How Crowded Is Joshua Tree in May?
May is an average month at Joshua Tree National Park, running about 1.0× the park's average month — roughly 8% of the year's visitors come in May. That puts it between the March peak and the July low. Overall our best-time score rates May as "Good" for a visit. Typical May weather averages a high near 90°F and a low around 63°F, with about 0.1" of precipitation. You'll get about 13.8 hours of daylight to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
May is average at Joshua Tree National Park (about 1.0× the average month). Our best-time score rates it "Good". The single best month overall is September.
The busiest month is March and the quietest is July. May sits at about 1.0× the park's average, or 8% of annual visitation.
Source: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020. Updated 2026-06-20.