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
Boondocking
Of course there’s no boondocking in either of the national parks.
The BLM has had to close many of the boondocking locations due to overuse. The arid landscape just can’t recover from so much use. That’s one reason they’ve spent so much money adding new campgrounds. Below is a link to a map showing where dispersed camping is allowed and where it is prohibited. And yes, they do patrol!
For a bigger map: Camping Restrictions Map
Using this map and Google Earth, you can scout out some places to check out yourself. Areas north of UT 313 and east of US 191 have some areas open to boondocking. Try heading in on the Blue Hills Road.
I’ve also seen a few places to boondock off the Klondike Bluffs trail access road. There is no camping along the last part of the access road to the bike trail parking (there is a sign saying where it’s prohibited). Be warned, when wet that road can be virtually impassable because of the mud. I still have dried mud on the underside of the 4Runner than just won’t wash off. A lot of the land in there is state owned so not subject to BLM closure. Can be windy, and with all the traffic heading to the mountain bike trails, lots of dust.
Heading further north, look for the signs for North Klondike Trails. Boondocking is allowed in most places out there and there are even a couple of pit toilets.
One popular place to boondock is the first few miles of the Willow Springs Road. All of this land is also state land. It is very popular and very crowded on busy weekends. If the wind is blowing, camping too close to the road means lots of dust, as this is a pretty busy road. There are spurs, especially off to the north, where one can get a bit further from the road and the dust. I’ve heard that the state is considering imposing limits and fees on camping here. We noticed this spring that some pulloffs have now been blocked off. As of this fall, there are now several porta potties that have been brought in. More changes are surely on the way.
There’s precious little boondocking on the LaSal Loop Road through the NF. Every time you think you’ve found a spot, it turns out to be private property. You’ll have better luck on the Geyser Pass Road, which is gravel.
Boondocking
Of course there’s no boondocking in either of the national parks.
The BLM has had to close many of the boondocking locations due to overuse. The arid landscape just can’t recover from so much use. That’s one reason they’ve spent so much money adding new campgrounds. Below is a link to a map showing where dispersed camping is allowed and where it is prohibited. And yes, they do patrol!
For a bigger map: Camping Restrictions Map
Using this map and Google Earth, you can scout out some places to check out yourself. Areas north of UT 313 and east of US 191 have some areas open to boondocking. Try heading in on the Blue Hills Road.
I’ve also seen a few places to boondock off the Klondike Bluffs trail access road. There is no camping along the last part of the access road to the bike trail parking (there is a sign saying where it’s prohibited). Be warned, when wet that road can be virtually impassable because of the mud. I still have dried mud on the underside of the 4Runner than just won’t wash off. A lot of the land in there is state owned so not subject to BLM closure. Can be windy, and with all the traffic heading to the mountain bike trails, lots of dust.
Heading further north, look for the signs for North Klondike Trails. Boondocking is allowed in most places out there and there are even a couple of pit toilets.
One popular place to boondock is the first few miles of the Willow Springs Road. All of this land is also state land. It is very popular and very crowded on busy weekends. If the wind is blowing, camping too close to the road means lots of dust, as this is a pretty busy road. There are spurs, especially off to the north, where one can get a bit further from the road and the dust. I’ve heard that the state is considering imposing limits and fees on camping here. We noticed this spring that some pulloffs have now been blocked off. As of this fall, there are now several porta potties that have been brought in. More changes are surely on the way.
There’s precious little boondocking on the LaSal Loop Road through the NF. Every time you think you’ve found a spot, it turns out to be private property. You’ll have better luck on the Geyser Pass Road, which is gravel.
