White Tank Campground
33.9857, -116.0167 · Park boundary: National Park Service
This is small campground with 15 sites. There are pit toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. There is no water available. RVs and vehicles with trailers may not exceed 25 feet. To secure a site, 1. Locate an empty campsite. 2. Occupy the site (set up a tent or leave personal items to show occupancy). 3. Proceed immediately to an entrance station to complete registration and pay. You must pay for the site within one hour of set up. If entrance stations are closed, payment may be delayed until morning.
- Every day
- All Day
All campgrounds and campsites are subject to closure, but typically campgrounds are open 24 hours a day, everyday. Check in and check out are at noon. Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am.
- Summer Closure · Jun 1, 2026 – Aug 28, 2026 · Closed
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
Camping fees must be paid at an entrance station. A maximum of six people, three tents, and two cars may occupy an individual campsite, only if there is space available. Some sites only have enough parking for one vehicle.
Nightly camping fee for one site for a camper with a Senior or Access pass. Camping fees must be paid at an entrance station. A maximum of six people, three tents, and two cars may occupy an individual campsite, only if there is space available. Some sites only have enough parking for one vehicle.
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
White Tank Campground is first-come, first-served throughout the year.
- Toilets
- Vault Toilets - year round
- Trash & recycling
- Yes - year round
- Amphitheater
- No
- Camp store
- No
- Cell reception
- No
- Drinking water
- No water
- Dump station
- No
- Firewood for sale
- No
- Food storage lockers
- No
- Host on site
- No
- Ice for sale
- No
- Internet
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Showers
- None
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
- RVs
- Allowed · up to 24 ft
- Trailers
- Allowed · up to 24 ft
- Access roads
- Unpaved Roads - All vehicles OK in good weather
- Classification
- Limited Development Campground
Roads are not paved, nor are campgrounds. Though most campsites are relatively flat, the terrain can be uneven.
There are no ADA accessible campsites in White Tank Campground. Campgrounds with ADA accessible campsites include Indian Cove (site 1), Jumbo Rocks (site 122), and Black Rock (site 61).
Because of the park's very dry climate, fire danger in Joshua Tree is almost always very high. Be cautious. Campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings or grills that are found in park campgrounds or picnic areas. Keep fires small. Bring your own firewood. You may not gather park vegetation, whether living or dead, to fuel your campfire. If you plan to have a campfire, bring extra water to douse it thoroughly.
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
White Tank is located off Pinto Basin Road in the northern end of the park. The campground is 11 miles from Twentynine Palms and 28 miles from the Cottonwood Visitor Center.
Days are typically clear with less than 25% humidity. Temperatures are most comfortable in the spring and fall, with an average high/low of 85 and 50°F (29 and 10°C) respectively. Winter brings cooler days, around 60°F (15°C), and freezing nights. It occasionally snows at higher elevations. Summers are hot, over 100°F (38°C) during the day and may cool to around 75°F (24°C) at night. Weather can change quickly. Check a weather forecast before camping.
RVs must not exceed 25 feet in length. Each site is varied on size and parking. Ensure you know the specifications of your campsite on recreation.gov before buying a permit. A vehicle towing a trailer, popup, tent trailer, or fifth wheel, or a motorhome towing a vehicle, is considered two vehicles. Camping fees must be paid within one hour of selecting a campsite. Check in and check out are at noon. There is a 30-day camping limit each year. Only 14 of these nights may take place from October-May. All tents, tarps, and other camping equipment must be set up within 25 feet (7.6 m) of the picnic table or fire grate. Food must be stored securely where wildlife cannot get to it. Any scented or odorous items, including sunscreen and toiletries, must be secured as if they were food. Campsites left vacant for 24 hours will be treated as vacant. Holding or reserving campsites for persons not present is not allowed. Pets must remain on leash at all times and may not be left unattended. No slacklines in campgrounds.
White Tank Campground is a desert campground nestled among rocky outcrops and large boulders. The campground is made up of a main dirt road with two small loops and a small side road with camping spots to accommodate tents and RVs. Each camping spot has a dirt parking area, picnic table, fire pit, and campsite marker. The ground is hard and rocky. Throughout the campground there are many Joshua trees, small trees, and shrubs. Scattered around the campground you can find trash and recycling cans as well as two bathrooms. In the middle of the campground there is a parking area and a trailhead.
Drive to White Tank Campground
Byway plans the scenic way in — real places, real weather, every stop verified. Zero hallucinations. Google Maps for turns. Byway for soul.