasons attract more visitors and available sites can fill quickly during peak times.

This location marks a striking boundary where the Colorado Desert and Mojave Desert ecosystems meet, each with distinct plant life and landscape features. Visitors can observe how these two environments create different visual and natural conditions, most notably during the cooler months.