Searching for the best camping near Kayenta, AZ? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Find the best campgrounds near Kayenta, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"After entering, the dirt road to the right takes you to camping in front of the Mexican Hat there’s quite a few spots that are big rig friendly."
"Road condition: probably want all wheel drive, but you might get to some spots without it
Fee: there’s a hand-painted sign that says to pay online but it was unclear who manages the site."
"Plus even if your vehicle can handle the soft soils you'll wreck the road for everyone once the deep ruts dry out and harden."
"Free primitive camping with amazing views. No facilities. Pack in and pack out. Plenty of spaces to chose from."
"Free dispersed camping on BLM land. If you don't want to back track and are continuing south, the only road down is very steep and winding and you'll want to take it slow."
"Crazy and scary drive coming from Mexican Hat to the south climbing up Moki Dugway to get here. It is not for the feint of heart. 11% grade, 15mph limit and gravel with some washboards."
"The entry road off the highway technically goes through private land."
"Total awesomeness 😎 I'm confused though about the sign near entrance requiring a fee with no amenities. 🤔 This is BLM land!"
"This time we got the remote site we were hoping for.
Most sites are right off the main road. Easily accessible by rv’s and cars. Our site was off the main road."
"The first spots at the beginning of the road were meh, best for an RV not my taste for tent camping as they are super open with little privacy from the road."
"Easy access with 2-wheel drive for the first .5 of the loop at least (we didn’t go any farther). Breathtaking view of the 7-sisters and plenty of flat ground for tents."
"The valley of the gods is astoundingly, beautiful and spending the night in the valley was near perfection."
TravelerSecond time camping with my kids here. This time we got the remote site we were hoping for.
Most sites are right off the main road. Easily accessible by rv’s and cars. Our site was off the main road. Don’t venture off the main road without high clearance and perhaps 4 wheel drive. If you can tho the few sites set up this way are even more remote and awesome!
Only bummer was no campfires allowed at this time.
It is hot in July, but cools off at night. Constant breeze, no bugs. Bring shade as there are no trees except for a couple of spots by dry river beds. The trees do bring bids with them…
Amazing views and no light pollution or sound at night.
TravelerIt's a breathtakingly beautiful spot with a fair amount of simple pull offs for camping. Unless it's raining or just finished there won't be any water. There is precious little vegetation as well, but a fair amount of rock outcroppings to block the wind, which howls come spring and is far more common than precipitation.
Speaking of which, don't push your luck if it has rained recently, as the clay softens and becomes slick, packing around tires, and everything else. Plus even if your vehicle can handle the soft soils you'll wreck the road for everyone once the deep ruts dry out and harden.
Some sites have fire rings but that's the extent of facilities, although there might be a port-a-potty by the western entrance to the road, closer to the Moki Dugway. Summers get hot, and I'd head up to Cedar Mesa if so.
There ample dispersed camping on Cedar Mesa, as well as plenty of scraps to get a fire going. This is one of the greatest concentrations of smaller Ancestral Puebloan (formerly Anasazi, which is controversial and regarded as insulting by today's Pueblo tribes) villages, so there are a life time of ruins to explore.
Researching ahead of time will pay off, but both the BLM station by the Kane Gulch trailhead and the Natural Bridges National Monument visitor center have maps, guidebooks, and advice. Please follow the regulations, as this is a sacred ancestral site for numerous indigenous peoples.
The Recapture Lodge at the east end of Bluff has decades worth of old maps to hidden sites for those who want a hotel (I recommend them highly, having visited off and on since the 1990s). They'll give great advice if asked.
Both Natural Bridges and Hovenweap offer something precious in short supply across southern Utah, amazing and beautiful hiking, abundant ruins, and few visitors (this is the rare part). Both are far more enjoyable than Arches or Zion, which are now overrun by tourists.
Valley of the Gods, Cedar Mesa, and the nearby national monuments (also Canyonlands, which isn't as packed as the other famous national parks) offer a chance to experience Utah's red rock country without standing shoulder to shoulder with other visitors. That's getting increasingly difficult to find as the beauty of the region is well known by now.
p.s. Those wanting even more solitude should ask about the off site ruins managed by Hovenweap: you'll often have these to yourself.
TravelerAfter entering, the dirt road to the right takes you to camping in front of the Mexican Hat there’s quite a few spots that are big rig friendly. The first road to the left I’d advise for slightly smaller rigs, but I took my short bus down there just fine. Down the hill there’s Mexican Hat Rd which seems to stretch forever. A wide variety of spots and all a close walk to the river. There’s also a dirt road that veers down - I’d only recommend for 4x4 high clearance vehicles, and probably not if it’s too wet. If you follow that road all the way down there’s actually a white sand beach to play in the water.
RangerFree dispersed camping on BLM land. If you don't want to back track and are continuing south, the only road down is very steep and winding and you'll want to take it slow. Well maintained dirt road is the only way to get there. To get your vehicle closer to the edge for a better view may require 4WD vehicles.
TravelerSuper beautiful spot. The first spots at the beginning of the road were meh, best for an RV not my taste for tent camping as they are super open with little privacy from the road.
We drove down a bit more towards the sailors and found the perfect spot with no view of the road. AWD AND HIGH CLEARANCE preferred. Heard some cars but didn’t see them, not a big deal. Beware of potential flooding, it was dry when we went but had flooded the night before.
Very few bugs until nighttime, lots of hummingbirds and lizards. Some wind. Dope view of the milky way at night!
GuideFree primitive camping with amazing views. No facilities. Pack in and pack out. Plenty of spaces to chose from.
GuideA absolutely spectacular place for FREE! Easy access with 2-wheel drive for the first .5 of the loop at least (we didn’t go any farther). Breathtaking view of the 7-sisters and plenty of flat ground for tents. There are no amenities like restrooms or potable water and the campsite is a patch of flat dirt but even with all of that we still thought the sights made up for it.
As for the actual camping in the area, would be best to arrive after or near sundown seeing as it was in the 100’s most of the afternoon and evening. The ground is also extremely dry and hard but with a mallet you can get the stake in and it will stick like concrete. The afternoon was very windy and made it a challenge to set up but the wind died down in the evening. We did lose a stake to the rock solid ground and it actually snapped the paracord handle so be prepared for that possibility.
Overall, even though it does have its downsides, it is a breathtaking, secluded, free camping area and we would go again.
TravelerThe entry road off the highway technically goes through private land. It seems that landowner has tried to capitalize on people who don’t know better, or just don’t want to go any further down the road. The sign as you turn off only applies to those areas immediately after it. Once you go a little further and cross over the cattle grate on the road to the left at the fork you’re in BLM land and the campsites are free. There are 11 total that are pretty clearly defined by rock campfire rings and open flat-ish areas for vehicles.
We visited for the first time tonight and found it empty except for 1. Went all the way to the end of the road to scope out all the sites and settled on the second to last. Beautiful view of Mexican Hat Rock and a reasonably level and open camp area.
There’s one steep section but it seems somewhat maintained. Did the whole road without issue in a 24’ 2WD Sprinter 3500XD fully loaded. Long vehicles or trailers may have issue with the 90* turn at the bottom of the steep section but there’s at least 3 viable spots before that. H
TravelerCrazy and scary drive coming from Mexican Hat to the south climbing up Moki Dugway to get here. It is not for the feint of heart. 11% grade, 15mph limit and gravel with some washboards. You have to go down the way you came up unless you are going north to Blanding. There are road restrictions for vehicle size. I would not attempt when road is wet. We did our homework and were able to make it in a 22’ 2wd camper van. Huge payoff at the end with views of Valley of the Gods, Goosenecks State Park and Monument Valley. Sites are FCFS. We found a pretty level spot that was easy to back into. So quiet. It could get very windy as you are at 6300ft and no cover. But when it is calm, words don’t describe. Perfect dark sky area.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Kayenta, Arizona, where stunning landscapes and serene environments await outdoor enthusiasts. This area offers a variety of spots for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Kayenta, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Kayenta, AZ is Dispersed Mexican Hat Camping with a 4.5-star rating from 36 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Kayenta, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 dispersed camping locations near Kayenta, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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