Backcountry Boards and Safety

About 85 percent of Joshua Tree National Park is designated wilderness, making it attractive to backpackers and backcountry campers.

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Backcountry Boards and Safety Details

About 85 percent of Joshua Tree National Park -- more than 600,000 acres -- is designated wilderness, making it attractive to backpackers and backcountry campers, especially during the mild winter season. However, many sections of the park are quite remote, and conditions can be harsh and unforgiving. If you plan to venture into the backcountry, you'll need to be well-prepared for the desert, let park officials know where you are going, and take precautions intended to protect both yourself and the park. The Joshua Tree backcountry is broken into 13 regions, each of which has a registration board where you'll need to sign in if you plan to stay overnight. Rangers check cars parked overnight to ensure nobody is missing: if you don't register, you might be considered lost; you also might get your car ticketed or towed. The Backcountry Boards are located at: * Black Rock Canyon * Cottonwood Spring * Upper Covington Flat * Geology Tour Road * Indian Cove * Juniper Flats * Keys West * North Entrance * Pine City * Pleasant Valley * Porcupine Wash * Turkey Flats * Twin Tanks Each of these areas has parking, an information and registration board, and permit forms you'll need to fill out (carry the top part with you, put the bottom part on the dashboard of your car). If you are camping, your campsite must be at least a mile from any road and 500 feet from trails or water sources. Don't camp in designated "day use" areas, and don't camp in dry washes (they may flood). If you have a large group (24 generally, 12 or more in wilderness areas), camp at least a mile away from other groups. Open fires are prohibited. Carry your own drinking water (one gallon per person per day, minimum -- two gallons per person in hot weather -- plus water for cooking and hygiene), food, stove, and fuel. You are permitted to cache food and water (labeled with your name and phone number) for up to 14 days. Carry your trash out, and dig cat holes for human waste (but carry used toilet paper out). In general, follow the principles of Leave No Trace, which can be found elsewhere in this app. Park rangers also recommend carrying: * topographic maps (it's easy to get disoriented in the desert) * a compass * rain protection * layered clothing * flashlight * mirror * whistle * first-aid kit * pencil and paper * pocket knife * emergency food * hat * sunscreen Finally, a word to the wise: "Know your limitations. You should not attempt to climb cliffs or steep terrain without adequate equipment, conditioning, and training. Accidents can be fatal."

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