Campgrounds in the Four Corners?

[ian_c]

This fall - Sept & Oct - we will be touring the Southwest for the first time. I know there are tons of campgrounds available but if anyone has personal recommendations we'd love to hear them. We're pulling a 30 ft 5th wheel. We're hoping to stay for several days in a spot and then move on.
Also, we're buried in books about the major parks but we're really open to suggestions for places to go and sights to see that might not show up in the major travel literature.
Serious newbies in the Four Corners!
Many Thanks!

Ps AS I reread this I realize how vague I must sound. Try to think of it as "open-minded".

[GREGORYJ]

We stayed at the BLM Sand Island Campground a few weeks ago and found it very nice and only $10/day. The Four Corners is still 51 miles away
but we drove to other interesting places in the area in all directions.
http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/monticello/recreation/activities/camping/sand_island_camp_ground.html

[armadillo_17]

Might add that a stop in Bluff Utah is quite interesting. I suggest that you do a little internet searching about it first. It might appeal to all.

[trailertraveler]

Here are some links to places that we have visited and enjoyed.

In Utah:
Monument Valley/Bluff/Blanding Area:
Monument Valley
UT-261 the Moki Dugway
Goosenecks State Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Bluff Fort
South Fork of Mule Canyon and House on Fire
The Valley of The Gods
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum

Moab area:
Kane Creek Road
Potash Lower Colorado Byway
Upper Colorado River UT-128 Scenic Byway
Sago Canyon
Dead Horse Point State Park
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Needles District
Newspaper Rock

In Northeast New Mexico:
Fort Union National Monument
Pecos National Historic Site
Bandelier National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument
El Malpais National Monument
El Moro National Monument
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Tent Rocks National Monument
Acoma Sky City
Pueblo Cultural Center
Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano
Cumbres & Toltec Railroad
Salmon Ruins
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Rio Grande River Gorge
Kit Carson Home & Museum in Taos
Mining Museum
Christ in the Desert Monastery
Turquoise Trail
Museum Hill in Santa Fe
Canyon Road Galleries in Santa Fe
Ghost Ranch
Chaco Cultural Historical Park
Rio Grande Del Norte National Monument

If the Aspens are turning color in the Santa Fe area, take a drive up Hyde Park Road (NM-475) to the Ski Basin. It is a great drive.

Northeast Arizona:
Sunset Crater National Monument
Wupatki National Monument
Walnut Canyon National Monument
Homolovi Ruins State Park
Petrified Forest National Park
Meteor Crater
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Standing on the corner in Winslow, AZ,

[lbrjet]

The Caddilac RV park in Bluff was a great place (for us) to stay for an inexpensive FHU pull through site to use as a home base. Close to monument valley, valley of the gods, gooseneck state park and natural bridges national monument. That whole area is really beautiful. We stayed in Cortez for Mesa Verde NP.

[JoeH]

We are going out there in a month.... I ordered travel guides from each of the states and just ordered one from The Grand Circle.... it covers the entire area. Was here in about 2-3 days. It is also available as an online version.

[Opie431]

We love the four corners region but did not think much of the Four Corners itself.
Great to take a picture of standing in four states at once and not much more.

[imgoin4it]

Not exactly a "cheesy marker". Correct, not much there, but center point is all laid out on concrete, has built in seating for programs, a stage type arrangement from which you can take pictures from above, flags of all four states and an American flag as I recall. The area around the concrete is filled with vendor booths with every kind if Indian made art imaginable for sale. Parking is gravel and porta potties complete the facility. Overall there is a little lacking but "cheesy marker" is a little off the mark.

[Veebyes]

2gypsies wrote:
Four Corners itself is really anything to see unless you want a pic of you standing at the Corners. However, that site isn't even the 'real' site of Four Corners. 🙂

Mesa Verde National Park and Canyon de Chelly are a couple must-sees if in the area. Both have campgrounds.

He is right. There is NOTHING to see there. Middle of the desert at the end of a long road to nowhere.

Nothing but a well worn cheezy marker.

[EcoBullet]

The Utes have a nice RV park behind their casino at Towaoc, which is about as close as you can get to the 4 corners itself. We stayed there a couple of nights and made a day loop over to Monument Valley. Monument Valley is spectacular, but the 4 Corner Monument is a ripoff. Toilets were nasty and had no paper. For this I believe they charged $10 for 2 of us.

[ian_c]

A big "Thank you!" to all who have responded so far. Apparently I used a term that means something entirely different to those who know that part of the world. I was using "Four Corners" just to indicate the four states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. I now know better. The term is very specific and I'll be careful how I use it in future.
That said, my wife and I really appreciate the suggestions for campgrounds and attractions. We hope there's even more to come!

[gazingm42]

Four corners is not much to see but a spot to take a photo standing in 4 states. The closest areas to get nice camping would be Durago, CO or Monticello, UT

[Thom02099]

ian.c wrote:
This fall - Sept & Oct - we will be touring the Southwest for the first time. I know there are tons of campgrounds available but if anyone has personal recommendations we'd love to hear them. We're pulling a 30 ft 5th wheel. We're hoping to stay for several days in a spot and then move on.
Also, we're buried in books about the major parks but we're really open to suggestions for places to go and sights to see that might not show up in the major travel literature.
Serious newbies in the Four Corners!
Many Thanks!

Ps AS I reread this I realize how vague I must sound. Try to think of it as "open-minded".

There's much to see and do in the broader, four corners area of the 4 states involved. Much depends on your interest, whether it's scenery, historical locations, touristy stuff, etc. Also depends if you're looking for amenities wherever you stay, or if you're willing to boondock, or have limited services (ie, electric/no water or sewer). You mention "we", so a lot of different opinions, if that "we" is just you and a spouse, or if kiddos are along for the trip, and if so, their ages.

Also keep in mind that those 2 months are "wind down" time for a goodly number of campgrounds and places to see/things to do. Many of the USFS campgrounds begin to close in September in Colorado, a bit later in the other states. Same with the commercial campgrounds. And while you probably won't have snow in September (though it's possible), the chances increase in October, particularly in Colorado. Your best bet may be to broaden the Four Corners and maybe consider doing the Mighty 5 of southern Utah -- Arches, Bryce, Canyonland, Capitol Reef, and Zion. That time of year would be better suited for those parks, and the weather much more agreeable.

Using rvparkreviews.com would be a good resource to find places to stay in the general area, and would show the closing date for many RV parks/campgrounds. Also using the USFS website for a particular national forest would give you closing dates for the campgrounds in their particular forest.

[imgoin4it]

Pretty good RV park right in the center of Cortez. We stayed there last fall and
went to 4 corners from there. Another day trip to Mesa Verde cliff dwellings. Took in some more lesser known ruins all relatively close. Really good stay for us.

[Jim_Shoe]

If you go to the actual point (whether its correct of not) there's a plate in the ground with each of the four states in one of the quarters. You can have your picture taken standing in four states at the same time. Big Whoop.
That's about it.