Joshua Tree National Park Announces Seasonal Campground Closures

INDIO, CA - Five campgrounds at Joshua Tree National Park, including three in Riverside County, will close for a four-month period starting early next month, it was announced.

The park's regular seasonal camping area closures will be in effect from June 6 until Oct. 2 "in order to reduce maintenance costs and allow vegetation a bit of a breather," said park spokesman George Land.

The national park straddles the San Bernardino County/Riverside County border.

In Riverside County, the Cottonwood, Belle and Ryan campgrounds will be closed. In San Bernardino County, Indian Cove and Black Rock will be off- limits.

Campgrounds that will remain open to the public include Jumbo Rocks and Hidden Valley, as well as the White Tank Campground, which is usually closed during the summer.

Some closed campgrounds may also be reopened during the summer, depending on visitation numbers.

According to Land, the closures are typically enacted in the hot summer months as park attendance naturally drops with the rise in temperatures.

– By City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.