Top 9 Glamping near Blanding, UT

We came across Needles Outpost on our road trip across southern Utah. After some nights of dispersed camping, this was a welcome treat. The camping grounds were pleasantly spaced and we did not feel like we were on top of other campers. Amber, owner of the site, was absolutely wonderful and we enjoyed stopping into the outpost to chat with her. Amber had a store with crucial essentials that you may need, firewood (which was thick logs that go a long way!), gas for when you’re in an absolute pinch (nearest gas station is 30-40 miles away), and bathroom with showers (must purchase tokens, similar to NP sites). We did one night staying at site 4 and a night in one of Ambers canvas (glamping) tents. Both were extremely well kept and had beautiful surroundings. The sunsets over Canyonlands NP and the star gazing were outstanding and alone made the stay worth every penny. If we ever find ourselves back in the needles region of Canyonlands, Needles Outpost will be our overnight stay.

I'm sad to be the first non-five star review, but want to give folks a heads up about this campground so they can be prepared and hopefully have a great time.

First of all the drive out to the campground is really long, but beautiful. Make sure you have everything you need with you because your options are the outpost store and that's about it.

The campground is set up against some large rock formations. Those site set along the rock seemed to be nicer and more protected from the elements, but because of when we arrived to the campground we were limited to one of the more exposed sites.

Bathrooms and showers were pretty nasty. We had been on the road for days but both opted to hold off on showering because we were fairly certain we would have come out of the shower dirtier than we would have entered. Frankly I expected more from a private hosted campground.

The biggest issue for us was the sand and wind. The sand was super fine and got into everything. Upon arriving we started to set up our tent and at this point on the trip we had been car camping for a week so had the set-up and breakdown of our camp down to a science. Nevertheless after getting the tent set up very quickly and only opening the door to put a few pieces of gear in, there was a solid layer of sand inside the tent. We realized that rainfly or not, anything that was placed outside was going to get covered in sand. We opted to put some of our gear and cooler in the tent and we slept inside of the car.

Not sure what the solution would have been other than a solid-walled tent, maybe with a large closed off vestibule, but hope others might be able to bring gear to help minimize this issue. There were some other tent campers at the campground, but most folks had campers or RVs. My one thought is that the sites around the rock formations would have provided more protection.

Overall Canyonlands was beautiful and I wish we had spent more time there.

Mike in the office was really nice and communicative. We were slightly after hours (luckily still light) on arriving and he OK'd by phone & greeted us on arrival. The space was the front one and a bit difficult to maneuver with our large 36' trailer due to the rocks at edges but we managed by going around the circle. It got pretty muddy, not their fault, when we had rain for a couple days. Lovely restaurant, Comb Ridge, is walking distance. Easy drive to several sights in the area. Bathroom and shower (didn't use the shower, big one) were clean and well stocked, however the other one was closed for repairs. We couldn't use Srarlink due to an overhead tree; their WiFi was adequate for email and surfing on laptops and phones, but not enough to stream content. Good full hookups.

General: Privately owned campground just outside Canyonlands National Park. Caleb and Amber purchased the campground in 2017 and are working to keep it maintained and update it as time and funds allow. You can reserve and pay ahead of time, but site selection is first come, first served, starting at 11 am. We arrived at 3:30 pm and there were about four sites left to choose from. Small and large group sites are available as well as a couple of teepees. No hookups at all. 

Site Quality: All are red clay dirt and of varying levelness and length. Sites come with a picnic table and a fire ring. IMO, even though our site was not completely level, we ended up with a great site as we could sit up on the rocks above our campsite and watch the spectacular sunsets. I would definitely choose this site again! 

Bath/Shower house: Flush toilets and running water. Soap and paper towels were provided. Showers are $3 for 5 minutes for campers ($10 for non-campers). Didn’t use the shower so cannot comment on how well they work. 

Activities/Amenities: Enjoy spectacular sunsets. Caleb encouraged us to climb up on the rocks. Site 12 had a nice flat spot that was easy to climb (we easily brought our camp chairs) and great for viewing the sunsets and also for yoga. WiFi is available for $10 per device per day but we didn't take advantage of this. Other than that, there is zero cell service. There is a small store that has ice cream, a welcome treat after a Canyonlands hike! It is a short drive to the visitor center and to various trailheads. You are closer to the Needles District. 

It had been 35 years since we had been at Canyonlands, so we looked forward to returning. Caleb and Amber’s warm welcome, the fabulous sunsets, and the quiet vibe of the campground quickly won us over. Just make sure you look out for red ants; we had an industrious group in a large ant hill at our site. We would definitely return!