Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree's filming and photography rules after the EXPLORE Act, plus the dark-sky and stay-on-durable-surface rules that affect night and desert shoots.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Joshua Tree National Park film, photography, and sound permits office
Cost: No NPS permit for groups of 8 or fewer meeting the EXPLORE Act conditions; location and cost-recovery fees apply to permitted shoots
Processing: Plan ahead for permitted productions
Groups of eight or fewer using hand-carried gear in public areas, without exclusive use and without extra cost to the park, generally need no permit under the EXPLORE Act. Larger or higher-impact productions still require one.
Drone / airspace
Effectively banned: launching, landing, or operating a drone within park boundaries is prohibited
NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 directs each superintendent to close the park to drone use under 36 CFR 1.5. For airspace, Part 107, and legal flying nearby, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes for personal and editorial photography throughout the park
Standard visitor photography is welcome.
Practical notes
- It is a certified dark-sky park and a magnet for astrophotography; bring light discipline and respect other shooters.
- Stay on roads and durable surfaces; the desert soil and the Joshua trees themselves are fragile and protected.
- Summer daytime heat is dangerous; most serious shooting happens at the edges of the day and at night.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: