About Cottonwood Campground (CA)
Number of accommodations: 59
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Rates, Sites & Availability
59 Sites Available
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Site Details
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59 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (1105)
What Guests Are Saying
Cottonwood Campground is highly praised for its cleanliness, well-maintained facilities, and excellent stargazing opportunities, making it a favorite among campers. Many visitors enjoyed the nearby hiking trails and the campground's peaceful atmosphere, noting the friendly park rangers and accessible restroom facilities. Some challenges include parking difficulties for larger vehicles and a lack of amenities nearby, but overall, guests recommend it for its beautiful location and enjoyable camping experience.
What Guests Are Saying
Cottonwood Campground is highly praised for its cleanliness, well-maintained facilities, and excellent stargazing opportunities, making it a favorite among campers. Many visitors enjoyed the nearby hiking trails and the campground's peaceful atmosphere, noting the friendly park rangers and accessible restroom facilities. Some challenges include parking difficulties for larger vehicles and a lack of amenities nearby, but overall, guests recommend it for its beautiful location and enjoyable camping experience.
Review Summary
Paul M
VerifiedOctober 3, 2025 • Stayed at: A21, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
This was a good campground. The spaces aren’t too close together, they were a good size, and the bathrooms and water are close by. I like the fact that this is a dark sky campground- no electric lights in the bathrooms and virtually no light coming from the nearby visitor center area. We (I) came for star gazing and telescope observing and it went very well. The only drawback was some campers who stayed up very late being loud and keeping others awake. Aside from that, it was great!
William L
VerifiedOctober 1, 2025 • Stayed at: A25, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
I camp in Cottonwood every month during week days. Making reservations online is a great improvement over first-come-first- served in the past.
William L
VerifiedOctober 1, 2025 • Stayed at: A25, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
I camp in Cottonwood every month during week days. Making reservations online is a great improvement over first-come-first- served in the past.
Carmen M
VerifiedSeptember 30, 2025 • Stayed at: B31, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
To be honest this is by far the most unclean and unkept campground at any national park we’ve ever been to. I’m not sure why it’s so overlooked. There seems to be many rangers at the visitor center close by. Sites are spread apart and sun rise/sun set are beautiful. The bathrooms don’t have lights which is great. Dark skies are awesome. But, so much trash rolling around. We picked up what we could but can’t clean up the entire campground in two nights of a stay.
Carmen M
VerifiedSeptember 30, 2025 • Stayed at: B31, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
To be honest this is by far the most unclean and unkept campground at any national park we’ve ever been to. I’m not sure why it’s so overlooked. There seems to be many rangers at the visitor center close by. Sites are spread apart and sun rise/sun set are beautiful. The bathrooms don’t have lights which is great. Dark skies are awesome. But, so much trash rolling around. We picked up what we could but can’t clean up the entire campground in two nights of a stay.
DENIS K
VerifiedSeptember 17, 2025 • Stayed at: A25, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
No host. Fair/Good flush toilets, & running sink water. Lots of coyotes roaming the campground from sunset to noon. We saw 4-5 before (early) bedtime daily. We stayed about 5 nights. No power/water just Dump on site.
DENIS K
VerifiedSeptember 17, 2025 • Stayed at: A25, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
No host. Fair/Good flush toilets, & running sink water. Lots of coyotes roaming the campground from sunset to noon. We saw 4-5 before (early) bedtime daily. We stayed about 5 nights. No power/water just Dump on site.
Dianna C
VerifiedAugust 28, 2025 • Stayed at: A11, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
Beware of the bees…otherwise everything was great! We went in August which made for hot days, but the starry nights were superb! And hearing a coyote family calling to each other was something my kids really loved!
Dianna C
VerifiedAugust 28, 2025 • Stayed at: A11, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
Beware of the bees…otherwise everything was great! We went in August which made for hot days, but the starry nights were superb! And hearing a coyote family calling to each other was something my kids really loved!
Julie W
VerifiedAugust 22, 2025 • Stayed at: A02, Loop: COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND (CA)
Beautiful desert camping, quiet campground and clean facilities. Perfect for a stargazing getaway!
Location Cottonwood Campground (CA)
Address:
74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA, 92277
United States
The park headquarters address is not the physical address of the campground. To get to the campground, take Interstate 10 to the I-10 exit 168 Mecca/Twentynine Palms exit and follow signs to Joshua Tree National Park. The exit is 25 miles east of Indio, California.
Cottonwood Campground is accessible via Interstate 10, with the I-10 exit 168 Mecca/Twentynine Palms exit located approximately 25 miles to the west.
Latitude & Longitude: 33.75 / -115.825
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Last updated: June 4, 2026
