Sand Island Campground

Sand Island Campground was a great stop for us. It’s simple, scenic, and actually feels like camping instead of an RV subdivision with a gift shop. The bathrooms are pit toilets, so if flushing toilets are a requirement, this may not be your place. If you can survive that minor hardship, the rest is pretty easy. Fresh water is right by the registration board, and we paid for our site by scanning the Recreation.gov QR code posted there. No paperwork scavenger hunt required. Every site we saw had a picnic table and fire pit, and there are a few pull-through spots. We managed to grab one, which with a bigger rig felt like hitting the campsite jackpot. The kids had a blast looking for the petroglyphs. They’re easy to find, which means the kids get to feel like adventurous archaeologists while the adults avoid wandering aimlessly through the desert pretending we know where we’re going. It’s not fancy, and that’s exactly why we liked it. Beautiful surroundings, a practical setup, some genuinely cool history nearby, and enough space to relax. If your idea of camping requires marble showers and a concierge, keep driving. If you want a neat little desert campground with petroglyphs and a campfire, this place is a winner.