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Joshua Tree Wilderness Backpacking Permit permit area in Joshua Tree National Park - backcountry hiking destination
Each entry point carries its own quota

Joshua Tree Wilderness Backpacking Permit

Joshua Tree National Park · California

Required for every overnight backpacking trip in Joshua Tree. Pick the trailhead you park at, then camp at large in a zone or in one of the 14 designated Boy Scout Trail sites.

Get an alert when a spot opens in your Joshua Tree Wilderness zone.

Pick the zone you need

Joshua Tree Wilderness sells by zone. Pick the one you need and we'll scan just that zone for openings, so you don't hear about areas you can't use.

Party

When it opens

6 months
First come, first served from six months before your entry dateYou book on Recreation.gov.

Source: recreation.gov

70% of the openings our scanner caught on Joshua Tree Wilderness were gone within 10 minutes.

Joshua Tree Wilderness reservation dates

Season
October 1 to May 31
route distance, point to point
8mi
max group size
12people

Joshua Tree Wilderness elevation profile

Indian Cove Backcountry Board to Keys West Backcountry Board
Landmark

Indian Cove Backcountry Board

Northern end of the Boy Scout Trail and one of the 13 backcountry trailheads.

Mile 0 of 8
0 Indian Cove Backcountry Board8 Keys West Backcountry Board
Mile
0
Elevation
2,855 ft

Joshua Tree Wilderness landmarks

How to get a Joshua Tree Wilderness permit

As of September 2026, Joshua Tree Wilderness in Joshua Tree National Park, California requires a permit issued via reservation. Joshua Tree Wilderness rates 6/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Cancelled Joshua Tree Wilderness permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The permit season for Joshua Tree Wilderness runs October 1 through May 31. The Joshua Tree Wilderness route covers 8 miles, rated moderate.

Type
Backpacking
Location
Mojave and Colorado deserts, CA

  1. Step 1: Create a Recreation.gov account

    Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Have your payment info ready.

  2. Step 2: Know the release schedule

    Permits release on a rolling basis. Check the release time for your dates.

  3. Step 3: Be ready when permits drop

    Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.

  4. Step 4: Monitor for cancellations

    If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.

Book at Recreation.gov
Learn more:
Best booking timesCancellation huntingRecreation.gov tips

Joshua Tree Wilderness pro tips

  1. Book a Boy Scout site that matches your group. Site caps run 4, 7 and 12 people and rangers ask you not to take a large site for a small party.
  2. Put your planned itinerary in the comments box. Rangers use it if you are reported overdue.
  3. Pine City is the only at-large zone with an advance cap, at two permits a night, so treat it like a designated site.
  4. Download the NPS app maps before you drive in. Cell service inside the park is close to nothing.

More on Joshua Tree Wilderness: Live availability activityWhen Joshua Tree Wilderness permits open upJoshua Tree Wilderness Backpacking permit itineraryDo I need a Joshua Tree Wilderness permit?

How much a Joshua Tree Wilderness permit costs

Joshua Tree Wilderness permit fee: $6 non-refundable reservation fee per permit.

The Joshua Tree Wilderness hike

Distance
8 miles
Route Type
Point to Point
Duration
1-2 nights
Difficulty
Moderate
Elevation Range
2,855 - 4,180 ft

Sleep inside the Wonderland of Rocks with nothing but granite domes and Joshua trees between you and the horizon, on a permit most people never think to pull.

About this permit

Joshua Tree requires a wilderness backpacking permit for every overnight trip. Day hikers do not need one. The park splits its backcountry into 14 at-large zones plus the Boy Scout Trail, where camping is limited to 14 designated sites to keep the heaviest-used corridor from being trampled.

Recreation.gov opens permits six months ahead of your entry date, and online same day permits stay available until 11:59pm on the day you leave. One $6 permit covers 1 to 12 people. The entry and exit picker asks which backcountry trailhead you will park at, not where you intend to sleep.

The route

The Boy Scout Trail is the classic overnight. It runs about eight miles between Indian Cove on the north boundary and the Keys West backcountry board on Park Boulevard, dropping off the high desert plateau through the western edge of the Wonderland of Rocks.

Heading north to south you climb steadily out of Indian Cove through washes and boulder gardens, passing the designated campsites that line the middle of the trail. The 14 numbered sites are the only legal camping in this zone, and each has its own group size cap, so booking a site that actually fits your party matters.

Everywhere else in the park the model flips. Pick one of the 13 backcountry trailheads to park at, pick the zone you want, and then camp wherever you like inside it as long as you are a mile from a backcountry trailhead, half a mile from a road, and 200 feet off any trail.

Why it matters

Joshua Tree gets millions of day visitors and a tiny fraction of them stay out overnight. The park limits camping only along the Boy Scout Trail and in the Pine City Zone. Everywhere else you pick your own low-impact spot, which makes this one of the last big western parks where at-large desert camping is still the default rather than the exception.

The feeling

Ten minutes past the trailhead the road noise stops and the boulder piles start swallowing sound. By dusk the granite is the color of a peach and the Joshua trees throw shadows twenty feet long. Nights are quiet in a way that is hard to describe and cold in a way that surprises people who drove in from Palm Springs.

Joshua Tree Wilderness hike highlights

  1. 14 at-large zones where you choose your own low-impact site, plus 14 designated sites along the Boy Scout Trail
  2. Zero natural water. Plan on at least one gallon per person per day
  3. 13 backcountry trailheads with registration boards, and no parking permit needed
  4. Cold nights. The high desert drops far below what the daytime suggests
  5. Almost no company. Millions visit the park and very few sleep out

How hard the Joshua Tree Wilderness hike is

  • Physical DemandFitness and endurance required3/5
  • Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills2/5
  • Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential1/5
  • NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity3/5
  • CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route2/5

Best for: Backpackers willing to carry all their water and comfortable picking a campsite without a numbered post.

Recommended experience: One prior overnight where you carried all your own water. Off-trail navigation helps in the at-large zones.

Not recommended for: Anyone who wants a water source on route, or who is not prepared for near-freezing nights after an 80F afternoon.

Trailhead information

Indian Cove Backcountry Board

Primary

North end of the Boy Scout Trail. The usual start for a one night trip to the designated sites.

  • Restrooms
  • No water
  • Weak Signal

Before you rely on this water

No water at the backcountry board. Natural sources in the park are rare and are protected biological resources. Carry a gallon per person per day.

Parking

No parking permit needed for overnight vehicles at any of the 13 backcountry trailheads. Two vehicles per permit.

Getting There

Off Highway 62 between Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, then south on Indian Cove Road.

Nearest Services

Twentynine Palms has fuel, groceries and the park permit office at 74485 National Park Blvd.

Trailhead information

Boy Scout (Keys West) Backcountry Board

Alternate

South end of the Boy Scout Trail on Park Boulevard.

  • No restrooms
  • No water
  • No Service

Before you rely on this water

No water. Fill in town before you drive in.

Parking

Backcountry board parking on Park Boulevard. Vehicles must be parked at a board, not on the shoulder.

Getting There

Park Boulevard between the West Entrance and Jumbo Rocks. Paved the whole way.

Nearest Services

Joshua Tree village, about 20 minutes from the West Entrance.

Trailhead information

Pine City Backcountry Trailhead

Alternate

Access for the Pine City Zone, the only at-large zone with an advance quota.

  • No restrooms
  • No water
  • No Service

Before you rely on this water

No water. This is the driest side of the park.

Parking

Small lot at the end of the Pine City road off Park Boulevard.

Getting There

Graded dirt spur off Park Boulevard near Jumbo Rocks. Passable in a normal car in dry weather.

Nearest Services

Twentynine Palms, about 30 minutes north.

When to hike Joshua Tree Wilderness

Best time to visit

October through May. Summer daytime heat in the Colorado Desert side of the park makes carrying two days of water genuinely dangerous.

Peak
October through May
Shoulder
Late May and late September

  • Spring

    Warm and often windy. Wildflowers in good years.

    Crowd level · extreme

    • Advantage: Wildflower bloom
    • Advantage: Long daylight
    • Challenge: Wind
    • Challenge: Spring break crowds
    • Challenge: Heat builds fast after April

  • Summer

    Dangerous heat, especially on the Colorado Desert side. Very few people camp out.

    Crowd level · low

    • Advantage: Permits are wide open
    • Advantage: Total solitude
    • Challenge: Extreme heat
    • Challenge: Water weight becomes the whole problem
    • Challenge: Monsoon flash flooding

  • Fall

    Highs settle into the 70s and 80s by late October. The most pleasant walking of the year.

    Crowd level · moderate

    • Advantage: Comfortable days and cool nights
    • Advantage: Stable weather
    • Advantage: Long light on the granite
    • Challenge: Weekends near holidays book out on the Boy Scout sites

  • Winter

    Cool days and freezing nights. Occasional snow dusting on the higher zones.

    Crowd level · high

    • Advantage: Best temperatures for carrying heavy water
    • Advantage: Clearest skies of the year
    • Challenge: Nights well below freezing
    • Challenge: Short days
    • Challenge: Holiday weekends are the busiest of the year

Weather Forecast

Trailhead (5,000 ft)

⚠️

Backcountry Tips

  • Day 3: Extreme heat (96°F). Carry extra water, start at dawn.
  • Day 4: Extreme heat (97°F). Carry extra water, start at dawn.
  • Day 5: Extreme heat (98°F). Carry extra water, start at dawn.

Today

🌧️

75°

64°

Wed

☀️

93°

67°

Thu

☀️

96°

71°

Fri

☀️

97°

73°

Sat

☀️

98°

75°

Sun

☀️

94°

76°

Mon

☁️

93°

74°

View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.

Joshua Tree Wilderness photography guide

Golden Hour

The last thirty minutes of light on the granite in the Wonderland is the shot. Face east and let the low sun rake the domes.

Best Light

Winter light stays usable most of the day. In spring shoot early, because midday flattens the rock completely.

Beat the Crowds

Start from Indian Cove instead of Keys West. Day hikers overwhelmingly walk south to north and turn around before the campsites.

Classic Shots

  1. Joshua trees silhouetted against sunset from the Boy Scout Trail
  2. Granite domes of the Wonderland of Rocks catching first light
  3. A tent tucked between boulder piles at a numbered site
  4. Night sky over the high desert, with almost no light dome to the north

Joshua Tree Wilderness rules, gear and safety

Gear checklist

Required
  • At least a gallon of water per person per day, carried in
  • A real winter sleeping bag. High desert nights run far colder than the days
  • Headlamp with spare batteries
  • Navigation you can use off trail, because many zones have no maintained trails
  • Park entrance pass, physical or digital, to access any backcountry trailhead

Recommended gear

  • Trekking poles for sandy wash walking
  • A ground cloth that survives granite and cholla
  • Downloaded NPS app maps, since there is little cell service inside the park
  • Long tweezers for cholla spines

Rules & regulations

  1. 01A wilderness backpacking permit is required for all overnight backpacking. Day use visitors do not register
  2. 02Along the Boy Scout Trail you must camp in one of the 14 designated campsites, one campsite per group
  3. 03At-large camping must be 1 mile from any backcountry trailhead, half a mile from a legally open road, and 200 feet off a trail
  4. 04Camping in or near rock shelters or in designated day-use only areas is prohibited
  5. 05Backpacking is limited to 3 consecutive nights in one campsite or zone, no more than 14 days in a season, and 30 days per year
  6. 06Two vehicles per permit, and one permit is valid for 1 to 12 people

Hazards & considerations

  • No reliable natural water anywhere in the park
  • Sharp temperature swings between afternoon and 3am
  • Cholla and catclaw along wash routes
  • Route finding in zones with no maintained trail
  • Abandoned mine shafts scattered across the backcountry
  • Flash flooding in washes during summer monsoon storms

Safety & planning

Emergency Info

Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Joshua Tree Wilderness.

Food Storage

Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.

Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Joshua Tree Wilderness · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides

Some links may be affiliate links. Purchases support PermitSnag at no extra cost to you.

Joshua Tree Wilderness FAQ

How do I get a Joshua Tree wilderness permit?

Book it on Recreation.gov permit 4675329 up to six months ahead. Online same day permits are available until 11:59pm on the day you leave, and in-person same day permits until 4pm at the permit office at 74485 National Park Blvd in Twentynine Palms.

Do I need a Joshua Tree wilderness permit for a day hike?

No. Only overnight backpacking trips need a permit. Day use visitors do not register.

Where can I camp on a Joshua Tree wilderness permit?

Along the Boy Scout Trail you must use one of the 14 designated campsites. In every other zone camping is at large as long as you are a mile from a backcountry trailhead, half a mile from a legally open road, and 200 feet off a trail.

How much does a Joshua Tree wilderness permit cost?

A $6 non-refundable reservation fee. One permit is valid for 1 to 12 people. A park entrance pass is required separately.

Is the Joshua Tree wilderness permit hard to get?

Recreation.gov states there is no quota for advance reservations in any zone except the Boy Scout Trail designated sites and the Pine City Zone, which is capped at two advance permits. Boy Scout sites on winter weekends are the ones that go.

Joshua Tree Wilderness trail conditions and trip reports

Trail Conditions

No active conditions reported

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Trip Reports

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Alternatives to a Joshua Tree Wilderness permit

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Death Valley Cottonwood-Marble loop

    The other California desert wilderness permit, with actual seasonal springs on route.

    Tradeoffs

    Longer and needs a 4x4 to reach the trailhead, but you are not carrying every drop.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Great Sand Dunes backcountry

    At-large camping beyond a dune ridgeline, on a permit with a published 20 per day cap.

    Tradeoffs

    Colorado altitude and cold, but the same choose-your-own-site freedom.

  • Similar ExperiencePermit required

    Guadalupe Mountains wilderness

    Designated desert mountain campgrounds where you also carry all your water.

    Tradeoffs

    Real trails and 2,000 feet of climbing to every campground.

Where to stay near Joshua Tree Wilderness

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