Ryan Campground

Ryan Campground

Ryan Campground is the smallest and most intimate of the RV-capable campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park, California, sitting in the heart of the park at about 4,300 feet near the junction of the main park road and the road to Keys View. With just 31 first-come, first-served sites, it draws small self-contained rigs, climbers and hikers who want a quiet central basecamp with the park's marquee viewpoint and trails a few minutes away.

Hookups	None
Sites	31 (first-come, first-served)
Max RV length	25 feet
Cost	$20/night
Elevation	~4,300 feet
Dump station	No
Water	None
Cell signal	Minimal
Generators	Not permitted

Hookups

None

Sites

31 (first-come, first-served)

Max RV length

25 feet

Cost

$20/night

Elevation

~4,300 feet

Dump station

Water

None

Cell signal

Minimal

Generators

Not permitted

Why RVers stay here

This is a no-frills desert campground: no hookups, no water, vault toilets, no dump station and no generators permitted, at $20 a night. Sites are compact and the roads narrow, so the practical limit is about 25 feet; anything larger should look at the park's bigger campgrounds. There are no reservations, so arriving early is the only strategy, and cell signal is minimal. Cooler months are the comfortable season in the high desert. The trade-off is clear: you give up amenities and certainty for location and quiet.

✓Central position for Keys View, the Hall of Horrors climbing area and the Ryan Mountain Trail.

✓Ryan Mountain's strenuous 3-mile round trip delivers a 360-degree panorama from 5,457 feet.

✓Only 31 sites, so it stays quieter and more intimate than the park's large campgrounds.

✓$20 a night and no generators means genuinely peaceful nights.

!First-come, first-served only, so there is no way to guarantee a site.

!No water, no hookups, no dump station and no generators; RVs are limited to about 25 feet.

What our guides say about Ryan Campground

Excerpts from the RV Parks Guide articles that cover this campground. Each links to the full guide.

Regional guide

Joshua Tree RV Camping: Inside the Park and Full-Hookup Options Outside

Ryan is the smallest and most intimate of Joshua Tree's campgrounds that accommodate RVs. It sits in the heart of the park at about 4,300 feet, near the junction of the main park road and the road to Keys View. The campground has 31 sites and operates first-come, first-served only.

Sites fit RVs up to about 25 feet — this is not a big-rig campground. The roads are narrow and the sites are compact. What Ryan offers is location: you are centrally situated for access to Keys View (the park's most popular viewpoint), the Hall of Horrors climbing area, and the Ryan Mountain Trail, which delivers a 360-degree panorama from 5,457 feet after a strenuous 3-mile round trip.

No water, vault toilets, no dump station, no generators. Ryan is for small, self-contained rigs looking for a quiet basecamp in the middle of the park.

Read the guide →

Ryan Campground: frequently asked questions

Does Ryan Campground have hookups?

No. Ryan has no hookups, no water and no dump station, and generators are not permitted. Bring everything you need in a self-contained rig.

What is the max RV length at Ryan Campground?

About 25 feet. The roads are narrow and the sites are compact, so it is not a big-rig campground.

How much does Ryan Campground cost per night?

$20 per night, according to our Joshua Tree guide.

Do you need reservations at Ryan Campground?

You cannot make them. All 31 sites are first-come, first-served, so arrive early, especially on cool-season weekends.

How far is Ryan Campground from Keys View?

It sits near the junction of the main park road and the road to Keys View, in the center of the park, so the viewpoint is a short drive away.

Is there cell service at Ryan Campground?

Minimal. Plan for little or no signal inside the park.

Ryan Campground at a glance

Why RVers stay here

What our guides say about Ryan Campground

Ryan Campground: frequently asked questions

More campgrounds around Joshua Tree