How to Reserve a Campsite at Black Rock Campground

Like Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree’s busy season is in the Fall, Winter and early Spring. Since both parks are in the desert you can imagine why this is the case. Reservations during the busy winter season at Black Rock Campground can be made using the National Park Service online reservation system Recreation.gov. In June-September 29 campsites are available on a first come first serve basis.

What to Expect at Black Rock Campground

orange tent set up near Joshua Trees in Black Rock Campbround

On arrival make sure to check in at the visitor center. Inside you’ll find a small exhibit about the natural features of the park, a few souvenirs and a small selection of snacks and beverages. Please note that no firewood is for sale inside the park. You will need to pick that up on the way in if you’re planning on building a fire. The park also has very particular instructions when it comes to tent camping. Tents need to be no more than 100 feet away from the picnic table or fire ring. We made the mistake of placing our tent a bit further than 100 feet and were told so the next day by the ranger.

As mentioned above each campsite comes with a picnic table as well as a fire ring. The campground has 4 bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks but no showers. Drinkable water is also available in several areas of the campground. Additional amenities include dump stations, a small visitor center, an amphitheater, on-site staff and pretty good cell reception.

Hikes Around Black Rock Campground

If you decide to go hiking during your stay make sure to print out the Black Rock Canyon Hiking Trails Map before you go. They did not have paper copies when we were there so I took a picture of their enlarged map with my phone. This did the trick, but there were several times that I wished I had a paper map as well. During our visit we hiked the West Side Loop as well as the High View Nature Trail and part of the Short Loop trail.

woman with hiking poles on trail in Joshua Tree national Park with snowy mountains in background

While all of our hikes were gorgeous with tons of Joshua Trees, there was some trail damage thanks to unexpected rain and snow coupled with the government shut down. When hiking the West Side Loop we lost the trail 3 miles in and had to turn back. While this was disappointing I cannot stress the incredible natural beauty that this hike included. Unlike the main part of the park, Black Rock Canyon has fewer large boulders but many many Joshua Trees. It was more Joshua Trees in one place than I’ve ever seen.

I can’t remark on the entire West Side Loop hike, but the first 3 miles boasted several fantastic features. Namely the large number of Joshua Trees, views of all the surrounding mountains and total peace and quiet. During our hike we passed very few people and never felt like the trail was overcrowded. We hope to return someday to complete the entire loop.

Black Rock Campground Pros

While Black Rock Campground has 99 campsites, I didn’t feel like it was overcrowded or noisy. People generally kept to the quiet hours which made for an enjoyable stay.

You can make reservations during the winter months, and the cost of a tent site is only $20 per night.

There are several hiking trails around the campground to explore that for the most part were well maintained.

You get to camp surrounded by Joshua Trees which is pretty amazing and magical!

The campground is close to civilization if you need to get something.

Black Rock Campground Cons

Black Rock Campground isn’t directly connected by a road to the main part of the park. If you want to explore there you need to drive about 30 minutes to the West Entrance.

If you’re hoping to see lots of big boulders this isn’t the campsite for you, consider camping inside the main part of the park.

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I have very few friends and acquaintances in southern California who go camping. Of the few who did offer me campground recommendations, ALL of them said to check out Crystal Cove State Park. With so many good reviews Catherine and I had give it a try.

Crystal Cove State Park is located in Laguna Beach, CA. The state park includes 3.2 miles of coastline as well as canyons, open bluffs, and offshore waters designated as an underwater park.

At the very tail end of the summer Catherine and I went on a three night camping trip. We spent our first night trying out backpacking in Moro Canyon and secured two nights of luxury camping in Moro Campground.

I can not even express the level of beauty you will experience camping here. Moro Campground is situated right on the bluffs. There are six tiered rows of campsites, allowing everyone to enjoy a sea view. If you’re lucky (and boy were we!), you can grab a front row spot.

Reservations at Moro Campground:

As with most other California state park reservations, Crystal Cove reservations open up six months in advance. As of hitting publish on this post most of the dates up until the end of July are taken. If you want to secure a weekend of camping you need to start looking EARLY. I booked our spots about five months in advance and there were no weekends for the entire summer.

If you have a more flexible schedule and can stay during the work week you will probably have better luck securing a longer stay.

Reservations at Moro Campground as well as the back-country hike-in campsites can be reserved through Reserve California.

What to Expect at Moro Campground:

The entire campground has 58 campsites. 28 are designated for RV and trailers. The remaining 30 are for ‘low impact’ camping which includes soft-side trailers, van conversions and tents. Each includes a picnic table, access to restrooms and showers. Sites can have up to 8 people, but while we were there there were few with more than 4-5.

None of the campsites have fire rings. Wood and charcoal fires are not permitted anywhere. At first I found this pretty sad, but considering the wind on the bluff and the dry conditions it makes complete sense. Compressed-gas barbecues are permitted as well as compressed-gas fireplaces.

Catherine and I were kind of shocked at the level of civility at Moro Campground. They enforce quite hours between 10pm and 6am. Maybe it was just a coincidence, but the days we spent there were very quiet, shockingly so. It was a much welcome change from previous campsites we have visited.

Make sure to take advantage of the proximity to the beach as well as the canyon. We hiked up the ridge for panoramic sea views and then spent a couple days sitting on the beach reading.

If you’re into snorkeling or scuba diving you can also visit the underwater park or take a walk around the many tide pools to watch sea creatures up close without getting into the water.

Moro Campground Pros:

Amazing location. Because the sites are tiered, everyone gets a fantastic sea view. You also have access to canyon hiking, walk up access to the beach and are within a short drive to Laguna Beach if you need some city time.
Clean facilities. During our stay the restrooms and showers were always clean and taken care of.
Quiet. For those of you who prefer to backpack and be far away from other people Moro Campground might do the trick without doing as much work.

Moro Campground Cons:

One of the more pricey campsites to book. At $55/night for a tent camping spot this one could break the bank.
No fires. While I understand why they are not permitted, I still missed having a campfire. Luckily the sound of the crashing waves filled the void.

Conclusion

I think it goes pretty much without saying that I highly recommend camping at Moro Campground. It’s the most tranquil campsite I’ve ever stayed in. All the park staff were fantastic, our camp neighbors were quiet and the facilities were clean and comfortable. Spending three days so close to the ocean was a real treat for these two girls. While we don’t live that far away from a beach, there’s nothing like falling asleep and waking up to the sound of crashing waves.

Joshua Tree: Black Rock Campground