Joshua Tree National Park saw 3M visitors, 8th most visited in 2022

Erin Rode, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·2 min read
A long line of cars waits to get in to Joshua Tree National Park, Calif., on a Friday afternoon, January 28, 2022. The park has seen more visitors as its popularity increases.
A long line of cars waits to get in to Joshua Tree National Park, Calif., on a Friday afternoon, January 28, 2022. The park has seen more visitors as its popularity increases.

Joshua Tree National Park saw over 3 million visitors for the second year in a row in 2022, according to new visitation data released by the National Park Service this week.

The desert national park first topped the 3 million mark in 2021 with 3,064,400 visitors. The park saw slightly fewer people last year with 3,058,294 visitors ― but this figure still represents double the park's visitation in 2014, when roughly 1.5 million people entered the park. The park's visitation is among the fastest-growing in the national park system.

The visitation makes Joshua Tree the eighth-most visited national park in 2022. In recent years, the park has focused on addressing the traffic and crowds that come with the increased visitation. Surrounding communities are also grappling with a short-term rental boom as the park draws in tourists.

New backpacking permit system

As a result of this increased visitation, the park will start requiring permits for overnight backpacking trips starting March 1. Previously, the park didn't require permits for backcountry camping, but backcountry use has increased by 116% over the past decade.

“With the increase in park visitation, we have observed a significant jump in backcountry use. This has resulted in overuse of sensitive areas as well as an impact to the wilderness experience that many park visitors expect,” said former park superintendent David Smith in a recent press release. “This new backcountry system will allow for a regulated flow of users to high-use areas and provide a way for campers to become more educated about Leave No Trace principles before they come to the park.”

The reservation fee is $6 per permit for a group size of 1-12 people. The popular Boy Scot Trail will now require camping in designated campsites, while other backcountry areas will continue to allow at-large camping anywhere at least one mile from any trailhead, at least a half mile from any road, and at least 200 feet away from any trail.

Online permits can be obtained at recreation.gov up to six months in advance, up until the day of the trip at 2 p.m. In-person permits can also be obtained at the Main Headquarters Office Building at 74485 National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms, open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Joshua Tree National Park saw 3M visitors, 8th most visited in 2022