Sun Outdoors North Moab

We arrived on a Friday evening. Although we had initially booked spot 38 online—a shaded area, we didn’t pay the extra $20 fee for the spot hold and ended up in spot 110–no trees and very crowded.

Two hours prior our arrival we called the front office to let them know how far out we were and when we would be arriving. They said no problem and that they were ready for us. At check-in, the gentleman running the counter informed us that our spot was given to someone else but they had JUST repaired another spot that had been unserviceable for some time—spot 110. This spot was very tight and not a pull-through as we had requested. The power went out about 3 times in the one night we had stayed there. There was no cable hook-up for us to use and we were entirely unable to utilize their WiFi.

Otherwise, the site was good, there were choices of 30/50A sites. Each site had full hookups and there were some great amenities On the grounds— a pool, laundromat, small store, dog run. This campground is on Main Street and incredibly easy to access. Furthermore the staff was incredibly kind and helpful, it was just disappointing that we didn’t get the site amenities that we had paid for.

In regards to cleanliness, the grounds were pretty well-kept but we were there during heavy winds. The site we were at had bottle caps on the grounds leftover from the previous campers, dog poop that hadn’t been picked up and there were styrofoam bowls that had flown into our area from others.

We wanted a to share our time between BLM free camping and having amenities and Slickrock Campground was the only RV park that has space for us. I'll start with the good. Nice showers and large bathrooms. The laundry room was nice and machines were credit card (no coins or tokens needed). The pool is refreshing on a hot day. We had a 35' rv hookup site for a hybrid trailer and 2 vehicles. 30 amp power, water and sewer. That's about it for the good. The bad as of mid October 2020: The sites have no privacy and some sites have 2 picnic tables side by side, one for you and one for your neighbor which makes it difficult to stay 6' from your neighbor to help prevent the spread of Covid. The hot tub is filled with concrete. Which was one of the biggest disappointments. We were really looking forward to a soak after a hard day of mountain biking. WiFi doesn't work and due to construction power is iffy in a lot of sites (multiple people drawing on 50amps).

Construction. The entrance has been moved and is a steep ramp in soft Utah Red dirt. Construction starts at daylight and continues until evening. There's red dust everywhere. Traffic into town is insane due to construction (the the campground's fault) and a left turn out of the campground can be nearly impossible 8am-7pm.

Awful experience! 20 Hours priori to my arrival they send me an email stating about some of the inconvenience that I could have, fine, what is done is done! Once there they escort me to my spot, a car is parked there and I have to wait 20 minutes, fine, no big deal. He place is literally a construction site, with heavy machineries, pipes, dust and trenches. My sewage hookup is taken by the neighbor, the grill and the table are missing and the space is so tight I can’t even open the awning, fine, I ask for help but nothing happen for the following 45 minutes. So I just decide to find my own solution, I move into a free spot and I communicate it to the guy, and guess what? Now “help” arrives! The owners (lady, gentlemen and their son) they try to find a solution trying to justify themselves but I si ply remark them that I’m not moving, I needed help before! In all this internet doesn’t work! Zero, zilch, nada: “oh they cut the cable while digging” what a joke, and they obviously wait last second to tell you, zero communication. I finally setlle but of course I’m not happy of the whole scenario and I decide to stay just 2 nights instead than 3, so I ask a refund (they claim instead they gave me a refund for my inconvenience). During the day guess what? Water is missing, shut down because of the works in progress, which could be understandable, but is not acceptable the lack of communication, no one said anything, not even a posted sign! I complain and water come back after another 45 minutes. It doesn’t finish here. 2 rv arrives at 10.30 pm, fine, I actually even helps the group of people with hookups. At 11pm they started bbq, and having loud conversations till past midnight, obviously no one in the property there to let notice the happy group about proper behavior. The morning finally comes, 7am and I can’t wait to leave, but guess what? Water is missing again, I simply ask how long it will take and I get a “5 minutes” answer, the property tells me “they don’t tell us what they do” (can you imagine?what a joke ) 1 hour passed by and I’m fed up, I can’t leave because I can’t take a shower and I can’t dump my tanks, I’m. Ask ally hostage. Im pretty upset and so my is neighbor and other customers too. I go and try to be heard, things escalated, with the owner getting pissed off because I simply tell them how everything is a joke, he even try to get aggressive and physical “inviting” me to go to his house to confront him (what a genius), I simply shout at him that I’m there waiting for him! The fun part is not done, he actually call the police on me, seriously, what a joke (he is a joke and his place) police officer came and we had a civilized discussion explaining to him what happened ed, even himself told me “he should have just closed his section where are working”. But being greedy doesn’t let you think, and that’s the result. Those people should have a communication class because they are very poor at it, they lack of critical thinking and problem solving. They should have closed the whole section, dust is everywhere, noise from machines is constant, it’s everything but a vacation! No one told us prior the arrival about the real situation, about internet and about intermittent water. They just send you an email the day before, you can read also other reviews to confirm that, (such smartass) when hey could have sent it at the moment of reservation. Can’t wait to see if they reply and how they reply. I don’t recommend this place to anyone, at all! I work in hospitality and I travel a lot, all over the world (probably he owner should too in order to understand what customer satisfaction means) and I’ve never seen a place so unorganized, badly conducted and in such conditions! A disaster

We booked this at the last min wanting to get out of town for memorial weekend. This was the absolute only thing I could find. I’m usually not one for RV parks, but all non private campgrounds were still closed due to covid. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The facility was at about 50% capacity due to covid/social distancing rules. The staff was super friendly. They had spent most of the quarantine remodeling the bathrooms and they were wonderfully done and spotlessly clean. This was the highlight of our stay. Unfortunately they hadn’t finished all the quarantine projects that had originally planned. This resulted in a very messy, unmarked, un-shaded, and overly crowded tent camping area. Since the sites were unmarked, we came back to tents pitched all over the place, even in the road passing through this part of the campground. It was an unorganized mess. But overall we were just happy to be out and recreating in such a beautiful place. Oh and the views are pretty good from this RV park as well.

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.

The product I love and will repurchase is their Nourishing Body Lotion. It is packed with good for you ingredients and has a nice coconut scent. It absorbs quickly and leaves skin feeling soft and healthy. It is one of my favorite lotions.

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.

I paid more than two times a National Park or state park campground for the world’s tiniest site in the middle of what is essentially a parking lot with trees and a few tables…

Slickrock Campground should only be a last resort for tent campers as it was for me. I chose to camp here exclusively for the showers which had insanely variable water temperature. The bathrooms are in need of repair (moldy sinks and such) but were overall clean.

The only redeeming factor was going to be the hot tub. Doesn’t soaking in a hot tub after a day of hiking sounds great? Even if the pools are right on the main road. When I checked in I specifically asked if the hot tub was open, the woman at the desk looked me in the eye and said, “yeah the pool is open 10-10.” Which was true enough, the pool was open but BOTH hot tubs were closed…

They currently have a deal that it’s only $20 for a single tent site as a walk-in camper. If reserve ahead of time it’s considerably more. This encourages people not to make reservations and is thus a bad business move.

Perhaps if you have an RV this is a nice place to spend an evening or two, it’s conveniently located near the town of Moab and the nearby national parks.

RANGER REVIEW:

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: SLICKROCK CAMPGROUND, MOAB, UTAH http://slickrockcampground.com/

The Office/store/pool/hot tubs/laundry room/pool baths located to the right as you enter the campground..

The clerk was pleasant and informative. Registration was quick and you are encouraged to drive through the campground to choose the site of your liking. Tent sites were a flat $20.

PROS:

•Relatively inexpensive

•Pool

•Hot tubs (2)

•Stocked store

•Free showers

•Clean spacious restroom/shower house

•Close proximity to everything in area

CONS:

•Stacked on top of each other

•Tent sites aren’t clearly discernible

•Tent camping in Moab in August is unpleasant due to heat and blowing dust (campground cannot control this one)

•Road noise

•Pool is only open 10:00-10:00 (I really wanted to cool off at 2:00 a.m.😉)

If you are purely looking for an inexpensive place to plop your tent or RV/Camper that is conveniently located to all things Moab…choose Slickrock campground. Slickrock Campground is located directly between Arches National Park and the cool little town of Moab.

In mid-August, it’s hotter than hot…87 degrees at night with no wind (which may keep you up at night) as I write this at 1:00 a.m. 108 degrees during the day.

Very diverse crowd, as foreigners choose economy camping to tour USA. Which is pretty cool.

RV/Campers have full hookups/electric and are priced higher, and A/C Cabins are also available for rental.

Tent sites are entirely dirt/powered sand. No electric, no water. Some offer a corrugated plastic shed roof shelter, others do not. We were early enough on a Sunday to secure a shelter. We also waited until evening to erect the tent due to a fine dusty sand that permeates everything…and to attempt to keep things cooler. Each site has an elevated charcoal grill and a stunted picnic table. If you drive a small economy vehicle you park that between the grill and your tent for line of sight barrier from your neighbor. The slightest squeak is heard from site to site.

We chose site 126, along the back of the property, furthest from the roadway. We still needed earplugs. A property line wire fence separates from the neighboring company that just so happened to leave their overhead light on all night…a small annoyance. Site 127’s vehicle was a few feet from our tent. No measure of privacy. But again, the price for the area…and a pool.

Arches National Park is 3 minutes north, Trendy Moab 3 minutes south. We visited both. Being a cyclist,..it’s Nirvana. Never have I seen so many bicycle/outdoor shops within one square mile…I trembled with excitement.

If you are looking to get away, enjoy solitude and be immersed in nature…Slickrock Campground is not for you.

If you are looking for a place to lay your head with pretty decent amenities within a rocks throw of all things cool…Slickrock is a great choice.

PRODUCT REVIEW: Inno Racks INH330 Two Bike hitch mount.

Inno Racks is not new to the bike rack community. Originating in the 60’s in Japan, they have been in the U.S. for almost two decades. Inno Racks offers several dIfferent style bIke racks, as well as attachments for wInter sports, water sports and cargo boxes. http://usa.innoracks.com/

The INH330 came packaged lIke Fort Knox…every part securely In Its place. No assembly required. DIrectIons do come wIth the rack, but adjustments are intuItIve and simple. Pop-pIns secure the wheel trays either flat for mountIng bicycles or uprIght/folded for storage. A pop-pIn also allows for angled tIlt.

The Inno INH330 can fit eIther 1.25 or 2 Inch receIvers and comes wIth an allen key to help wIth that transItIon.

Also Included Is a four foot cable and keys to secure your bIkes or rack to your receIver via an integrated lock.

Adjustable Wheel Trays slide along the horizontal rails to accommodate bicycles of varying lengths. To adjust, simply unloosen a large nylon wingnut and slide…when the wheel tray is in the desired position, tighten the wingnut securely. That simple. Each Wheel Tray has a dual ratcheting strap that is slipped through the bicycle wheels spokes and over the rim to secure the bicycle wheels and prevent the bicycle wheels from bouncing out of the wheel trays during transport. Wheel Trays accommodate tire sizes from less than an inch wide to five inches wide.

Frame Attachment: The Inno INH330 utilizes two vertical telescopic/ratcheting center posts with swivel-style ratcheting adjustment strap for each bike frame. Directions display this attachment on the bicycle's "down tube." The strap has both a sliding rubber bushing and a rubber pad on the center post to prevent damage to the bicycle finish. I found that I could also utilize the "seat tube" for attachment to the vertical attachment posts…if a water bottle cage was not attached to the bicycle seat tube.

Once secured properly at the horizontal center post and each wheel tray, the bicycle was held fast…no movement was observed…which is imperative if you don't want damage to bicycle frame or finish.

Removal is equally quick and simple…both the bicycles from the carrier and the carrier from your vehicle. (See video below)

A single Pop-pin through each horizontal wheel tray arm pops out with a pull, which allows you to fold the wheel tray arm up and re-insert the pop-pin. A directional pop-pin secures the INH330 in your vehicle's receiver, a push and twist removes the pop-pin and the bicycle carrier can be slid out of the vehicle's receiver. A centered T-handle between the vertical/ratcheting posts allows you to easily carry the INH330 to storage. At 30lbs, the INH330 is manageable.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, I liked the simplicity of the INNO INH330. Over the past four decades I have owned a myriad of different bike racks from various high profile companies…roof mounts, gutter mounts, window/trunk mounts, and hitch mounts. Some racks required removal of wheels with fork attachments. I suppose each have their place. For fuel economy reasons, I no longer desire a roof rack style carrier. The rear liftgate/trunk style rack has contact points on my vehicle's paint, which I no longer desire. The hitch style is my preferred method of attachment as it prevents the rack from stealing away fuel consumption, it doesn't mar my vehicle's paint or dent it's metal, furthermore, I have easy accessibility waist-to-shoulder height to my bicycles (a plus for aged and repaired shoulders).

I believe INNO Racks has a winner! (I would like to see the ability to add a third and fourth bike attachment, though😏).