Willow Springs Trail is state-owned land located 13 miles north of downtown Moab Utah. The state provides some vault toilets and port-o-lets throughout the area, but there are no designated campsites or fire rings.  

Utahraptor State Park is located roughly 15 miles northwest of Moab in the Dalton Wells and Willow Springs area of Grand County — where Utah’s most famous dinosaur was discovered. The site is also home to the historic Moab CCC Camp and the Moab Isolation Center. 




Willow Springs Trail

We car camped at Willow Springs for 2 nights and had an awesome experience. The road getting into the area itself is easy enough for any car and then the campsite roads vary from totally flat to requiring 4WD. There were lots of people camping but plenty of space between all of the sites (and a huge variety in site choices). Awesome view of the La Sal mountains on a clear day and the stars were amazing too. Great place to camp for free near Moab. I will definitely be back.

Free and Spacious

Open desert, coyotes, cool nights.  You can't beat it.  There is no water, toilets, etc.  You must bring everything, and LEAVE NO TRACE! Only pull off where a spot is already established.  The road is good for 2WD cars, although dusty and washboarded in spots.  Don't pay to stay in Moab!

Favorite spots in Utah

This was my first shot at dispersed camping and it was great! There are a lot of campsites although it was busy while I was there I was still able to find a good campsite. Even though it was busy we felt like we were the only ones there. There are no facilities toilets showers Etc but there are great views and close to Arches National Park. I would recommend and I will go back! What else can you ask for on top of being free

All on your own

**Campground Review:** I stayed one night at the Willow Springs Road Dispersed Camping North of Moab, UT. This was awesome camping. I am only giving it four stars because I was not in the right mindset for this type of camping at the time. This is dispersed camping so park and set up camp were you see a fire ring and be sure to follow Leave No Trace principles. Pack out whatever you pack in. Because it is FREE people need to follow these guidelines to keep it that way. Overall it was pretty free of trash but not totally. This camping area has no amenities—no water, no trash, no toiles, no tables, no metal fire rings. There are a few port-a-potties scattered around but don’t rely on one being close to you. With that, be careful where you walk as not to bust the crust as you find a spot to dig a hole. Finally, the only other negative was there was a lot of gnats/baby flies around in the morning when I was packing up. Not a super big deal but they were annoying.

What I really like about the camping, besides the free price, is its proximity to all the activities that Moab has to offer and the scenery was beautiful. It is open and more exposed camping, but the sunset over the hills can’t be beat and you can find trees/protection if you get there early enough. You are about 20 minutes from town, closer to Arches and Canyonlands.  5 minutes from the Klonzo and Bar M mountain bike trails and 10 minutes from two other large mountain bike trail systems (Klondike, Horsethief). There are also Jeep trail entrances and awesome rock climbing (Wall Street) before you hit town. It can get pretty crowded but I never felt that my neighbors were right on top of me. Overall, you can’t beat free camping in Moab and this is a great option.   I will definitely be camping here again.

**Gear Review: Lily Trotters Compression Socks**

As a Ranger of The Dyrt, I was given the privilege of testing some gear This gear review is for some [**Lily Trotters**](https://www.lilytrotters.com/) compression socks. Note that this gear review is for usage not just at the Willow Springs Trail campsites but during a month long backpacking trip, daily city wear, mountain biking. I have the [**Sassy Bow in Black**](https://www.lilytrotters.com/collections/sassy-bow/products/sassy-bow-black) in size L/XL as well as the [Dots-A-Plenty in Grey](https://www.lilytrotters.com/products/lily-trotters-signature-compression) and [S'Mitten in Purple](https://www.lilytrotters.com/products/lily-trotters-signature-compression?variant=7423592595479) in S/M. According to size charts I could fit either size (my calf measurement was for L and everything else was for the S). I wore the larger pair on my month long backpacking trip to allow for the additional swelling but I wear the smaller pairs for everyday and either for general hiking and mountain biking. First off let me say, they are really comfortable socks in general. They stayed up on my legs and never felt too loose or too tight. The compression also kept my feet from swelling as much as they normally would have had I been wearing normal hiking socks. I also really liked that they were feminine without being too girly--an aesthetic I appreciate in today's women's gear products.

Because I had these socks with me for the whole the whole month, I decided to try them in a variety of different situations: I wore them with 1) sock liners in hiking boots 2) solo in hiking boots, 3) with liners in trail runners, 4) solo in trail runners. I didn't get to try them as liners themselves because my feet would have gotten way too hot! Short story with all my experiments is that once the sock was in place (i.e. no wrinkles and any bandages were smooth) they kept my feet contained and prevented them from swelling too much which allowed for my shoes to stay roomy and comfortable. The only time I wasn't too happy is when I wore them solo with trail runners in soft dirt as the dirt went through the shoe mesh and stayed in the sock making my feet super dirty (this also happened when I was wearing traditional hiking socks).

General observations: These are not padded socks. They have a reinforced heel which is great especially if your heel moves in your shoes or you have bandages from blisters you have a little more protection. I did wear a hole in one pair while backpacking but the company was awesome when I contacted them and they replaced it with no issues. With the lack of padding and the large number of miles I was doing every day, my feet were tired and sore at the end of days wearing them due to the heavy impact. This fatigue was lessened when I switched to trail runners but it didn't go away completely. (I switched to trail runners about 2 weeks into the trip so still in the process of adapting to through hiking.) These were also really easy to care for. They dried quickly if I got them wet and were easy to beat the dirt out of. Weight wise, they matched some of my wool hiking socks so I didn't mind having them in my pack. Finally, these socks do not guard against mosquito bites. I got quite a few through the sock material. I also wore these socks on an 18 mile mountain bike excursion and they made my legs feel great. I had the energy to go longer and I didn't feel too sore that evening or the next day and I think the socks were part of that. They even protected against scrapes against low bushes.

All in all, these were great socks and I would definitely recommend them for everyday around town or perhaps day hiking. When I do another longer backpacking trip, I will probably bring another pair with me because they are awesome but I would be more selective in the days I wear them.

Ranger Review: Lilly Trotters Compression Socks at the Willow Springs Trail

Great place to pull off and find a spot in the busy national park area. Access to several intermediate mountain bike networks. Great views of the La Sals

Wide open, accessible camping near Moab

If you don't mind foregoing a restroom – don't hesitate to choose this as your camp site for your Moab-area adventures! This will seriously be my go-to any time I'm in the area. There are an insane number of designated dispersed spots along this road (don't cross the creek bed unless you have 4WD) and all of them have killer views, tons of room and plenty of privacy. The sunsets are killer, and we saw lots of birds, bats, lizards, and a jackrabbit. We even saw hot air balloons each morning floating across the desert. Plus, it's free and less than 10 minutes from the entrance to Arches. Couldn't ask for more!

My go-to spot in the Moab area

So this is BLM land and you can stay 14 days. I recommend coming in durning the day cause it’s confusing at night. But it’s pretty much like 2 miles of this dirt road right of the main road that has TONS of Dispersed Camping. I mean tons! As long as you stay within the fenced in areas, you’re good to camp. Rvs, trucks, cars, and tents as all set up in here. And it’s surprisingly quiet for the amount of people camped out. Despite the numbers, there’s plenty of space for everyone. Can’t go wrong with this spot! 
There’s also porter potties placed about every half mile between sites and there’s a pit toilet at the front of the road. 
It’s a little bumpy when you pull into some of the camp spots off the main dirt road, but my two wheel drive Saturn could handle it so it’s not bad. There’s fire rings places throughout. No water. Would stay here again any time I visit Moab. Just 11 miles north of town and a quick drive at that. 

Awesome Free Camp 

Drove from Denver to this campground to camp in my car solo and explore all Moab had to offer. Felt safe the whole time, made friends with other campers nearby. Trailhead was dirt and bumpy in some places, did fine in my 02 Outback. Close to a gas station that had a bathroom. Will be back when I get the chance to visit Moab again! Went May 2018.

Will be back!

Thanksgiving in Moab is heaven! We pulled up here on Weds evening for the holiday and we got our own space with plenty of personal space between us and other campers. It was cold at night (-2) but we stayed nice and warm with extra blankets and with all the slick rock and trail riding we did during the day we were so work out we didn't even notice.

You can see Arches NP from this road so it was a great way to wake up every morning with the sunrise creeping up over the Red Rock.

It is dispersed camping so there are occasionally port-o-potties but no trash pick up. We did our part cleaning up other people's trash that was left out as well as other campers wandering around cleaning up the place. Because of this, it was a beautiful spot to spend the extended weekend.

Quiet and Breathtaking

A little rough getting back in very far with a Class C but we did &amp; found a pretty quiet place the 2nd night. First night we were closer to the highway &amp; more traffic going back &amp; forth until late with people looking for spots. 

Great Place

Open dispersed free camping along a gravel BLM road. Went all the way to the end and the road was fairly smooth in our dodge promaster. There are porta potties every so often and they’re surprisingly very clean. I would definitely stay here again.

Great spot! 

Large area with plenty of spots, a few side roads lead to even more spots. Main road was in good shape, side roads get pretty rough. Nothing impassable, just slow going. There are several Port-O-Lets along main road and a pit toilet near the back of the area. Arrived the Wednesday before Outerbike and found a spot at the end of the main road. Was a very busy weekend and the place stayed full - but never felt too crowded. Easy access to the Klonzo and Sovereign Trails via Willow Springs Road.

Good dispersed site near Moab

Stayed here last weekend and had a great time with our large group! Plenty of camp sites along the main road and smaller connecting side roads. Some of the side roads definitely require 4x4 and high clearance to drive.

  

We found an amazing site overlooking Arches National Park in the distance. Plenty of spaces for campers, RVs, trailers and tents. Sites are simple and marked by fire rings. Not much shade so it would be pretty hot out here in the summer. Gorgeous views! 

  

It was super crowded this time of year but still very clean, no trash, bathrooms in great shape too!

Great dispersed camping just outside of Moab!

Just outside Moab and arches it’s a beautiful dispersed camping area with amazing views 

Amazing 

Stayed here for a night before checking out the Delicate Arch at sunrise. Works pretty well for that as it is only a 10 minute drive to the entrances of Arches NP.

  

We didn't venture very far down the main road, and at the beginning it is pretty dense with campers. Probably not the best choice if you're looking for more secluded camping.

  

Mid-November it got down to about ~30 degrees F. Down to ~24F when we entered the park at 5:30am.

Serviceable camping area near Moab

Good spot, Porto potties are placed along the trail. It was busier than I expected it to be in December, about a dozen campers; 2 others drove into the area I parked in. Plenty of spots though

Free and toilets

This was a great camp area. We drove on to a large stone surface and were completely level. Some road noise and late night late comers. 

6 miles from Arches NP. 
No shade
Free! 
Safe. 

Flat rock patio 

Willow Springs is awesome for the person that wants to be out in the middle of nowhere without really being super far away from something... it’s about 15 minutes outside of moab and directly off of the highway. camping is first come first serve and is usually busy here, so find your spot in the afternoon for a good chance of getting a cool one! Roads are rocky and harsh, and will continue to get worse as you keep driving. 2 wd vehicles are usually alright for the first little bit, but 4wd+ is always recommended! The skies at nights are insane, and worth the rocky drive in!

such a cool spot!

It was nice to come back here in our campervan after days of hiking around. It was so big and spacious that we had no concerns about not finding a spot even pretty late at night. It wasn’t gorgeous or anything but everyone was respectfully quiet and there were a few porta-potties scattered around. Worked as a nice reliable place to park for a few nights. 

Just fine!

We rolled in pretty late so didn’t get the best spot but a stunning place to wake up to. Nice neighbors. Porta-potties throughout if you need them and easy access to Arches. First time staying on BLM and can’t wait to do it again.

Lovely spot to camp

There's a ton of space here, I counted over 60 campers on a Saturday morning, and there was likely more than that. 

The dirt road is easy to find, spots are easily accessible on the road for RVs of all sizes. Once you go further back, the traffic is less because the road becomes very rough. Cars can make it, 4x4 is better suited and RVs with good clearance can make it to the very back (go slow!).

The only downside is with so many campers there's always noise. Most were considerate of others, but plan for generators and that group who stays up late on a Friday and doesn't care how loud they are. (Use sleep ear plugs)



Lots of space, but busy

I’m a tent camper and did not really enjoy this place, but camping around Moab is pretty cutthroat and I didn’t have any other options. I stayed here one night and packed up at first light to try to find something at any of the areas along the Colorado River. 

I would say this area is about 90% RVs, campers and vans. It really looks like trailer park with a very “red” overall vibe to the place. 

I found a spot almost at the very end of the trail, thinking it would cut down on noise/ traffic, but it really didn’t. I did not explore this area at all, but there must be some great allure to this trail that escapes me because there were pick up trucks at UTVs coming and going all night. Even at 3 am. 

The sand is very soft and silty here and will get all over and in everything, which I think is pretty typical of the area, but the open field and wind on this trail make it a bit more noticeable/ annoying. 

The road in and out is incredibly manageable for a 2wd car (I have a Camry). I didn’t go all the way to the *very* end, but what I drove was just  your standard gravel road with some rippling. Not sure why others are suggesting 4wd or high clearance. Some of the pull-in areas may be softer/ sandier and require more power in a vehicle, but the road itself is fine imo.

A good last resort

Willow springs road is what to look for off the 191. So we came here after we couldn’t find Courthouse Rock camping. 
The road was passable for our Jeep Patriot that is only 2wd. The spots are massive and fills up super quick. We arrived on a Thursday around 430pm and it was totally full. Thankfully there was a nice enough person to let us camp with her in her spot. We each had a corner and there was still room for another tent. Cool spots near boulders and other cool spots totally tucked away.  Port o potty along the road and one or two vault toilets. No water so be sure to bring plenty for cooking and cleaning. Cold at nights but beautiful skies. About 15 minutes south from the Arches National Park. Gas station up the road with beer, snacks and gas. Oh and the Arches has water to fill up your containers. Sweet spot man. 

Awesome spot

Lots of camping down Willow Springs Road. Little spots for tents and vans and huge rock areas for larger RVs. Free, 14 day max stay. Occasional porta potties in varying states of cleanliness. It appears that some people not staying near a porta potty bag their used toilet paper then dump it next to the porta potty. Gross.

We have kids so it feels like quite a few trucks and SUVs travel a little too fast down the road which also kicks up dust.

***The Maverick gas station in town has potable water and free dump station



Free & beautiful

Got here in the dark very worried about finding a spot but had no problem getting set up quickly. We found a quiet spot with great views. Our Toyota Highlander didn’t have the best time getting over some big rocks the deeper we went off the main road so we stayed close to the road. There seemed to be infinite amounts of sites you could go but most were taken due to our late arrival. Everyone there was quiet and respectful and waved as we drove by. We were two college girls and felt very safe sleeping alone there. We brought our dog and she loved it. 

Awesome

We came out here just hoping for a spot to plant the camper while we explored, we got a lot more. Our caravan had 3 campers and 15 people, plenty of space even with it being Jeep safari and spring break. The kids loved climbing the rocks and bonus there is a trail with dinosaur tracks! Even with the crazy wind we still had fun! 

Great spot for families

We stayed here two nights with an RV and were very happy. Plenty of space to find a good spot. We arrived at 8pm the first night and 6:30pm the second night and had no issue finding a spot. A lot of RVs, tents, and vehicles. No hookups but there were several portapotty toilets for those that need a bathroom

Great place to park for the night!

This dispersed camping was a life saver. We showed up late at night with no set camping plans. We figured coming to Moab on a Tuesday night we wouldn’t have a problem finding somewhere to camp, but when all the campsites were full we were so thankful to find this campsite. Beautiful sunsets and many great spots to choose from. 

Dispersed Camping

this is the same campground as BLM dispersed camping outside of Moab, at blm378/willow springs trail roughly 12 miles north of Moab. plenty of space as there really are no designated spots, just be mindful of the few fences prohibiting 🏕 /🏍 along the road. numerous portapotties are located near most  sites and they are clean. 

blm378/willow springs trail

Great place to camp. It was cold but the views were great.  Very busy time of year. There are porta potties as others pointed out.  Lots of places to camp. Appeared to be very popular but just keep going down the road till you find a spot. Roads a bit rough with lots of mud when it rains.

Close to Canyonlands and convenient to Arches

Much like everyone else has said, this is a great place to park your trailer and go visit the rest of the area. 

  

We spent 10 days out here and loved the ease of it. We have set up our trailer to be able to boon-dock without a generator (lithium and solar) and were able to charge our batteries almost each day (depending on use). We did get serious weather a couple of nights, which keeps you up because there is no weather break out there, but all in all it was fantastic. Neighbors were all nice and (for the most part) stayed a good distance away. 

  

BLM placed multiple porta-potites out there, so if you're saving your black tank, those are a great option. Maybe... bring your own toilet paper because you never know if there will be some there. While we were camping there, they changed the porta-potties out, so they are maintained.

  

Cell service was great (we also have a WeBoost, which a bunch of others also have). 

  

We will 100% be staying here again.

Amazing BLM Campground with tons of room to spread out

This campsite was beautiful. Many amazing rock formations to see. It was awesome. 
The downside was the horrible people that were around. Running dirt bikes loud at 10 pm, and over all just obnoxious and loud. 

Beautiful spot, noisy people

We counted over 200 rvs, buses, and tents here while we stayed for three nights. There are plenty of spots, a dumpster, and port-a-potties. 

Views are great and easy to access moab and parks, but the dust was horrible. Lots of people driving the trails. 

Crowded, but convenient to parks

It’s a popular area but there is plenty of room. The road in can be a pretty ruff so take your time. 

Boondockin’ north of Moab/Arches

This was our first experience boondocking, and we loved it. We arrived around 12 PM on a Friday in October, and there were plenty of sites to choose from. Beautiful views. You’re right off a main highway so expect to hear traffic sounds unless you drive into a deeper site. We would absolutely stay here again!

Great spot close to Arches!

Tons of sites, but it is a fairly popular area. I have been here before and after the camping fee. Although it is a bummer to have to pay, it does seem like it has helped clean up the area and provide porta potties.

Nice place to camp with great views!

Once you turn off the main road, follow the road a ways until you see another road that turns right.  Go wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back and enjoy the beauty!  Clean Porto Potties throughout.  Wifi was spotty for sure.