Joshua Tree Climbers' Ranch
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Climber's Ranch Campground - 18 acres of well, not much!

Need a place to hang for the climbing season? 14 day limit in the Park got you running from the rangers?  Looking for an in-town bivy but don't want a girlfriend (or boyfriend)?  Then bivy at the Climber's Campground a.k.a. "the Pit".

."The Climber Ranch Campground" is an 18 acre primitive campground run by the "Joshua Tree Climbers Association" with affiliation and assistance from the American Alpine Club.  This is not a public campground!  It is a private campground restricted to members of the JT Climbers Association or the American Alpine Club. 

JT Climber's Association Membership & Donations
To join the JTCA, please email the Climbers@ClimberRanch.Com - include your contact information and a statement stating that you "agree to abided by all posted rules, will not do anything illegal (ha ha), will be respectful of the neighbors, and will leave the premise without drama if requested by the campground host."    There is no cost to join.      Also, if you are inclines to do so, please "paypal" you love to Donations@ClimbersRanch.Com.  The Climber's Ranch is a 18.5 acre site with the campground in its center.  The campground, also known as "the Pit" is "protected" from outside visual inspection because of the unusual "pit-like" nature of the grading.

Location & Directions - from Joshua Tree

A two minutes drive from Nomad Ventures (the Climbing Shop), Valero or Coyote Corner:

From the Crossroads Cafe, even closer

  • From either place, head up the hill (south) on Park Blvd toward the park

  • Head up Park Blvd for 1/2 mile and make a right turn on Alta Loma.  This is also known a Yucca Trail.

  • Go one block and make a right on Sunset. 

  • Look for a small road on the left approximately 400' down from the corner of Alta Loma and Sunset!

  • The Camping Area is Hidden

  • From out behind Crossroads Cafe, head up the hill (south) on Sunset toward the park

  • As soon as you stop seeing houses to the right, start looking for the Climber Ranch access road, approximately 400' past the last house. 

  • The Camping Area is Hidden.

Warning! - Be Cool or Be Gone
Note:  This is not a public place.  If you cause a scene or vibe too many of the wrong people, you will probably be asked to leave.  You are welcome to be a guest but you need to be cool

Adopt a Climber Program (this is a joke)

 
Living the Dream usually does not come with an apartment or steady paycheck.  For less than $3 a day, you can make sure one of our needy climbers have a place to stay.  Look at their faces.  You can help; don't wait; call now and make a contribution to "Living the Dream"  Foundation.  Actually, there is no foundation, but if you want to sponsor a bro, cut us a check and we will acknowledge you sponsorship. Current dirt bags looking for your support are ...well, the list is long, but distinguished.  With your generous sponsorship, your climber will write you once a month, and, when you visit, you can take them to play in the park.

Founder's Vision
Climber generally don't need a reason to have fun; they just need a place.  The long term vision is for the Climbers Ranch to be a resort where guided clients can stay ( pay fat fees) and dirt bag climbers living the dream can hang-out and skate.  The business proposition is all based on Wally Barker's worldly observation that "nobody pays to go to the zoo unless there are animals."  

Our Supporters - Donation List

The Campground at the Climbers Ranch is a not for profit activity.  Thanks to the following people -

  • December 2005.   Jim McCarty - former AAC president and believer in the dream.

  • Sept 2006.  American Alpine Club - Trash and porta-pot funding

  • Jan 2005 to Sept 2005.  . David Rosenstein - for recruiting the support of the American Alpine Club

  • February 2005. Anthony - for construction of an open air toilet with the best view of Bartlet Mountain in the region.   

  • Alisa Blitz-Seibert's father for donating a nude sculpture that sold for $15.  This was the first cash fundraising ever done for the ranch.  January 2005.

  • Karen, Ranone, and other unnamed heroes of the December 2004 car cleanup and climbing wall repurposing.

  • Robert Fonda - Security Services -2003 & 2004

  • Cedar Wright - Climbing Wall - 2002

  • David Rosenstein and Dean Fidelman - slacklining center 2003

  • Michael Dong - exits and entrance signs.

  • Todd Gordon - gas stove and oven.

  • Stephanie Asencio - picnic able and waterline.

  • Donny Reid & Mary Ann Kelley - graded the exit road to Hillview.

  • Hilde Fonda - keeping the grader fueled.

  • Robert Fonda for grading services.  Robert put in a solid couple weeks running the loader in 2002.  It was a major contribution and effort - thanks.

 

The Climbers' Ranch Rules!

The Ranch has a dozen rules. 

  1. Obey the Rule

  2. Enforce the Rules.

  3. No sleeping in the communal trailer.  (No exceptions.  Even if it is raining! Just image you are on El Cap, it's good training)

  4. No storage of personal items in the communal trailer

  5. Food and cook stuff left in the trailer for more than a few days is communal. 

  6. Pick up your trash.

  7. Pick up other people trash.

  8. Pitch tents out of view of the neighbor.

  9. Park cars out of view of the neighbors.

  10. Campfires are cool provided they are in the communal fire pit and provided they don't become bonfires. 

  11. Loud noise and music after 9:00 PM is generally unacceptable.

  12. Be courteous when entering and exiting the property.  Particularly watch your speed.  Enter on Sunset; Exit on Hillview. This is to reduce neighbor impact; particularly at night when headlights would shine on them. 

 
 

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Climbers' Ranch

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61650 Alta Loma.
Joshua Tree, California
Climbers@ClimberRanch.Com

 

 

        Gateway to Joshua Tree National Park
 
Camping.  Information Courtesy of the National Park Service

There is a 30-day camping limit each year. However, only 14 nights total may occur from October through May.

Campsites are limited to six people, three tents, and two cars. Group sites accommodate 10 to 60 people.

Obtain reservations for sites at Black Rock, Indian Cove, and all group sites by calling 1-800-365-2267 or online. Other campgrounds are first-come, first-served and fill quickly on weekends and during spring break. Camp only in designated campsites.

There are no hookups for recreational vehicles

Water is available at Oasis Visitor Center, Indian Cove Ranger Station, West Entrance, and Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds. Showers are not available.

All vegetation in the park is protected. If you want to make a campfire, bring your own firewood.

Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generator use is limited to six hours a day: 7 to 9 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m.

Camping fees

Submitted By:Richard Adler
On:10.25.2003

In an effort to clear up the speculation about the camping fees for Joshua Tree National Park, On Friday October 24th I sat in on a meeting with Curt Sauer, Superintendent of Joshua Tree National Park.

Starting February 17th 2003 there will be a $5 per night per camp site fee charged for camping in Hidden Valley, Ryan, Jumbo Rocks, Belle and White Tank campgrounds. The Camping will be on a first come first serve basis. The Indian Cove, Black Rock and Cottonwood campgrounds will remain reservation first and the fees will remain the same as they have been. The two car and six person per campsite rule, for all campgrounds (except the group campgrounds) will remain in effect. With a 2 week maximum per camp site visit. In addition, there are no plans to build any new camp grounds

Starting December 15th 2003 at Hidden Valley and Ryan campgrounds, the new system will go into effect (without the five dollar fee), as a demonstration period. Starting on January 7th a similar demonstration period will go into effect at Jumbo Rocks, Belle and White Tank Campgrounds.

An "Iron Ranger" (a hollow Iron tube) will be placed in a central location at the entrance to all campgrounds. There also will be a information board with the Iron Ranger There will be numbered envelops at the Iron Ranger with serrated receipts with corresponding numbers. As you enter the campground you will find a vacant site.......get an envelop, remove the receipt, place the receipt on a wooden stake located at each campsite, then place your five dollar per night fee in the envelop and put the envelop in the Iron ranger. (FEES WILL NOT BE COLLECTED UNTIL FEBRUARY 17th 2003)

Now the business side. 80% of all fees collected will remain in Joshua Tree National Park. The remaining 20% will go into a fund that will be distributed to some of the smaller National Parks who cannot generate enough funds on their own. (NO MONEY WILL END UP IN WASHINGTON'S COFFERS.) Of the 80% collected, money will go to staffing ecological and wildlife positions that have been vacant in the past because of lack of funds. Perhaps funds for the Search and Rescue program. Wildlife protection and wildlife management, and non permanent temp. Park jobs. Any permanent full time position, within the Park will be funded directly from Washington.

There will be Walking Ranger Patrols (non law enforcement) for the campgrounds. These patrols will be used to settle disputes, enforce quite periods, wildlife education, and resources information about the Park. These "walking patrols" will also be in contact with law enforcement for any issues that require the Rangers. There is talk about full time Campground Hosts, but that hasn't been decided at this point.

I asked Superintendent Sauer if there will be any services built within the boundaries on JTNP. He emphatically said there are no plans for that. There will also be no charge for backcountry camping. In addition, there are also no plans to raise the entrance fee. On a personal note. For those that will camp in the backcountry, please don't abuse this. Please use the registration process so we don't give the National Park Management an opportunity to charge for that!!! And please don't build fires in the backcountry. That could be a black eye for the climbing community, and more importantly can prevent wildfires. Remember we only receive limited rain here. And after the summer barrage of rain this year (almost 5 inches in a three week period) grasses are tall and dry. Fires can spread rather quickly, so please be responsible.

The cost of running this National Park can be staggering. It costs $45,000 per year just in trash removal alone. Superintendent Sauer said perhaps we could, on a trial basis, come with a plan for a pack it in - pack it out system which might help reduce the fee's for camping. He also said any reasonable plan to help defray some costs will be considered. But remember that this is the government. So the wheels turn quite slowly. Any plan leaving Superintendent Sauer's desk first has to go to his regional manager, then onto Washington before any plan can be effected.

We've created a good dialog with Superintendent Sauer. He's also working closely with the local climbing committee. He'll also be opening dialog with the wonderful local group, Friends of Joshua Tree.

if you have any comments or questions please fell free to e-mail me and I'll get answers for you!!

Richard

richardsadler2001@yahoo.com