Sitting alongside Highway 128 where the Colorado River bends through canyon country outside Moab, this BLM camping area draws both road travelers and paddlers who use it as a staging point for floats on the Daily. The site is open all year and costs a fee that varies by season. It is, as one visitor put it, "just a clear spot on the side of the road adjacent to the Colorado river," which captures the low-key, unmanicured character of the place.
The river is the main draw. Campers arrive by car, on foot, or by boat, and several reviewers describe sleeping on the sandy beach across from the main parking area rather than setting up formal camp. Sightlines from the site take in canyon walls, mesas, and rock formations in multiple directions. Wind and temperature can drop noticeably after dark, so layers are worth packing. A pit toilet is on-site. Not much else.
Road noise from Highway 128 carries into camp until late evening, though reviewers note it tends to quiet down after 10 p.m. Some shaded tent spots exist near the parking area. The Lower Onion Creek Campground sits less than a mile southwest for those wanting a more established setup, and the Lower Onion Creek Group Sites are nearby as well. Paddlers planning a multi-day Colorado River trip will find this area a workable overnight stop between put-in and take-out.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsBLM Lower Onion Creek Camping Area is located in Utah near Castle Valley
Public CampgroundDirections
The Lower Onion Creek Group Campsite is located approximately 23 miles east of Moab, Utah. Travel on Utah Highway 128 to a sign that says “Fisher Towers”. The Lower Onion Creek Road is directly opposite the Fisher Towers road. Turn north (toward the river) onto the Lower Onion Creek Road. There is no sign marking this road. (Note: the sign on the highway that says “Onion Creek” does NOT mark the road that you want.) Travel on this graded road toward the river; the group site is located at the end of the road.
Coordinates
38.74257242 N
109.34786518 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 8/22/26
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 user
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo CoverageVerified by 1 userLast on 8/22/26
- AT&TNo CoverageVerified by 1 user
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
Drive Time
- 1 hr 13 min from Grand Junction, CO
- 3 hrs 13 min from Provo, UT
- 3 hrs 32 min from Farmington, NM
- 3 hrs 44 min from Salt Lake City, UT
