Joshua Tree National Park • 24–25 January 2026
Cottonwood was our first overnight stop after collecting the campervan in Los Angeles on 24 January 2026. The next morning, the van was parked beside low desert hills, breakfast was on the table outside, and we had a little more time to photograph the place we had stopped for the night.
I spent a lot of time planning the campsites for this American West road trip. Cottonwood is a useful place to start the series because it brings together the everyday details of campervan travel: the parking space, the kitchen, dinner and breakfast. Here is our stop, together with the practical details to check before booking your own.
A different side of Joshua Tree
Cottonwood sits in the Colorado Desert section of Joshua Tree National Park. Around the campground, the landscape is open scrubland, with low hills and a wide sky. The photographs here are from that setting, rather than the Joshua-tree-and-boulder scenery associated with the northern part of the park.
That matters when choosing where to stay. If your main aim is to photograph the park’s distinctive Joshua trees, allow time for a separate drive farther into the park. Cottonwood works particularly well as a southern stop with access from Interstate 10. Check the driving distances to the places you actually want to see before choosing it as a base. Cottonwood campground information
Book the site that fits your vehicle
Our reservation covered the night of 24 January. For a new trip, book before entering the park and save the confirmation offline. Cottonwood requires reservations throughout the year; the current booking window runs from the same day to six months ahead. A last-minute booking is only useful if a suitable site is still available.
Read the details for the individual campsite, especially the parking length and vehicle restrictions. Some Cottonwood family sites can take a combined RV-and-towed-vehicle length of up to 35 feet, but that is not a promise for every space. The group campsites do not permit RVs or habitable trailers. Choose for the vehicle you will actually collect, including anything it tows. NPS camping and reservations · Cottonwood RV restrictions
Keep the first evening simple
Dinner on our first night was in the campervan, with a saucepan and plates arranged on the small table. Earlier that day, we had collected the vehicle in Los Angeles and driven out towards Joshua Tree. By the evening, the van was serving as our kitchen as well as our transport.
For a first campervan night, I would plan a straightforward meal and buy the ingredients before entering the park. Keep the things you need first within easy reach, rather than unpacking every bag at camp. At the rental handover, ask for a demonstration of the kitchen equipment and its ventilation requirements, and follow the instructions for the exact equipment supplied.
Plan water and power separately
Cottonwood provides drinking water and flush toilets, but individual campsites do not have electricity, water or sewer hookups. There are no showers in the park’s campgrounds. The NPS lists a water-fill point and dump station between the Cottonwood visitor center and campground.
Before choosing a rental, check what its equipment can run while parked without shore power. Ask how the battery is charged and how the sleeping setup stays warm. If you are relying on a generator, check the permitted hours rather than assuming it can run overnight. Bring drinking water with you and check current facilities and alerts before arrival. Cottonwood facilities · NPS campground facilities
Breakfast outside
On 25 January, breakfast moved outside. Bread and eggs were on the table, with the campground’s shrubs and hills behind them. The van’s side door was open, with chairs set out beside it. Before the next drive, this was our little patch of the desert for the morning.
Keep food and rubbish secured when you are not using them. The park warns that ravens and rodents will get into food left out, so put it in a secure container or your vehicle. Wind can also carry away wrappers and other lightweight items. Clear the table before heading off to photograph or explore. NPS food storage guidance · Ranger tips for visiting Joshua Tree
Leave time for the Cottonwood area
The paths and plants around camp give you something to photograph without immediately driving to another viewpoint. For a longer stop, Cottonwood Spring is an option nearby: the NPS describes a signed trail of about half a mile between the campground and the spring.
Check the current trail information and conditions before deciding on a walk. These are suggestions for planning a visit, rather than hikes from our own stop. Give each outing enough time for the return, carry water and stay on marked paths. The campground’s location should help shape the day’s plans, instead of becoming another place to rush away from. Cottonwood Spring visitor information · Joshua Tree safety guidance
Prepare for a desert night
Our visit was in January. Clear skies in the photographs are not a temperature guide, so check the forecast for your own dates and pack suitable layers and sleeping gear. The park warns that nights can be cold, particularly in autumn, winter and spring.
Download the park map and offline information while you still have a connection. Mobile coverage is limited or absent in many parts of Joshua Tree. Save your campsite details and exit route as well. If a campfire is part of your plan, check the current fire restrictions before buying wood or lighting anything. Joshua Tree safety guidance · Current park alerts
Cottonwood was one night in a much longer journey, before we continued towards the Grand Canyon. Giving this stop its own article makes room for the details that disappear in a whole-trip summary. For anyone planning a similar stay, I would start with the individual campsite, the van’s water and power needs, and enough time for a meal outside.
Trip photographs were taken on 24–25 January 2026. Practical information was checked against NPS and Recreation.gov on 12 November 2026; confirm current conditions, rules and availability before travelling.