Are you planning a tent camping trip to Blanding? We've got you covered. Find the best information on tent camping near Blanding, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Search nearby tent campgrounds or find top-rated spots from other campers.
$30 / night
A scenic expanse of desert grasses and shrubs surrounded by sandstone spires.
The Abajo - Harts Draw Recreation Area is located in southeastern Utah west of Monticello, south of Canyonlands National Park and north of Blanding, Utah. The area extends from the east Forest boundary to the Cottonwood Road on the west and from the north to south Forest boundaries. The closest access is from US 191, SR 211 near Harts Draw, and Monticello. It features wonderful views of the Abajo (Blue) Mountains, including Horsehead Mountain and the highest peak in the range, Abajo Peak at 11,360 feet. It features a network of trails, scenic drives, camping, and opportunities for back-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Scout
This campsite was easy to access. Had an amazing view and clean facilities. We would stay there again if we’re in the area.
Traveler
Easy spot to get to, paved road most of the way. Watch out for deer if you’re driving in the evening, we saw lots of them. The pull in spot had one other truck and trailer when we arrived and we had room to turn our rig and towed vehicle around to get the mountainside view. Little muddy in spots. Very quiet.
Traveler
We stayed here during hunting season, noticeable amount of noise in the very early hours of the morning due to this. On a clear night you can see an amazing amount of stars!
Traveler
A meticulously maintained park with lots of room, some shady trees, and level sites. Views of the beautiful red cliffs.
Traveler
Cute clean little park out of the way of the Moab crowds. Great stop over in that long stretch of 191.
Guide
Just stayed one night but the site/roads had been recently repaved and park was being updated. Tall pines, good hiking and quiet surroundings made for a good overnight stay.
Guide
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.
Ranger
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 road to end Needles Overlook and took a few walks. Mostly RVs but very quiet, no one using generators excessively. Was hoping for a clear sky but mostly overcast. Low around 38.
If you have time, drive down dirt road (good condition) to Canyonlands NP Needles Overlook. Other stuff in area includes Newspaper Rock and Natural Bridges.…not to mention Moab, La Sal mountains, etc.
Food aside: Made quesadillas with green chile tortillas, cheese, and some jerky.
Guide
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.
Traveler
Never in my life have I heard of Mexican Hat, let alone the rock it’s named after. Jeez this place was cool, the river was beautiful, the dispersed camping areas were great under the stars, and that dang Mexican Hat Rock juxtaposed to the unforgiving sea of desert just put a huge smile on my face.
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
TravelerVery nice RV park. They have done alot of improvements so everything is clean and new. All pull through sites, level sites, a new bath house with large showers and laundry facilities. The only complaint is that there is not much shade, but they have planted trees, so are trying. The manager/caretaker is busy everyday working on keeping the property nice & in good working condition. Very nice and accommodating. We would definitely stay again.
GuideQuiet spot. Plenty of spots on a Saturday afternoon. Metal picnic tables, fire pits, paved parking spots.
Traveler
Gorgeous Views literally camping on the rim of a 1000 foot high cliff overlooking the goosenecks of the San Juan river below. No designated campsites. Just pick your spot along the canyon rim. Great place for trailers / campers. I wouldn't want to camp here in tent.
Pros:
Easy drive in and pull up to a spot.
Dark sky area so you can get some amazing night photography shots
Close to other attractions including Valley of the Gods, Muley Point (which would also be a fun campsite), Monument Valley (a bit further afield), etc.
The canyon below is stunning and the goosenecks are quite remarkable
Cons:
This is not a site for small children. You are literally camping several feet away from a 1000 foot cliff.
You are on top of a mesa and we had some strong winds blowing across.
The terrain is very flat, but is also rocky. I would not want to set up a tent on the rocks and/or fight the wind with a tent.
The pit toilets are reasonably clean, but only located by the park entrance gate. So if you park further along the rim, you either need your own facilities, you have a very long walk, or you are driving back and forth over the rocky road (disturbing all of the other campers along the way).
The last observation is that while the goosenecks are truly incredible, especially from the main lookout spot, the color of the rocks in the canyon aren't as varied as other places (i.e., compared to Dead Horse Point State Park). As a photographer, I kept hoping the coloring would be more captivating once the light shifted, shadows moved, etc., but that never happened. Go in with the right expectations and you won't be disappointed.
Traveler
We were unable to find any open spots at Comb Wash Campground on the south side of the road. And the spot we found on the north side was full of sticker weeds. Yuck. Ain't nobody got time for that. So we headed up the road toward blanding until we saw a camping sign and drove a short ways up the road and found a turn out.
This is basically a convergence of several old roads. It was rather dusty/sandy. But grasses rather than sticker weeds. Cottonwood trees are in the wash below the spot. It was big enough that several vehicles could easily share this spot. A larger RV *might* do OK pulling in here.
I've checked and it is BLM land, part of the Bear's Ears National Monument. Their general rule is to allow dispersed camping off of any existing road within the monument area. Additional spots are definitely available off this road or its shoot-offs.
This is a great, secluded spot. The only reason for the 4 stars is that it isn't really a room with a view sort of location.
Guide
Hovenweep is a national monument with small but modern quiet campgrounds. The dark skies for amazing stars are spectacular. While they do not have showers, their bathrooms were clean and convenient to the loop of campsites. It was quiet and the rangers were friendly and warm. The Hovenweep monument archeological treasures are well worth scheduling a few hours to hike and visit. There are several ancient structures on the site (a small canyon) and the hikes are short and sooooo worth doing.
Legend
Sign at hwy Jct notes Foy Lake, however all the maps call this Spring Lake.
Paved road all the way to the single vault toilet. The lake is a small fishing lake and fenced off from camping and cattle. Free dispersed camping scattered around, some are very large and big rig friendly but access roads can be rough rocky or have clay and could be muddy if wet. Elv is 8200 with views to north to the La Sal mtns and down into the Canyonlands needles area. Access from either Monticello or hwy #211 is all paved. Only a single vault toilet, no dumpsters, no water, no tables. Cell signal is possible depending on your camp location.
Guide
The owner and host are very friendly and the host is very helpful. Conveniently located to visit Arches National Park, Mesa Verde National Park and Four Corners National Monument Restrooms are like house bathrooms with showers and they’re nice and clean
Legend
Nice large area, lots of spur roads going to many dispersed camps. Roads have clay so some low spots can be mud holes after rains. Area is at 8850 elv, seems popular for hunting in the fall so be aware from Sept on. Vegetation is mostly oak brush and scattered pine trees and aspen. Cell signal on T-Mobile was almost useless for downloads. This area has a paved road all the way from Monticello, about 8 miles back to town. No toilets, no dumpsters and no water. Two developed FS CGs are close by but seems to have an aggressive approach to dispersed campers using the dumpsters.
Scout
A few campsites dotted here and there. The site of this particular one is a couple miles up the road 2wd can easily reach. Established firepit and was perfect for a drive-in OHV. Could fit an RV at a squeeze.
ScoutNot free anymore but still an enjoyable experience. I was the only camper there on a weekday.
ScoutGreat place to stay, large trees provide some shade and the bathroom is an actual room, very comfortable. Hummingbirds fly around the small garden near the office and the highly recommended Comb Ridge restaurant is just around the corner.
Guide
Several spots on N Radio Hill Rd E off the 191 a few miles north of Blanding Utah. Paved road. Very quiet. Perfect for an overnight stay on your way to Moab. Some spots are very spacious. Access to the reservoir with boat landing. Trash container at the end of the road.
Traveler
Beautiful views, good cell reception. Could hear neighbors but people were quiet and respectful. Also lots of bats flying around!!
Traveler
We stayed here for one night while passing through. The price is very low at $8. The pit toilets are extremely clean and the campground is super clean. The campsites are very large and have a Pavillon but offer only a little privacy. There is potable water available via a hand pump, but I don't recommend drinking it as there were small particles in the water. We didn't see a camp host. Overall, it's a perfect campground for 1-2 nights for very little money.
ScoutI arrived here late afternoon, big sign in the beginning- pay online under www.mexicanhatrocks.com - it’s 18$ per night for just a place to park- no toilets. . No reception with T-mobile to pay online. Went to gooseneck state park campground instead, only 10$ per night and they have toilets.
ScoutWe needed a stop before our travels to Colorado. What a gem! Beautiful sites and so quiet. And with our Senior pass (federal national parks) the cost was $10! We didn’t have a reservation but there were many sites open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Blanding, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Blanding, UT is Picket Road BLM with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Blanding, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Blanding, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
