Warner Lake

Small USFS campground. If you like aspens, chirping birds, curious deer, and...relief from lower elev heat, give a visit. A few FF spots can fit campers 25' or less, bring extra blocks to level.

Great hiking right out of the CG.

I arrived on a Thursday afternoon at about 130 and the place was not even half full. The sites are on the small side but are very nicely spaced apart. The last 5 miles are on a winding gravel road that’s not real impressive scenery wise but as you come into the campground you enter a beautiful stand of aspens!

This campsite is a perfect getaway from the heat in Moab. There is a hand pump water station but the water has a lot of sediment so it is not recommended for drinking. Each campsite has a large locker for your food and trash. There are no dumpsters so be prepared to pack everything out. Also there were deer everywhere at this campground, especially close to the lake. They are not afraid of people and will poke around your site at night when you are in your tent. Overall a very nice place to stay but only 4 stars because $20 a night for a campground without electricity and bathrooms without plumbing is very expensive.

Up in the mountains above Moab, so temperatures are much cooler. There were lots of trees, and shade and the sites were nice and flat with tables and fire rings. The lake is just past the campground and there are a couple of great hikes near the entrance, one of which takes you up to 10k ft elevation with amazing views. The road to get in was a bit washboarded but an easy enough drive. Loved staying here!

I camped here in September 2019 as a home base while exploring the Moab area. Loved it. For some it may too far outside of Moab - takes about 50 minutes to get to and from - but it was a nice break from the crowds and the leftover heatof the summer. It's at 9,000+, so temps are much cooler, and in late September they were in the low 30s at night.  When i was there the campground was not even half full over the weekend, which surprised me. (I am sure it is a different story during the summer). Sites are spacious with a fire ring (with grate/grill) and picnic table. My particular site (#18) could have fit at least two tents, maybe three (if smaller). There are two vault toilet sites for different sides of the campground.  The ones I used were clean (as clean as vault toilets ever are) and had ample TP.  There are no bear lockers, so you have to lock everything back up in your car at night. Most of the road on the way to the site is paved (La Sal Loop Road) - it's only the last 5 miles on the turn off to the campground that are not, but it is graded gravel/dirt and not a problem (I posted a photo of the road to this page). I drive a small SUV with AWD, but a sedan could make it just fine. The campground is located in a huge aspen grove and is absolutely silent at night (except for the bugling elk that freaked me out around 2am…). If you are counting on the aspens being golden in the fall, they are about two weeks behind the peak in Colorado (fwiw...according to some locals I spoke with).  All in all I am looking forward to coming back here on a future trip.  Really great spot.

Warner is a beautiful campground with well maintained sites. For just 5$ a night you get a drive in spot complete with a fire pit and grill, as well as a picnic table. Most sites can accommodate 2 cars and 2 tents. The aspen groves surrounding the campsites are beautiful and the sound of the leaves quaking will lull you to sleep. The vault toilet is almost always clean and usually has a little air freshener in it (thanks kind folks!). A cabin is also for rent at Warner, it’s an old forest service guard station, a small peek inside definitely grabbed my curiosity and I hope to rent it soon. From the campgrounds a short walk leads you to the actual lake which is small but impressive, especially with MT. Haystack looming right behind it. On a clear day the lines between sky, water, mountain, and forest seem to blur into a perfect blend. From here you have so many trail options for hiking, equestrian, and MTB! The Gold Knob trail heads to the North, you have the Oowah-Warner trail which connects you to the majestic green Oowah lake, and several more that take you deep into the La Sal mountains. I stay here often and would recommend it to anyone looking to cool down, get some peace and quiet, and to anyone trying to get their hike on!

If you're lucky enough to visit the Moab area in fall, make sure Warner Lake Campground is on your list. We stayed in mid October and it was unbelievably beautiful (although crisp at night...). If you are new to the area, be sure you double check your map before heading out to the campground, there are two ways to get to Warner Lake, and neither are particularly quick.