Rustic camping near Arches National Park remains popular with minimal facilities, particularly in desert terrain averaging 4,000 feet in elevation. The area experiences extreme temperature variations, with summer days routinely exceeding 100°F and winter nights dropping below freezing. Primitive camping sites typically feature slickrock or sandy surfaces requiring stakes or weights to secure tents.
What to do
Mountain biking access: BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed offers proximity to numerous mountain biking trails. "This spot is a top tier location, close to Moab and canyon lands. The perfect location for canyon lands and biking in Moab or dead horse state park," notes a camper at BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed.
Scenic drives: Camp at Yellow Circle Road for quick access to scenic routes. "Location is key with this site. You are 10 minutes from Arches National Park. You are also close to the state highway, train tracks, and powerlines. I didn't mind the train. The buzzing of the powerlines took some getting used to," explains a visitor at Cotter Mine Road Dispersed Sites.
Stargazing opportunities: The minimal light pollution makes nighttime viewing exceptional. "If you are a star gazer then this would be your 5 star place. With no light noise you can see every star in the night sky!" reports a camper at South Klondike Bluffs / Road 142 Dispersed.
What campers like
Spectacular sunrises and sunsets: Many sites provide excellent vantage points for colorful skies. "This is probably the best campsite I've ever stayed at. I really don't think you can beat it in Moab and I've stayed a few different places around Canyonlands... This view is unreal and doesn't even seem real especially at sunset," writes a visitor to BLM Middle Fork Shafer Canyon Dispersed.
Cell reception variability: Signal strength differs between locations. "2 bars on verizon. Plenty of room for any size rig. Really quiet," notes a camper at BLM 144 Dispersed.
Weather considerations: Wind can be problematic in exposed areas. "Got here Saturday night at 7pm expecting to have to drive a ways out to find a spot. The 1st 2 spots were clear and we took the second one. Plenty of dead wood laying around for us to have a small fire. I've seen 2 cars drive past since we got here. It's so quite and peaceful. There's some small annoying bugs. Nothing that bites," reports a visitor at BLM Mineral Bottom Road Dispersed Camping.
What you should know
Road quality varies significantly: Many access roads require careful navigation. "We pulled in moved all of our stuff from the back of my suv (we're car camping) started a fire started cooking pulled out our chairs and kept feeling weird vibrations. I went to the car and I kept hearing something told my husband he blew it off..few minutes later kept getting louder. He went to the car and said the car was vibrating. We were getting shocked/electrocuted!! Something was going on with the power lines. It was creepy. You could feel it in the ground," shares a camper at Cotter Mine Road.
Ground conditions for tent camping: Securing tents can be challenging on rocky surfaces. "Super rocky so you'll have to use rocks to weigh down your tent corners since you can't stake them down. We had an amazing time until around 10pm when a massive wind storm hit and definitely would have blown away our tent if we hadn't been standing there," explains a visitor.
Crowded conditions during peak seasons: Timing affects site availability. "Super packed on weekends and full of UTVs," notes a camper at Bartlett Flat Camping Area.
Tips for camping with families
Safety around canyon edges: Watch children carefully in areas with steep drops. "We camped on a Friday night there seemed to be tons to choose from. Views for miles. Mountain biking for miles. Must camp if you're in Moab area. You need a 4x4 vehicle to access. ATV Trails too! This does cost but it's worth every cent. Bathrooms were decent condition. Highly recommended," advises a visitor at Porcupine rim campground.
Potable water sources: No water is available at most dispersed sites. "About a 45 min drive from downtown Moab. Probably want 4WD. Bumpy road and a few tight turns but not too bad. Free camping spots up at the campground were great. We got there at 5 pm and found plenty of good places. Bathrooms available (not bad). Beautiful spot to watch the sun rise over the rim!!!" shares a camper.
Noise considerations: Some areas experience significant vehicle traffic. "This was an awesome place to camp. There are tons of spots to make your own little home for the night. Most spots have fire rings that have been made out of rocks by other campers or legit fire rings. There are even port-a-potty's that are clean," notes a visitor at Dispersed Camping Outside of Moab - Sovereign Lands.
Tips from RVers
Site selection for larger vehicles: Some areas accommodate big rigs better than others. "Large open flat are, mostly big RVs toy hauler groups sxs. No toilets, no water, no cell signal. However, one of the only large free dispersed areas left in Moab district. Portable toilet system or RV toilets are required," advises an RVer.
Generator etiquette: Be mindful of noise in dispersed areas. "Exactly what it is. Off main road camping. Be careful some access roads are rough but depending on Rv very cool views and places to boondock," shares a camper.
Dump station locations: Plan ahead for waste management. "This is a hoppin place. A lot of travelers must use this spot as base or a quick overnight spot. Either way it is a great area. The camping spots are spread out over a half mile dirt area so plenty of room to spread out. It is a bit bumpy all around, so finding level ground is a challenge but not impossible," notes a visitor.
