Best Camping near Arches National Park

Recent Reviews in Arches National Park

1839 Reviews of 245 Arches National Park Campgrounds

• d

  dan M.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 18, 2024

  State Land Road #144 Valley City Site

  Train lovers delight

  Couldn’t be more perfect if you loved train horns blasting at intersections and coal cars rolling by combined with a steady hum of highway traffic from your cozy dirt pull out.

  There are millions of acres of public land around here. This site is something I will not visit again. If I would’ve known better, I would’ve driven down the road another few miles. Looks like there is more camping that direction.

• 

  Paulina B.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 15, 2024

  Sand Flats Recreation Area

  Rugged Beauty and Adventure

  Sand Flats Recreation Area near Moab, Utah, is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering unmatched access to world-class trails like the famous Slickrock Bike Trail and stunning desert scenery. The campsites are well-spaced and boast incredible views of red rock formations, making it a great spot for those seeking adventure and rugged beauty.

  The campground’s location is unbeatable if you’re here to bike, hike, or off-road, with trails starting right from your campsite. The simple facilities, including vault toilets and picnic tables, are well-maintained. However, this is true desert camping, so don’t expect shade or luxuries like water hookups—you’ll need to come prepared.

  One downside is the summer heat. Even at night, the temperatures remain uncomfortably warm, making it difficult to cool down or sleep well during peak summer months. A portable fan or extra water for cooling off is highly recommended if you visit in the heat of the season.

  That said, the experience of camping under the stars in such an iconic landscape is hard to beat. If you can plan your trip during the cooler months, Sand Flats Recreation Area is an unforgettable destination for outdoor exploration.

• M

  Michael M.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 2, 2024

  Utahraptor State Park Campground

  Don’t let the entrance deter you

  This place was great. We had initially planned to boondock elsewhere but found this location close to both Arches and Canyonlands and some online reviews that mentioned being good for bigger RVs. When we first rolled in, we saw a lot of toy haulers and other rigs with ORV’s- I thought it was going to be loud and and dusty. I was wrong. We drove further to find a site- our map showed a large loop we could turn around on if we didn’t see anything. The further in we got the better the road became and we found many well auto camp spots with tables and metal fire rings. It’s posted to only camp in spots where there are rings- we found that several people ignored this ¯_(ツ)_/¯ We ended up grabbing. A spot that was essentially a pull through and gave us a stunning view and at least 100 yards from our nearest neighbor. Initially I was irritated by the 15$ fee but thought better of it given the well cared for road, many portable toilets as well as vault toilets throughout the park. I saw a ranger patrol which made us feel safer. We were able to let our dog off lead although as with most desert locations- there were stickers and cactus galore. There is definitely wildlife roaming around. Great place to stay a few days or longer if you’re set up well. We only heard one person running a generator and it wasn’t loud enough to disturb our stay.

• K

  Kevin T.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 30, 2024

  BLM Mineral Point Road Dispersed Camping

  Quite a drive in

  It was quite a drive in, we just got parked on the edge of the campsite as the smaller roads leading into the campsite looked a bit uneven for our campervan. You do drive passed a paid campsite initially, keep on driving. We had the place to ourselves.

• B

  Bill H.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 26, 2024

  BLM 378 Willow Springs Road

  Great off grid spot

  Clean quiet and convient. Boondocking with large off grid trailer

• 

  Sarah S.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 23, 2024

  BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed

  Surreal. Most incredible experience camping of my life.

  Spending the night on the rim of canyonlands national park— Definitely one of the most magical experiences of my life setting our tents up during sunset and waking up during sunrise overlooking the vast canyon!

• 

  William J.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 3, 2024

  Pack Creek Mobile Home Park & Campground

  Quiet and out of the way.

  Off hwy 191 and very quiet. Level pads with room to stretch. Wi fi was ok and good cellular signal. Bathrooms are heated with nice showers with plenty of hot water. During our stay, we noticed dirt on the shower dressing area. I'm not sure if it from people tracking it in or the cleaner not mopping properly. It was a minor problem. Host was friendly and helpful. Yes there are many full-time campers, but the rigs are in good shape, and the folks are quiet. Price is good for Moab and we would stay again.

• z

  zac W.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 2, 2024

  Athena Slabs at Green River

  No longer a campground

  All the slabs are torn up as of 11/2024, would not risk getting a flat tire for this spot

• 

  klaus H.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 31, 2024

  Dalton Wells Student Trust Land - Dispersed

  Closed

  Its closed

• E

  Emma T.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 28, 2024

  South Klondike Bluffs / Road 142 Dispersed

  Convenient, free camping spot near Moab and Arches

  Quite a few campsite options with lots of wide open space, although this means you can see other sites and have little privacy or coverage from the sun. On a clear night you can see a breathtaking amount of stars. Close to the highway so there's some noise throughout the day, but it does quiet down overnight. Road is a little rocky and bumpy but nothing too crazy, most vehicles should be fine.

• J

  Jackie A.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 28, 2024

  Moab Glamping and RV Resort

  Excellent amenities and views

  My partner and I were work campers at this location from the end of Aug until about mid October. There are a variety of accommodations from dry camping, pull through RV sites, tipis, cabins, rental RVs, and safari tents. The office is also a cute gift shop and general store with fresh popcorn and homemade pastries available for free. There are two different showers facilities that are maintained beautifully. There is also an observation deck for sunsets and star gazing. Lots of improvements on the way too.

• Q

  Quentin K.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 28, 2024

  Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown

  Excellent overall

  Check in after hours is great. Nice bathrooms. Fast WiFi.

• 

  Kim S.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 27, 2024

  BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed

  Gorgeous views but....

  Stayed one night in early Oct 24 before making my way into Canyonlands NP on a Sunday night. Absolutely stunning campground. Probably one of the most gorgeous sites I've stayed at. It wasn't too hard to get into or anything on the road and seemed to have tons of sites. 

  The big BUT is that there was a lot of toiletry waste around the area tho and when it became nighttime tons of people started coming in and that place echos. Please leave no trace, it's such a gorgeous place.

• 

  James B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 25, 2024

  Big Bend Campground

  Got the last available spot

  We were feeling desperate when the campground we had reserved was inaccessible due to construction. Being right on the Colorado River was a special experience in its own right, and it gave us easy access to Arches, Canyonlands, Bears Ears, and, of course, Moab itself. Another reviewer here mentioned free filtered water from the local outdoor gear shop, which is well worth visiting. This campground was clean, though the huge dumpster needed attention.

• K

  Kirk J.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 24, 2024

  Sun Outdoors Moab Downtown

  Close to everything and well maintained for comfort & safety

  A very nicely designed and maintained campground right in Moab. They have a North & a South site—we stayed in the South camp. The facilities/comfort stations are clean, have been updated over time, and everything works well. The showers were hot and stayed hot for a proper hot shower after a long day. Electrical outlets at every sink for the more domesticated campers. The sites varied in size, so be sure to ask about “fit” for your rig or tent. The several tent sites are located along the back side. There is a Carwash just over a creek/ravine behind that side and you can hear it working all day, but it stops around dinner time. There is also a highway nearby and the traffic is a bit noisy, but traffic pretty much stops around 9-10pm and doesn’t get noisy again until around 8 am. The campground is close to everything in Moab, so you can hardly get a more convenient location. Arches is just out of town to the North, so travel there is a breeze.

• 

  Andria R.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 22, 2024

  Yellow Circle Crossing

  Crowded, shady & grimy

  Flat space, but crowded (already a bunch of RVs, vans and even a semi). Unfortunately, when we found a spot the fire pit was filled with glass beer bottles and trash and the whole area smelled gross. Also, pretty shady and not ideal for solar. We didn’t stay

• 

  Andria R.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 22, 2024

  Behind the Rocks Road Dispersed

  Beautiful, but booked

  Rough road, 2WD is fine. Flatter spaces, good for RVs, are farther back. Only stayed one night because organizers of some Mad Moose race kicked us out to prep (we drove in the dark and missed any signs). Seems like a popular event space, so probably a good idea to check for happenings in advance (and plan ample time for prep!)

• k

  karl

  Guide

  

  Oct. 20, 2024

  Spanish Trails RV Park

  Nice park

  Nice level, wide spots. Clean bathrooms with roomy tiled showers. Lots of atv traffic.

• 

  Rick P.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  BLM Lower Onion Creek Camping Area

  Great stopover

  After searching for campsites around Moab, I drove out  128 and stumbled onto this gem. Just a clear spot on the side of the road adjacent to the Colorado river. Close to the road so there's traffic until late hours but fairly quiet after 10 pm (at least during my stop).

  Pit toilet and not much else but a good spot for one or two nights.

• 

  Jennifer B.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 18, 2024

  Sun Outdoors Canyonlands Gateway

  Solid

  Staff is friendly and helpful! Gave a great recommendation for an off road drive through Canyonlands NP. Good view out the back of property of Arches. Pool needed to be fixed while we were here, so can't speak to that. Showers are older and water pressure is dismal but they're warm and ok for washing off the dirt we were coated in after hiking in the Moab wind. Sites are easy to find and grounds were clean and neat.

• 

  Chris P.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 17, 2024

  The Needles Campground — Canyonlands National Park

  Desert Getaway in The Needles

  Spent (2) wonderful nights under the moon and stars. One of my favorite campgrounds within the NP system. I stayed in Site 20 Loop B. Trash and Vault toilet nearby. Deep sink for drinking water and dishwashing a few minutes away.

  No cell service. Wifi at Visitor Center (8 min. drive from Loop B). Friendly staff and volunteer rangers. Fire pit/grille and picnic table. Looking forward to the next stay.

• U

  UT801

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 17, 2024

  BLM North Klondike Bluffs Campground

  Good option at right time of year for area access

  Stayed night of May 5. Arrived around 4p on a Friday and was pleasantly surprised at the number of available campsites. All FCFS. About 24 in total, we stayed in #19 but didn't look like any were bad spots. All spots exposed, no trees. SO remember---HOT in summer-time. Most had good views of sky and La Sals. Trash and vault toilets but no water. Space between sites good. Has a camp host. Dirt road in is a little rough with washboard. No apparent stickers but cows had been in the area recently per patties and prints in the dried mud. Close to dinosaur tracks, easy hikes and lots of bikes. 

  Got 5g in campground

• U

  UT801

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 17, 2024

  Windwhistle Campground

  Nice out of the way off Hwy 191 SE Utah

  Stayed night of 4/21, all single sites FCFS but we found a space arriving around 1230 on a Friday (space 4, $20). Clean restrooms and followed well kept dirt road to Needles Overlook and took a few walks. You can also drive even further to  Hatch Point Campground (we did not stay there but it looks well kept, clean, exposed, QUIET, & definitely isolated at Hatch with views similar to Dead Horse SP north of Moab). At Windwhistle it was mostly RVs but very quiet, no one using generators excessively. Was hoping for a clear sky but mostly overcast. Low around 38. Beautiful sky.

  Other stuff in area includes Newspaper Rock and Natural Bridges, Grand Gulch.…not to mention Moab, La Sal mountains, etc.

  We have never had WiFi nor cell service there.

  Food aside: Made quesadillas with green chile tortillas, cheese, and some jerky.

• U

  UT801

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 17, 2024

  Wingate Campground — Dead Horse Point State Park

  Reservations go FAST and months in advance

  Stayed in site 52 which had a lovely view to the east and LaSals. Most sites on this side of Wingate campground are pretty good. Flush toilets are very good but has to be brought in by truck. Temps were in the 20s (we think) and it was quite cold, even with the electric plugged in and heater set at upper 50s. Beautiful sky views. Nice trail around the rim of Dead Horse Point (looks a bit like Grand Canyon)

  Food aside: Had freeze-dried Asian noodles, added beef jerky and was spicy HOT & had high FQ (fart quotient). Also ate freeze-dried bone broth rice with added turkey jerky, and beef noodles meal and both were quite good. 

  Kayenta campground is also nice with trees and the shelters have cabinets and overhead lights. Also seem like vegetation is plentiful, offering privacy between sites. Checked out the campgrounds in Canyonlands- FC/FS and the sites appear level. There are 12 sitesv(one is handicap only) and 2 vault toilets. Also looked at Cowboy Campground, 7 sites that are mostly level, a vault toilet, FC/FS but appears pretty nice, easy access from road and good views. Also looked at Horsethief which has 50+ FC/FS sites that are mostly level. Plenty of vault toilets. Road in is dirt and was fairly rutted but passable with van.

• L

  Luke B.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 14, 2024

  Yellow Circle Road Mountain Top Camp

  Nice Spot Near Moab- Sedan Friendly

  Long dirt road with tons of large pull offs. Many group site areas near the bottom were full. I drove a bit further up and pulled into a small dirt cul de sac and set up my tent. Made it up in my 2WD sedan, but it was bone dry. Lots of exposed rocks in the road, so drove slowly. Good spot near Moab after hiking in Arches!

• 

  Cassie R.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 13, 2024

  BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed

  Great Scenery, Lots of off roading traffic

  First time camping here! Rolled up during the day and it was quiet with breath taking views of the canyon. Set up camp and once night fall came so did all the off roaders (who seemed young) rolling up to our campsite trying to find a place to camp. This went on until almost 12am. This must be a really popular and well visited disperse camping. Great place to camp if you don’t mind people camping on top of you.

• 

  Arthur M.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 13, 2024

  Needles Outpost Campground

  Awesome!

  We loved staying here. Very remote but just minutes to Canyonlands Needles Visitor Center. Other people around but quiet and well kept. Views are anazing. The owners are really nice and I had a great milkshake. Highly recommend this campground.