The Joshua Tree National Park north entrance is a small fee booth in Twentynine Palms, where Utah Trail becomes Park Boulevard. You can enter without a reservation, but it pays to sort out your pass, supplies and route before you drive in.
- Location: 3 miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail.
- Park access: open 24 hours a day, every day.
- Entrance pass: $30 for a private vehicle, valid for seven days.
- Payment at the booth: credit or debit card only.
Where the north entrance fits into a park visit
The north entrance is the fee-booth access point on Utah Trail, which becomes Park Boulevard inside the park. It sits 3 miles south of the junction of Highway 62 and Utah Trail, in the town of Twentynine Palms.
El Rancho Dolores at JT National Park is in Twentynine Palms, the town served by the north entrance; its three-star rooms are one accommodation option in town.
Joshua Tree National Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, throughout the year, and you do not need a reservation to enter. Visitor centers keep separate hours, so plan those stops independently from your park entry.
If you’re planning your day from town, how to plan a Joshua Tree visit from Twentynine Palms gives the wider context for a park trip.
How do you check entrance access and road conditions?
The park is normally open around the clock, but a weather closure can shut park roads even when the entrance booth is closed or unattended.
If no ranger is present or the North Entrance fee booth is closed, you may continue into the park without showing a pass or paying at the booth, unless a special circumstance—such as a weather closure—has closed park roads. Check the National Park Service (NPS) official site before you go for current access and road information.
Cell phone reception is very limited in the park. The NPS advises against relying on GPS directions because navigation systems can send drivers onto backcountry roads with ruts or soft sand that may be impassable. Plan your route before you enter and follow suitable park roads.
What does the entrance pass cover?
The north entrance sells private-vehicle, motorcycle, per-person and annual park passes, and the NPS accepts America the Beautiful federal recreation passes.
- Private vehicle: $30, valid on the purchase day and the next six days; covers passengers in one non-commercial vehicle.
- Motorcycle: $25 for seven days; covers up to two private, non-commercial motorcycles and four passengers total.
- On foot or bicycle: $15 per visitor for seven days. Children under 16 do not need an entrance pass.
- Annual park pass: $55, valid for 12 months from its month of purchase; covers the passholder and accompanying passengers in one non-commercial vehicle.
At the booth, you can buy a pass using a credit or debit card; those are the accepted payment methods for in-person purchases at the North Entrance Station.
What should you arrange before entering?
Bring your own food, water and other supplies: the park has no gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores or hotels, and there is no water in the park interior.
For visitor services before you head in, the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center is at 6533 Freedom Way in downtown Twentynine Palms. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has exhibits, a bookstore, flush toilets, a water-bottle filling station and EV charging stations.
If you want to make a visitor-center stop part of your town visit, what to know before visiting the Oasis Visitor Center covers that location.
What if the entrance is busy or closed?
Expect possible queues and limited parking on holidays, weekends from October through May, and during spring break, which runs from March to mid-April.
The NPS also warns that trails may be busy and campgrounds may be full during those periods. Allow extra time if your plans depend on entering at a particular hour, and check road access before setting out in case weather has closed park roads.
FAQs
Do you need a reservation to enter Joshua Tree National Park?
No. Reservations are not required for park entry.
Can you enter when the north entrance booth is closed?
If the booth is closed or no ranger is present, you may continue without showing a pass or paying there, unless a special circumstance has closed park roads.
Can you pay cash at the North Entrance Station?
No. In-person pass purchases at the North Entrance Station are accepted by credit or debit card only.
Is there water inside the park?
No water is available in the park interior. Bring your own water and supplies before entering.