Best Tent Camping near Moab, UT
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands surrounding Moab, Utah offer numerous tent camping options ranging from established campgrounds to remote dispersed sites. Yellow Circle Road Dispersed Camping Area, located about 11 miles south of Moab, provides free primitive tent campsites with mountain views and stargazing opportunities. Gemini Bridges Campground features five well-marked tent sites nestled within a narrow canyon surrounded by high cliff walls, though it requires a 40-minute drive on rough roads from the main highway. For tent campers seeking amenities, Up the Creek Campground in downtown Moab offers a tent-only experience with showers, picnic tables, and shade trees from March 13 to November 1.
Most tent campgrounds near Moab require campers to bring their own water and pack out waste. Portable toilets are required at many dispersed camping areas, as digging cat holes is prohibited on BLM land. Tent sites typically feature dirt or sand surfaces, with occasional fire rings at established locations. High clearance vehicles are necessary for accessing remote tent campsites like Gemini Bridges, where the road becomes steep and narrow with sharp rocks. Walk-in tent sites at Jaycee Park Campground require carrying gear between 30-100 feet from parking areas. Summer temperatures can exceed 100°F, making shade a valuable commodity at tent sites, while spring and fall offer more moderate conditions.
According to reviews, Yellow Circle Road provides peaceful backcountry tent camping where "we were the only ones out in this area with not a single car driving by." The sites offer excellent views of the mountains and spectacular sunsets. At Up the Creek Campground, one camper noted that "tent-only camping is peaceful with no RVs, generators or blinding headlights." Moonflower Canyon Group Site features deep sand surfaces that are "great for sleeping on" but can present challenges as "sand blew in through the mesh of our tent." Many primitive tent sites require proper preparation, with one visitor at Gemini Bridges advising: "No facilities of any sort. Pack in, pack out. Be prepared to enjoy fresh air, beauty, quiet."