Horse camping is the perfect way to enjoy Blanding. If you're an equestrian lover who prefers nature-based adventure, yet still wants comfort, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Equestrian camping is the best way to experience nature. These scenic and easy-to-reach Utah campsites are perfect for your horse camping excursion.
The beautiful Cedar Mesa sandstone monoliths, pinnacles and other geological features of this enchanting area are known as a Miniature Monument Valley. These sandstone sentinels were eroded by wind and water over eons of time. The 17 mile loop through the Valley of the Gods is a graded gravel and clay surface road (San Juan County Road #242), that has a few sharp turns, and crosses several washes. Driving time is approximately one to two hours. It is suitable for passenger cars when the road conditions are dry. However, road conditions vary throughout the year with regional weather conditions. Local inquiry should be made during and after periods of inclement weather. There are several car camps along this route. However, no campfires are allowed.
Free dispersed, also known as primitive, camping is allowed at the Monticello Field Office, Manti-La Sal National Forest, and Bears Ears National Monument except where posted. Any in-canyon camping on Cedar Mesa requires a permit, available at recreation.gov. For dispersed camping, remember the following regulations: • There is a 14-day camping limit while occupying any campsite on BLM-managed lands. • Only travel on designated routes. Off-road driving is not permitted. • The best campsites are found, not made. Do not create new campsites or alter existing ones. • Use existing fire rings or use a fire pan. Collect only dead and down wood; do not cut limbs. • Don’t leave fires unattended. Remember to drown and stir campfires before you go to bed or leave your site. • Be aware of any current fire restrictions. • No dispersed camping in the vicinity of developed recreation sites such as picnic areas, campgrounds, or trailheads. • Find an even site to camp on without trenching, digging, leveling, or trimming tree limbs to fit your tent or trailer. • Be courteous of other campers. • Pack it in, pack it out, including human waste.
Right Outside the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park The campground is OPEN MARCH 1st - November 30th Monday-Saturday 9 am-6pm The store opens March 15th. CLOSED SUNDAYS August-September Canyonlands Needles Outpost is a campground at the entrance of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park in southeast Utah that combines the fun of rustic camping spots with a few modern conveniences.
$30 / night
Car camping on top of Cedar Mesa and in many of the surrounding areas is a great way to experience the high desert. Cedar Mesa has plenty of primitive, dispersed campsites. No fee is required to park and camp along dirt roads managed by the Bureau of Land Management on Cedar Mesa, Comb Wash, Arch Canyon, or in Butler Wash. There is a 14-day limit at all campgrounds and at dispersed camping sites. Camping is only allowed in well-established campsites.
No new campsites may be created. Visitors must practice Leave No Trace techniques and Visit with Respect. All trash (including toilet paper) must be packed out. Human waste must be packed out or buried six to eight inches deep, 200 feet from all water sources. Bring all the water you will need for your trip. Outside of seasonal and local fire restrictions, campfires are allowed but must be contained in a metal fire pan. Camping inside the canyons of Cedar Mesa requires a backpacking permit. For visitors hoping for more camping comforts, campgrounds at Goosenecks State Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, and on US Forest Service land generally have pit toilets, tables, and fire rings. Private campgrounds may be available in surrounding towns.
Guide
Very easy to drive on road, we took a 2WD car and had no issues. Plenty of spots so you’ll always find a place to camp for the night.
Great views at every spot and barely any road noise from the highway. Good AT&T coverage.
No fires allowed here so keep that in mind
Ranger
Way up there where it's hard to breathe! Had to do things slowly and deliberately but a beautiful setting. No way to get to Bears Ears National Monument unless I had a 4x4 and I have a Subaru outback. Found a great spot that was completely quiet and perfect for stargazing. No bear issues but no facilities of any kind whatsoever. Go prepare!
Guide
When we arrived it was howling wind and blowing sand. We worried the side of our van would be nothing but primer in the morning. Fortunately by the morning it was sunny and calm with stunning vistas. The area is exposed with few secluded opportunities. Despite mid week in May, many spots were taken. That said, it was so beautiful we would not hesitate to visit again.
LegendThe scenery is amazing and there are ample places to camp. Very little cell reception. The dirt road is in good shape.
Traveler
Amazing hosts, fantastic meals available. Old western town vibe. Dark skies. Hikes, dirt biking, mountain biking, ATV / 4wd trails everywhere. 45 miles to Moab, but a world away.
GuideWe found a spot about 3km in from the 163 entrance. Great views. Windy in the afrernoon but dies down around 5pm.
ScoutAs a dispersed camping area, it's a wonderful location with beautiful vistas with radiant pastel colors splattered everywhere. The weather was perfect towards the end of October.
The roads are rutted and although I see plenty of passenger cars back here, my 25 ft travel trailer pulled by my F150 did all it could to pull thru the ruts, hills and hollows. Don't go off the main road without dessert 4x4 capabilities. Spots filled up Friday thru the afternoon. I arrived around 12pm and luckily got a nice spot about a mile in as I did not want to pull my trailer any further in.
Stayed all weekend!
GuideThe valley of the gods is astoundingly, beautiful and spending the night in the valley was near perfection.
Scout
We adored it here. Came thru with two adults and two girls in a van on way from Taos New Mexico to Moab. Loved meeting Amber and Oscar. Wonderful rocks to climb for a sunset view.
LegendGeneral: 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!
TravelerAbsolutely gorgeous place to park the van for a night. Super easy to find and plenty of areas to find a quiet spot to yourself. Roads were a little rutted coming in but nothing crazy.
GuideUnique location right next to the national park. Loads of gekkos. Very quiet. Very simple camping with limited services. The Norwegian forest cat Oscar is keeping guard
Travelerbuddy and I just pulled off the main road to sleep for the night, there was only one other car at the site and e didn’t get a chance to explore but it was beautiful
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.
Legend
Snow Flat Rd is rough in a few places for a non-high clearance vehicle, but it's worth it. This site was really good for my campervan, but I don't recommend the drive to this spot for larger campers. The site was large & relatively flat. Had a clean rock fire ring. Private area nearby for toilet setup. Wonderful view from the top of this mesa. Wildflowers were blooming at the site. Site was well off the road. There were a handful of offroaders passing by on their way to/from Comb Wash. Otherwise, very quiet & peaceful. No amenities. No T-Mobile nor AT&T service.
LegendThe ride on Lower Butler Wash Road to reach this site was no problem for our campervan. Crossed 2 dry washes; took it slow. One of several dispersed sites along road. The site is well off the road. Flat, level spot. It has a rock fire ring. Along side Butler Wash which was nearly dry at the time. Beautiful views all around. Very quiet & peaceful. Only 2 other vehicles drove down Butler Wash Rd. Ground cover & juniper provided some privacy. No AT&T nor T-Mobile service.
Ranger
We stayed here for 2 nights. Easy to get to. Dirt road that is a little bumpy at times. Don't need high clearance.
Traveler
There are 6 campsites up a dirt road off the main road. Two are suitable for small RVs. The photos on The Dyrt must be very old. This place is run down and filthy. The "chuckwagon" is an antique, and I would never consider using these facilities to cook a meal. The shower house is 0.13 miles up a dirt road up a short hill. There was a nice view from the campsite, however. Very disappointed for a $50/night minimum 2-night stay. We left as soon as we could after the first night.
TravelerWe found an untapped, tent camping gem in Sand Canyon. We were the only tent campers there over Memorial Day Weekend and it was wonderful. Jessica and Joe have an incredible spot for campers, walking distance to Canyon of the Ancients trails and Sutcliffe Vineyards. Their space is set up to host school groups, so there's water, a toilet and shower, a camp kitchen area, pavilion and fire pit. Joe helped us with some car troubles and had awesome recommendations. We would've went for a horseback ride but they were all booked for Memorial Day Weekend. Highly recommend this spot, $35 per tent site, two night minimum. Can't beat the location and perfect balance of dirt bag lifestyle and comfort of this place. Don't sleep on Canyon Trails Ranch- it was a slice of heaven.
TravelerNice camp. Rain makes roads very soft. General store has gas and few items. It's near the needles and entrance to Canyonland. Good hikes and showers. Views are awesome.
GuideThis is an oasis for sure. Closest gas station is an hour away, so this campground sells emergency gas at a premium, which to me is super important considering how many miles of exploring there’s to do. They’ve even got Wifi for a charge. Showers and flush toilets on site make this campground a step up. Someone else commented their showers needed paint, but it looks like they tiled it all recently. There’s a giant rock backdrop to the campsites. Most of the sites seemed spacious and far enough apart to give some privacy. If your main destination is the Canyonlands, this is probably your most comfortable place for camping right next to the park.
TravelerThis campground has amazing views and you can do fun scrambling and bouldering right on the grounds. It’s right outside of Canyonlands national park. The bathrooms were super nice and there’s a little store. Some sites are right under the rocks which is the best.
ScoutThis is a private campground right outside of the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. There are some really wonderful sites with a bit of privacy and great views. Access to fantastic hiking and climbing. Showers are available and flush toilets. On the down side there is little shade. The only thing wrong with this campground is that it closes too early in the fall.
Horse camping in Utah offers a unique opportunity to explore stunning landscapes while enjoying the company of your equine friends. With various locations catering to horse enthusiasts, you can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Blanding, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Blanding, UT is Valley of the Gods Road Dispersed with a 5-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Blanding, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 equestrian camping locations near Blanding, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
