A Primer on Moab
We spend a lot of time in Moab. I first visited there in the 60’s and have been going back ever since. I probably camped in the area over 300 days in just the last 10 years. So I thought maybe I’d put...
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Camping Continued
BLM CG’s west of US 191
Downstream from the highway there are BLM CG’s on both sides of the river. Again, like all the BLM CG’s, no water or dump station at any of them.
On the north side, the first one is Jaycee Park, a small CG with walk in campsites heavily used by rock climbers who frequent the canyon walls along this part of the road. Nicely treed.
Beyond that is Williams Bottom. One can drive through this CG so turning around at the end of the road isn’t an issue. But most of the sites are pretty small. Maybe a 25’ trailer might fit in some. Nicely treed. Again a popular spot with the climbing crowd.
Finally, about 20 miles from town is the Gold Bar CG. Really just a huge parking lot when very large RV’s can fit. There really aren’t individual sites here. There are a few scattered picnic tables near the river, plus a couple of covered pavilions with a number of tables under them. Often the area between the parking lot and the river will have dozens of tents clustered. I believe most of these are for rafters who can put in or take out there. Very open place with no privacy but plenty of room for big rigs.
On the south side of the river, the first CG is Kings Bottom. The majority of the campsites here are walk in sites the BLM put in a couple of years ago. Really nice tent sites back in the woods but a bit of a walk from the parking lot. The few RV sites will hold up to a 24’ trailer. All of the tamarisk were removed in the last few years and the trees they planted won’t provide much shade until long after I’m gone.
At Moonflower CG, all of the individual sites have been removed. There might be one group site still remaining.
A few miles further, the road turns to graded gravel to the next two campgrounds. Hunter Canyon is about 8 miles from town and has a couple of sites that will hold maybe a small PUP or TC. I’ve heard they may remove this CG in the future as it is where two canyons come together and there’s significant flash flood danger.
Ten miles from town is the Ledges CG. IIRC there are five different CG’s loops up there with more than 100 sites. This area has been put in by the BLM in the last couple of years. Some sites are pretty large, over 50’ long. Little shade. But good place to base out of if you want to use your ATV on trails like Chicken Corners, Kane Creek, Hurrah Pass.
Also west of US 191 is Horsethief CG, about 12 miles off US 191 up UT 313, the road to Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky. Because it’s higher up, it’s cooler in the summer. Nice spacing between sites. Used to be easy to find a spot, but now it’s known so it also fills. Easy access to a variety of mountain bike trails. Can be windy at times.
Even further north is Courthouse Rock BLM CG, essentially a big gravel parking lot off the Mill Canyon Road, 16 miles north of Moab. Big rigs with toads or their trailers with ATV’s frequent this spot.
Although not a BLM CG, there is a privately run area at the Gemini Bridges turnoff across from the Brand Trails/Bar M entrance. It’s called Seven Mile and they charge the same as the BLM CG’s. There are porta potties there now. For a while, there were just side-by-side pull throughs, but the owner has now opened up some loops on the other side of the railroad tracks with individual sites. No tables, however. Very convenient if you want to jeep or ATV up the Gemini Bridges Road and beyond.
South and east of Moab
Immediately east of Moab is the Sand Flats Recreation Area run by Grand County. Of the 120 campsites, 30 will handle rigs up to 40’. Popular with the mountain bike crowd who want to ride Slickrock Trail. There are also several 4x4 trails from there, including Fins & Things and Hell’s Revenge. Quite close to town so convenient to run in for gas, supplies or the occasional night out.
Eight miles or so south of town is Ken’s Lake BLM CG. They’ve redone the interior roads in the last few years so it’s a lot easier to get around. Big sites for big rigs. Out in the open with no shade.
During the hot months, if you have a smaller consider Warner Lake NFS CG up in the LaSal Mountains. Reservations are accepted and they give a 25’ site length. Some are certainly longer than that, but I doubt any exceed 30’ by very much. The Whole Enchilada Mountain Bike Trail runs past the CG, so during the morning there’s lots of traffic on that trail. Pretty quiet after that. A short hike from the CG leads to great views to the west. Amazing place to watch the sunset over the red rocks country. The access road off of the LaSal Loop Road can be steep and loose in places.
BLM CG’s west of US 191
Downstream from the highway there are BLM CG’s on both sides of the river. Again, like all the BLM CG’s, no water or dump station at any of them.
On the north side, the first one is Jaycee Park, a small CG with walk in campsites heavily used by rock climbers who frequent the canyon walls along this part of the road. Nicely treed.
Beyond that is Williams Bottom. One can drive through this CG so turning around at the end of the road isn’t an issue. But most of the sites are pretty small. Maybe a 25’ trailer might fit in some. Nicely treed. Again a popular spot with the climbing crowd.
Finally, about 20 miles from town is the Gold Bar CG. Really just a huge parking lot when very large RV’s can fit. There really aren’t individual sites here. There are a few scattered picnic tables near the river, plus a couple of covered pavilions with a number of tables under them. Often the area between the parking lot and the river will have dozens of tents clustered. I believe most of these are for rafters who can put in or take out there. Very open place with no privacy but plenty of room for big rigs.
On the south side of the river, the first CG is Kings Bottom. The majority of the campsites here are walk in sites the BLM put in a couple of years ago. Really nice tent sites back in the woods but a bit of a walk from the parking lot. The few RV sites will hold up to a 24’ trailer. All of the tamarisk were removed in the last few years and the trees they planted won’t provide much shade until long after I’m gone.
At Moonflower CG, all of the individual sites have been removed. There might be one group site still remaining.
A few miles further, the road turns to graded gravel to the next two campgrounds. Hunter Canyon is about 8 miles from town and has a couple of sites that will hold maybe a small PUP or TC. I’ve heard they may remove this CG in the future as it is where two canyons come together and there’s significant flash flood danger.
Ten miles from town is the Ledges CG. IIRC there are five different CG’s loops up there with more than 100 sites. This area has been put in by the BLM in the last couple of years. Some sites are pretty large, over 50’ long. Little shade. But good place to base out of if you want to use your ATV on trails like Chicken Corners, Kane Creek, Hurrah Pass.
Also west of US 191 is Horsethief CG, about 12 miles off US 191 up UT 313, the road to Dead Horse Point and Island in the Sky. Because it’s higher up, it’s cooler in the summer. Nice spacing between sites. Used to be easy to find a spot, but now it’s known so it also fills. Easy access to a variety of mountain bike trails. Can be windy at times.
Even further north is Courthouse Rock BLM CG, essentially a big gravel parking lot off the Mill Canyon Road, 16 miles north of Moab. Big rigs with toads or their trailers with ATV’s frequent this spot.
Although not a BLM CG, there is a privately run area at the Gemini Bridges turnoff across from the Brand Trails/Bar M entrance. It’s called Seven Mile and they charge the same as the BLM CG’s. There are porta potties there now. For a while, there were just side-by-side pull throughs, but the owner has now opened up some loops on the other side of the railroad tracks with individual sites. No tables, however. Very convenient if you want to jeep or ATV up the Gemini Bridges Road and beyond.
South and east of Moab
Immediately east of Moab is the Sand Flats Recreation Area run by Grand County. Of the 120 campsites, 30 will handle rigs up to 40’. Popular with the mountain bike crowd who want to ride Slickrock Trail. There are also several 4x4 trails from there, including Fins & Things and Hell’s Revenge. Quite close to town so convenient to run in for gas, supplies or the occasional night out.
Eight miles or so south of town is Ken’s Lake BLM CG. They’ve redone the interior roads in the last few years so it’s a lot easier to get around. Big sites for big rigs. Out in the open with no shade.
During the hot months, if you have a smaller consider Warner Lake NFS CG up in the LaSal Mountains. Reservations are accepted and they give a 25’ site length. Some are certainly longer than that, but I doubt any exceed 30’ by very much. The Whole Enchilada Mountain Bike Trail runs past the CG, so during the morning there’s lots of traffic on that trail. Pretty quiet after that. A short hike from the CG leads to great views to the west. Amazing place to watch the sunset over the red rocks country. The access road off of the LaSal Loop Road can be steep and loose in places.
