Best Tent Camping near Canyonlands National Park, UT

Centrally located off the main road. About ten minutes from Arches National Park and twenty minutes from Canyonland Nation Park/Dead Horse State Park. Level camping pads. Clean drinking water. The bathrooms are nice but there are only four so it can get congested. Slight noise pollution from the main strip but worth it for the central location. Nice pool. Moderately priced gas station and camp store on site. Friendly staff. If you plan to visit Arches NP don’t forget make the mandatory reservation online with the NPS.

Almost everything was booked up the day we tried to stay here, but there were some tent sites available for walk ins. Sites were pretty densely packed, but the beautiful views and uniqueness of each site were the highlights. Most sites seemed best suited for tent camping/lower impact setups, though we did see a handful of sites that accommodated RVs. About half were reservable ahead of time, with one loop reserved for walk ins.

I tent camped here for a few days with my young children while we explored the local National Parks. There were ample convinces, including running water and a pinick table at each tent site, two separate bathrooms/showers locations within the park, sinks for dishes, laundromat, an outdoor pool (kids loved the pool), and a gas station/convenience store. The basic campsite was decent, although small and hard to drive tent stakes into the hard sand ground. There were shade trees thoughout the park. Also, there's a playground and grassy areas for group gatherings. Nice location in the heart of Moab. Only downsides are it being a busy, noisy, dusty, non-remote RV park. Definitely a good value for the price.

I tent camped at this campground/RV park for 6 nights in early October 2020 and highly recommend this.  If you are looking for a secluded campsite in nature, this is not it.   However, I was looking for a location very close to the heart of Moab which great WiFi and cell service where I could work remotely and a nice camping set up.  This campground/RV park hit all those requirements and I highly recommend it.  The majority of the sites are RV sites here, but also several tent sites, both with and without power.  I booked a tent site with power so be able to work from the road and plug in chargers, etc.  The tent site power has 2 standard household plugs and was right next to the picnic table which was convenient.  I stayed in site G which had a fire pit, covered picnic table, and plenty of space for 2 tents.  All sites have picnic tables and fire pits, but not all are covered.  I worked from here for several days and the WiFi was awesome and my T-Mobile service had 3 bars.  I was able to participate in Zoom calls with no issue.  Bathrooms are extremely clean and there is a small room with a sink for washing dishes which is nice.  The office has a small store with camping essentials, firewood, and ice.  The staff is extremely helpful and friendly-- when I called with questions before booking, they talked me through everything in detail.  Aside from being in more of an RV park setting, there is a little bit of space between sites at least for an RV park style campground and the back of the property is against stunning red rock- which is probably why you came to Moab.  Less than a 5 minute drive to restaurants, shops, supermarkets in downtown Moab, short drive to Arches NP, also convenient to Canyonlands NP.  Highly recommend Moab Rim!

Campground review: We made or tent site reservations online en route to Moab. When we arrived there was a sign stating they had a special for $20 night for tent camping. The office honored the special and reimbursed us the difference that we had already paid. The young man helping us check in was very kind and helpful. Unfortunately the pool was closed due to some plumbing issues in Moab. Kind of a bummer because it was super hot and it would have been nice. We were provided direction to site 138. It was a nice site with a couple shade trees. Since it is a commercial campground in town it is noisy and you hear highway traffic. Sites are pretty close together. Just bring ear plugs and you’ll be okay. The site had a picnic table and a grill. No campfires are allowed. Some of the other tent sites had canopies for shade and rain protection.

Product Review: Stream2Sea https://stream2sea.com/ I sampled a variety of products from Steam2Sea. In the sunny desert, I was most interested in sun protection. Their sunscreen products are titanium dioxide based. They are all eco conscious, biodegradable and reef friendly. These products do what they say they will do, I did not get sunburned. Even in a sudden rain storm and sweating in the heat. I did reapply once after the rain.
To apply, rub product between palms then pat over the area you wish to apply then begin to rub it in. It will leave your skin whitish and a bit sticky feeling. I honestly did not like the feel of the sunscreen. It did protect me from the sun and it is eco friendly, but I prefer the bad for you chemical sun screen. Just my opinion. It is not a bad product, just not for me. I tried their sun protect lip balm with spf 30. It left my lips white and the cherry flavor just didn’t do it for me. I also tried their Tinted Sunscreen. This seemed better than the original, but still felt a bit sticky.

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My overall option on Stream2Sea is: If you are looking for an eco-conscious product then this is likely on of the best options on the market. For me, I think I will stick with spray on coppertone.

Each tent site has a pad and a shelter that has a shade panel. There is no parking next to the site, but it is small walk to the site. The tent sites are spaced far apart and some are tucked behind the Goblins.

There is a good restroom facility with running water and showers that do not need a token or coins. There are 4 showers. Overall, this is a great place to stay.

There are only 11 asphalt paved RV camp sites. There are 14 tent sites.
Each site has a covered pavilion with a picnic table, fire ring and a tent site. Drinking water is located throughout the campground. The bathrooms have flushing toilets and hot water in the sinks. They are spotless! The showers are equally as clean. There are no bad views here! The hiking and biking trails are right there. This one is one of my favorites! Go!

Utah has such a wide variety of geology and Goblin Valley campground is in the middle of it. Sites are a bit close together, but they have shelters over the tables and there are some walk-in tent sites that are more secluded. Nice, free showers too.

More of an RV & trailer campground, but they do have a row of tent sites. Each tent site has a picnic table and space for your tent and car, but not much (if anything) else. Unfortunately we had LOTS of ants on our site when we stayed here overnight in late June. Thankfully there was a flatbed trailer parked right next to our site and we were able to pitch our tent on the trailer, safe from the ants (thank you awesome couple from Chicago who let us use their trailer!). The staff was very friendly & there are plenty of facilities (showers & bathrooms) and WiFi for campers, too!

We came in winter this time and got a tent camp easily, only one other group was camping. If you dont want to tent camp in the winter they also have yurts for rent. We had a different approach to Goblin Valley this time around and decided to do the Lair of the Basilisk (Goblins Lair) canyoneering route. We got to hike in and around snow covered hoodoos that culminates in a 100' drop into the lair! It is truly a magical place and worth a visit! You can also get ti the lair by a now popular marked trail around the east side of the park. 60 m rope recommended plus helmets.

Laundry, large kitchen, communal space, and showers. Everything you need on the road but the tent sites barely fit a tent and are squeezed against the fence. Stayed in van and the spot was tight.

Horsethief Campground is a BLM campground between Moab and the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park. Besides easy access to many mountain biking trails, Horsethief Campground makes a great base camp for exploring both Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. 

Horsethief Campground Info

* Elevation: 5780 ft

* Fee per Night:$20

* Total Campsites: 57 sites in the main campground and 27 sites in the tent loop across the road

* Water- No water available in the campground

* Reservations Not Accepted, except for Group Site#39

* Cell Service: Little to No Service with AT&T or Verizon.

* Open Year Round(Weather Permitting)

Area Activities:

* Numerous mountain biking trails

* 4 wheel drive roads

* Canyonlands National Park

* Arches National Park