Best Glamping near Escalante, UT

Everything is new. They still building the office / common room. The private bathrooms and showers are great. Everything is spotless clean. Laundry room only has 2 washers & 2 dryers. Fine now as this RV park is pretty empty. It also has several A-frame little cabins. Maybe a little dusty as they are finishing up all the gravel work. Hookups are good. Pads are level. Every spot has a picnic table & fire pit. Dog park kind of small. All dirt. Lots of areas to walk dogs. Verizon has 3 bars. WiFi is great, but not many campers here.

A couple miles to town. Off the highway. Very quiet. Very dark at night so really nice for stargazing.

And the mountain views are beautiful on 2 sides!

We definitely will stay again if we in the area.

Did you know that a lot of Airbnb listings have their own websites OFF of airbnb where you can book them for much cheaper since you aren’t charged an Airbnb service fee? I did, but totally forgot to check for this yurt. Shoot! 

We checked in to the yurt on our way to Bryce canyon which is half an hour away. The location was tough for us to find, especially considering that we had some traffic behind us so we couldn’t slow down too much as we looked for the driveway. The sign that they have does not have great visibility so we definitely missed the driveway going past it both directions. It definitely helps to familiarize yourself with the buildings on the other side of the road as landmarks if you are going to be coming and going frequently from here. We used a“no passing zone” triangular sign that was kind of by the driveway as our more immediate landmark. 

Jeannie and her husband live in the center yurt and are friendly, but they give you your space. Of all of my airbnb experiences where the hosts were on-site they were by far my favorite. It is really hard to find hosts that strike the perfect balance of friendliness. Apparently the 3 yurts on the property used to be an art studio and they have converted the two side yurts into liveable spaces. We stayed in the studio yurt which was cheaper, the deluxe yurt is more spacious and includes a couch and its slightly more removed from Jeannie’s yurt so your deck is more private.  A mini-fridge, microwave, and other kitchen small appliances that we didn't use were available.  

The BEST part of this yurt was the view from the deck. We passed up a sunset in Bryce so that we could hang out here instead. My husband spent a significant amount of time taking slow-mos of their hummingbird visitors- there were A TON of them. The other great thing is that there is a washer and dryer. It took me a while to figure the washer out since water would not run unless the lid was closed. It was great to be able to get laundry done in the middle of our trip while we could lounge on the bed watching tv instead of having to go to a laundromat- there is also wifi available! We would definitely stay here again, and if you look at their website you can see some other nearby cabins/tipis that are available to rent.

It's easy to over look the gem of an area as it sits between the mega attractions of Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks, but if you do you are depriving yourself of a real treat. This campsite nestles on the side of an inviting reservoir forming an oasis in the dry Escalante Staircase. The lake side pitches are cool and airy, the facilities are clean and modern (free wifi) and the camping fee entitles you to climb the hill behind the camp site and stumble into a jewel like land scape of a petrified forest where it is impossible to take a step without treading on what looks like rubies and sapphires. There's even a full sizes petrified tree laid out in the car park! Nearby there are waterfalls and petrographs and beavers' dams and fossil beds. It's just magic!

So, take Ruby's with a grain of salt. It's historic, big, and tourist-y. We camped in the tipi (most tipis are ON the highway, so request tipi 10) that was by the lake. The tipi is probably the only secluded camping available. It was fun and pretty comfortable. It was cool at night in June, unlike all the other places we have camped in Utah. Sadly, there are so many lights at Ruby's, you can't see the stars. But, the atmosphere at Ruby's is more like being at an attraction than being outside in nature. Bathrooms are too small and there aren't enough of them to support the campground. There are shuttles to Bryce Canyon park available from Ruby's. There are shops, groceries, and anything you need at Ruby's. If you're used to nice mountain bikes, do t get your hopes up with the rentals. They are in bad shape. Also, there really are not mountain bike trails in the area. Even mountain trails that allow bikes are really horse trails and terrible to ride.

Fruita campground is just behind the Capitol Reef NP visitor's center and right at the start of the Cohab Canyon trailhead. There are toilets and running water, but no showers, and NO cell service. 2018 is the first year the campsite is by reservations. However, it does advertise a few walk-in sites. Those site we not full when I was there even the though the entrance of the campground was marked a full. Campsite are flat, clean, and well shaded. You might be on dirt or grass. Expect the sprinklers to be running in the spring and summer. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, and charcoal grill.

This is our favorite place to stay when visiting the Capitol Reef area! We have been here a few times now and keep coming back! The views of the canyons are breathtaking and very close to downtown Torrey. The sites are well maintained and groomed daily, as well as clean. The staff are very friendly, welcoming, and helpful. Some of the sites along the back near the fence are a bit tight, however the pull throughs are spacious. We have also stayed in the cabins before and are cute and roomy with nice private back “yards” and front porches with chairs. The pool area is a bit small for the size of the campground and could use some upkeep, however still enjoyable. The gift shop is a must see and the best one near Capitol Reef! There are many clothes, trinkets, Native American decor, and camping supplies to choose from. There is now a grille however it is expensive. Sites are gravel with some full hookup and other partial hookup. It was a bit noisy due to the campground being full and the sites are somewhat close together and close to the cabins. The campground could use some more room as they have tried to fit a lot of sites and amenities into a “smaller” campground. The views are truly breathtaking and easy access to hiking trails, OHV trails. This is a must visit campground if you are looking to take in the beauty of the colorful Utah canyons!

I'm more of a fan of dispersed camping, but we wanted a spot with showers and internet for a few nights. The host was welcoming and let us choose our spot, however if you are planning to work during the days, make plans for a new spot after the official checkout. 

The spots on the edge looking over the field toward the cliffs were more secluded and nice, but very windy. There were wind huts for some, and fire rings although we didn't feel comfortable using them given the dryness and the wind.

There are spots for rigs of all sizes, and some with electric hook ups, some without. Wifi included, pay laundry.

Very close to Capitol Reef. Restaurant across the street is expensive, but good if you're looking for a fancier meal.