Forum Discussion

jamesu's avatar
jamesu
Explorer
Jul 30, 2016

Moab

Very beginning stages of planning a trip to Moab a year from now, September, 2017. Temps/heat in September? DW does not do heat. Or should we get there in early October?

Campground recommendations please. We want at least water & electric. Stayed in a Moab motel 5 years ago but have never camped there
  • Last 2 years, we go down mid-October for a 3 day dirt bike trip. Still manage to sweat on the slower trails. We take my buddy's tent trailer (no A/C) and manage just fine. First year we ran a space heater in the trailer just to knock the chill, nothing last year.

    Both times we stayed at the Slick Rock Campground on the north side of town. Nice campground but be prepared for bike/SxS/buggy traffic for all the people running the trails. Good campground with a lot of room though. Can be hard to get out of in the evenings when everybody is heading in to town for dinner (even hard for 2 street legal dirtbikes to get out of there). To be honest, we are going to start staying out in the desert for free from now on (less noise and crowds), but will be returning this October.
  • Good post, I too am thinking about flying out and renting a class B. That time of year seems nice but a lot of answers here are correct, there are some Govt websites that discuss the number of masses that go to each of these parks, finding the right time is the key.

    Maybe I will see you out on the trail. I'm the one in the cargo shorts and camera. :B
  • I would try and hold to late Sept - colors of the trees -- particularly when driving your tv or toad up around Red Mountain Pass -- will be better. And nice temps.

    I DO NOT recommend Spanish Trail RV Park - you can email or PM me for details.
  • Moab will still be warm in September but keep in mind Spring and Fall are the prime times in Moab as the weather is a bit nicer. Check Moab's visitor website to find out if there are any major events during the time you intend on visiting. If there is a major event, make sure you try and get reservations as spots can fill up quick and you may have trouble finding a spot. You def want electric at a minimum for AC usage as it can get hot but with temps starting to cool into Fall, you may not need to use the AC but better to have the option than not.

    I've stayed at both Slick Rock Campground and Archview RV Resort.

    Slick Rock has a lot more large trees with shade but the sites are somewhat tight and is all dirt. It was a little cheaper than Archview. IIRC, Slick Rock Campground is one of the older RV parks so that is why they have more tree coverage.

    Archview is newer so the trees aren't as big but the sites are a bit wider and also all gravel/dirt. It is a nice place and people are friendly.

    Both locations have full hook-ups available and are fine places to stay.
  • We were there on Oct 16 last year and never used the ac. There is a school holiday over one of the weekends during that time when a lot of people go there. It wasn't terribly crowded or anything and it seemed that things slow down after that. We stayed downtown at Canyonlands RV park for 5 days then moved to blm land.

    I think Canyonlands rv is about as downtown as you can get. You can walk to the grocery store, restaurants etc. FHU pool laundry extra parking.
  • Spanish trail is nice. Weather stats can be found on any number of weather sites.

About Campground 101

Recommendations, reviews, and the inside scoop from fellow travelers.14,717 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 20, 2025