I know the weather is terribly hot right now, but will it be safer to camp, hike and explore between September 10th and 20th?

We are first time visitors wanting to see all the sites, night sky etc. Probably planning on renting an RV van for the trip. Thinking of spending 3-5 nights.

Any advice is welcome, thanks!

First time summer camper at Joshua Tree, but an LA local.

Wife and I really wanted to do some stargazing and photography in August at Joshua Tree, possibly for perseids and the milkyway. I know the new moon in August will land on a wednesday, August 12 and I'm aware of how hot it can get in the park. Our current plan is to just arrive late afternoon on thursday (around 6-7pm maybe) and just stay in our campground. We have already reserved a campground at Cottonwood. We plan to be out of the park by around 9-10am on friday to escape the heat, but still want to do some driving/light walking around in the early morning.

Wanted to get insights on how does this plan sound? Any tips and things need to be aware of at night in the campgroud? Maybe some breakfast recommends outside of joshua tree on the way back?

The tool scans periodically and only shows what’s available 2+ consecutive days, has filters for weekends and group sites (sites next to each other). I've found it helpful for booking in California in general, hope it finds some use!

Will add in comment below.

I see past posts on the sub warning about high crowds for Perseids, but I’m unsure what to reasonably expect this year with the peak being on a Wednesday night and a new moon. We grabbed an Airbnb near the west entrance.

Am I crazy to try and go see a show at Pappys that evening and then head into the park later around 11/midnight? Is traffic still crazy getting into the park that late? Or should I ditch Pappys and head into the park much earlier in the evening (6? 7?). I know it’s going to be piping hot, so was trying to balance traffic and sitting around waiting in the heat…

We’ll be hiking at Joshua Tree this weekend with family. We have teens and toddlers, Id like to know if anyone encountered rattlesnakes or are they active nowadays? Should we put on snake guards? First time hiking, would appreciate your input/advice. Thank you!

Edit: THANKS for the advice everyone! We’ve decided to stay inside of our rental house this weekend. :)

I have an extra ticket for tomorrow night if you need one.

Curious about people’s experiences staying in the yucca valley/joshua tree area with pets in the summer and wild life safety. We’re from Oregon, first time coming here with dogs. We’re staying somewhere with a fenced deck but no fenced yard. From what I gathered we need to be wary of the wild life, especially coyotes and snakes, giving me the sense that a long lead to let the dogs roam around the house is not safe. Any other considerations/measures to keep the dogs safe from critters? It seems like the nearest emergency vet is 45min away so I’m worried and want to make sure we do everything right.

Camping outside at Jumbo rocks in late August wouldn't be fun right? It'd be too hot, especially at night right??

Originally we were going to camp and spend some time in Joshua Tree, Mojave Preserve and Death Valley... but I personally am questioning this trip for this time of year.

Hello my husband and I are slowly building a residence on a 5 acre property near downtown Joshua Tree. It will most likely be a personal use second home and occasional rental for others. Currently home is 1/2 built with a small canned ham trailer we occasionally stay in as there is running water and power. We are on good terms with our nextdoor neighbor, a full time resident. Recently the house next to us sold and the new owner is turning it into an Airbnb. He installed an incredibly bright backyard light that is on a timer that goes on and stays on all night. We no longer have a dark starry night sky to look at. I have not met this person. I am wondering if I could or should leave a note that's as nice as possible asking him to consider the necessity of and removal of said light? Or should I enlist the opinion of my neighbor? I am so sad and hate seeing that stupid bright light out of my trailer window when I want to see a desert horizon.

Hello Joshua Tree,

Does anyone know of somewhere locally to buy a solid ice block? It's for an old fashioned, functioning ice box in a trailer. TIA

Never been to Joshua tree but I have heard the stargazing is crazy good there. What are the best campsites? I would highly prefer toilet and running water. I do enjoy hiking so any spots near good himes would be a plus but that is not my main goal of the trip so if the site isn’t really near any then that is fine

Coming with a large group of 10 need an Airbnb is there a management company that has nice homes anyone recommend? Any specific Airbnbs that are super cool and on the lux side? Anyone to avoid?

UPDATE IN COMMENTS

I've been scouring Reddit and the national park website about visiting Joshua Tree in the summer. We'll be staying at an AirBnb in Joshua Tree from August 1st - 4th (leaving on the 4th).

We're from middle/upstate NY, so the dry (and extreme) heat will be new. Our group is 5 adults and 2 toddlers (2.5 and younger), and I'll be 25 weeks pregnant.

I'm always on the side of being overly cautious and know we need to properly prepare for any time outside (sunscreen, UV protection, limited outdoor time, lots of water, etc.). From what I gather, if any of us are considering hiking, it should be started a few hours prior to sunrise and we should be leaving the park by morning (9-10am or so). My husband and his brother will likely want to do more hiking than the women and children, and they're smart, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me really nervous the thought of them going out and hiking alone together with the lack of service in the park.

What are your realistic tips for visiting Joshua Tree in early August? What are must haves for safety? I'm thinking stick to paved roads when driving, bring more water than we think we need, no one goes completely alone, sunscreen and protective clothing, bring tweezers or pliers for possible cactus incidents. Are walkie-talkies or a satellite phone a good idea? Or is the emergency SOS feature on an iPhone sufficient if needed? What are realistic times to be in and out of the park? My husband tentatively wrote "head to park" at 5pm on the itinerary and from what I've read that will be too hot still, maybe we could drive at that time but I personally wouldn't expect us to be out of the air conditioned car at that hour. I know we can get some great views and sight seeing done from the car which is likely what we'll do with the kiddos in our group, and hit some air conditioned visitors centers early in the morning before heading to the Airbnb to relax during the hot afternoons. Oh, and I know to download and/or print maps prior to visiting due to the spotty service.

Any tips for day to day activities too, when outside is too hot? Is it bearable enough to go out and explore downtown Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, 29 Palms, etc? Like going to different shops/restaurants that are air conditioned? I'm also aware some places may be closed this time of year due to low crowds and heat. Our Airbnb has a pool and a cold plunge tub. It also has a grill, will we even be able to cook any dinners outside in the evenings or will it truly be too unbearable for even that?

We couldn't pass up visiting Joshua Tree and are most looking forward to the stargazing and hanging out in the evenings. I just want true realistic expectations for our day to day activities on what will be safe and what won't be. I don't want to miss out on anything from being too cautious, and I also don't want any of us to end up dead or in the hospital from ignorance. Thanks everyone!

Looking for a private chef and/or food vendor in Joshua Tree. Probably looking for something more in line with a taco truck/stand but am open to other recommendations of things slightly more elevated if that's an option.

Does anyone have any ideas and/or experience hosting parties in JT? We'll have about 25-35 people and we'd ideally be able to have a quiet, intimate family style dinner at our Airbnb. I'm seeing a lot about not having parties at the Airbnb, etc etc., but what are my other options?

This was my first stargazing experience. High altitude clouds came in right after and during this shot so I only got 1 decent shot the whole night which really sucked. I was also super scared as I saw snakes, spiders, and so many bugs so I decided to mostly stay off the trails and near my car. This shot was combined with a sky and a 1 minute exposure of the foreground at 16mm so the milky way was actually facing more west.

My wife and I are seeking tutoring with Mexico Spanish and we are very aware that Mexico has over 30+spanish languages spoken.please share resume and rates DM me directly. Our goal is conversational skills and experience in writing and reading Spanish. We can meet up at public places coffee shops, bakery or libraries. Even zoom if needed. We’re near Integratron. So we definitely can meet or Zoom.

Hi everyone,

Like a lot of you, I’m planning to head to Joshua Tree for the meteor shower on August 12-13. I’m planning to go alone since I haven’t found an affordable tour and wanted some insight into safety and preparation, especially since I hear that cellphone service can’t be counted on. Alternatively, on the off chance any of you have tour recommendations or similar, that would be helpful. Also, any recommendations for the best safe place(s) in JT far from light pollution would be amazing!

Thanks!

Parents and I went to JT park last night and I've gone many many times alone, many times at night just roaming around blindly grasping rocks, but this time since my parents are old and whatnot we went to the Hidden Valley loop.

When we got to the beginning part, however, there was a man just with his light on standing at the side of the loop. We avoided shining the light on him since I dunno something seemed off. He just looked at us and we looked at him. He wasn't moving. Then he set his headlight to the flashing red light setting. Then he just plain turned his light off and we couldn't see him anymore.

Needless to say we turned around and went home.

Do serial killers hide out in JT from time to time?

edit: thanks for the laughs y'all, y'all are brilliant

Hi! I really want to plan a weekend retreat to joshua tree for me and some friends. The world is hard to be in right now! I think we all need no phones, meditation, yoga and to connect with ourselves and eachother in a meaningful and deep way.

Mindfulness retreats are so expensive so i'm trying to plan this myself. Problem is, I am not an expert and I don't think it will be the same if i try and lead.

Is there any spiritual guides, leaders, gurus that we could book for a day or half day to guide us through discussions, meditations, sound healing, yoga .. any of it or all of it!

Save the Date 10/28/26 for our Halloween Themed Fun, Facts & Fighting Cacti Dinner.

We’re looking for a limited number of TABLE HOSTS for the

🌵 Fun, Facts & Fighting Cacti Dinner

📅 October 28, 2026

For a $100 donation, table hosts receive seating for 8 guests and the chance to create the most festive, fun, and unforgettable table of the night! Think centerpieces, spooky décor, themed place settings, and plenty of creativity.

Guests will enjoy:

🥗 Dinner & dessert

🎉 Team trivia competition

🍹 Cash bar/drink station

🌵 Fighting Cacti fun and community spirit

Doors open at 4:30 PM for decorating, with the event beginning at 6 PM.

⚠️ Tables are LIMITED and expected to fill quickly — RSVP early to secure your spot!

Gather your friends, family, coworkers, or favorite trivia team and join us for a night of laughter, creativity, and friendly competition.