Camping in Moab, Utah will put you right in the middle of some of the most spectacular scenery in the country. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, canyons, rivers, and slickrock as far as the eye can see.
You’ll find a ton of things to do when you’re camping in Moab, Utah. You can go rafting on the Colorado River, take a Hummer safari to a remote spot to watch the sunset, do some canyoneering, go hiking, or even ride the Moab Zip Line.
You can spend a week or more seeing everything Moab has to offer and to do that, you’ll need a spot to call home. In this video, we’re going to look at some of the best campgrounds in Moab. Be sure to watch until the end of the video to find out where to camp right in the town of Moab. And don’t forget to click like and subscribe to the Viewcation channel so you don’t miss any of our soon-to-be-released videos.
Arches National Park – Devils Garden Campground
Arches National Park offers some amazing scenery and the Devils Garden Campground is the only camping spot in the park. Devils Garden offers excellent campsites, with generous space between them to provide privacy.
Most of the sites are set around large formations of rock, with the odd pinyon pine and juniper offering some protection from the elements. We recommend trying to get campsites 18, 20, 21, 23, or 24 if they’re available. They have some of the most spectacular views you’ll find when camping in Moab, Utah, with panoramic views of the mountains. Just be warned that they offer a little less shelter from the wind and sun than some of the other site in Devils Garden.
In the peak camping season from March 1 to October 31, getting one of the 50 campsites can be challenging so reserve your spot well ahead of your arrival. In camping season, you can reserve a site up to 180 days in advance. From November to February, the sites are first-come, first-served.
Keep in mind that it can get chilly in Devils Garden. It’s at an elevation of more than 5000 feet so things really cool down at night, especially in the spring and fall.
Dead Horse Point State Park – Kayenta Campground
The Kayenta Campground in Dead Horse State Park offers 21 well-spaced sites. The campsites are various sizes and allow both RVs and tents. The campground provides shade structures, tent pads, fire rings, and picnic tables. It’s also got electrical hookups and flush toilets.
You can reserve a spot in Kayenta up to four months in advance and the campground accepts reservations year-round. If hiking is your thing, Kayenta is a good option. Both the West Rim and East Rim trails leave from the camping area.
Canyonlands National Park, Island in the Sky District – Willow Flats Campground
Willow Flats is the lone campground in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park. It doesn’t accept reservations so the sites are all first-come, first-served.
The campsites in Willow Flats don’t offer much in the way of views but the campground is close to the Green River Overlook. A short stroll gets you to the lookout, where you’ll find sweeping views of the canyon and sheer cliffs in the distance. You’ll also find a large group fire ring next to the lookout.
Willow Flats’ campsites are well-spaced and have a lot of trees. Those trees are fairly small though so they don’t offer a lot of shade. There is a picnic table with a shelter in each site if you want to get out of the elements.
Willow Flats accommodates tents or RVs up to 28 feet. The sites have paved parking pads and lots of room for tents. There are only 12 sites in the campground so it can be challenging to get a spot in the busy season. Arrive early if you don’t want to be disappointed.
Canyonlands National Park, The Needles District – Squaw Flat Campground
Squaw Flat is divided into campgrounds A and B which have 26 campsites between them. The best sites are in campground A, which is the larger of the two. You’ll find the sites are well-spaced, with views looking out over the surrounding landscape.
Campground B doesn’t offer the same views but its sites are also well-spaced. It’s set around some large rock formations so there are still some interesting things to see. Campground B accepts reservations during peak camping season but Campground A is first-come, first-served. Both sites accommodate tents or up to 28 foot RVs.
If you’re planning to hike in the Needles area, Squaw Flat is the ideal campground to use as a home base. It connects with many hiking trails that are long enough to spend the whole day on. If you plan on hiking several of them, you’ll save a lot of driving time to get back and forth from Moab by camping in Squaw Flat.
Sand Flats Recreation Area
If you prefer to experience your backcountry adventures from a vehicle rather than on foot, Sand Flats Recreation Area is the ideal spot for camping in Moab, Utah. This is where you’ll find the famous Slickrock Mountain Bike Trail and if you go a little further up the road, you’re in a playground for dirt bikes, ATVs, and Jeeps.
You’ll find nine small campgrounds that support tents and RVs along the road. Between all the campgrounds, there are 120 sites available. If you’re going to be RV camping, keep in mind that there are only 30 sites that support them.
The sites can’t be reserved so they fill up on a first-come, first-served basis. In peak camping season, the weekends are usually full by Thursday night. All the campgrounds have fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets.
Camping Along the Colorado River
As you head east from Moab on Highway 128, you’ll find a series of campgrounds alongside the Colorado River. In this area, the river flows through sheer cliff walls that make for some impressive views. The highway runs along the south side of the river and the campsites are all beside the road.
These campgrounds are all operated by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) on a first-come, first-served basis. There’s an overnight camping fee and all sites have toilets.
If you’re interested in water sports like canoeing, rafting, or kayaking, the sites along the river are perfect. You’ll also find the trailhead for the Negro Bill Canyon in this area.
The campsites start about two miles east of Moab and are scattered along the road for more than 20 miles. You’ll find the closest spots tend to fill up first so if you’re arriving late, head to one of the sites a little further along the road.
Needles Overlook Area
The Needles Overlook is a little south of the town of Moab. You’ll find the turnoff between the town and the road that leads to The Needles district in Canyonlands National Park. Watch for the highway sign marking the turnoff.
The road to the overlook splits before you get there. The gravel road leads to the Anticline Overlook and the main road continues to the Needles Overlook. Both lookouts offer spectacular views and being 20 minutes or more off the main highway means they don’t get as much traffic as the main part of the park.
If you take the gravel road to Anticline Overlook, you’ll find the Hatch Point Campground along the way. This is a BLM-operated campground with a flush toilet and 10 campsites.
If you continue along the main road to the Needles Overlook, you’ll see several spots that appear to be campsites a few minutes before reaching the lookout. The stone fire pits and open space are in tempting cliff-side spots but just be forewarned that they’re undesignated campsites — this isn’t a BLM-operated campground.
Horsethief, Cowboy, and Lone Mesa Campgrounds
If you’re heading into the Islands in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, you’ll find three BLM-operated campgrounds along the way – Horsethief, Cowboy, and Lone Mesa.
Horsethief is the biggest of the three. It accommodates tents and RVs and is close to some of the area’s popular mountain bike trails. You’ll also find several walking trails that leave from this campground.
Cowboy Campground is the smallest of the three, with seven campsites that only accommodate tents. It’s a quiet spot with some nice views of the surrounding area but there’s not much shelter from the elements.
Lone Mesa is a group campground and is one of the only BLM campsites that takes reservations. You can still show up and get a spot if the site isn’t fully booked though. There’s a group schedule posted at the campground’s entrance and if there’s space available, you can set up camp.
Camping in the Town of Moab
The campgrounds we’ve covered so far are all close to Moab but a little outside the town. If you’re interested in camping in Moab, Utah itself, there are a few options.
Moab has several RV campgrounds, both within walking distance of the main street and a short drive from the main part of town. Moab isn’t very big but since most RV campers are pretty self-sufficient, you probably don’t need to be close to restaurants and shops. All of the RV campsites in town are quite good.
Your choice of campground will likely come down to which site has spots available when you’re in town. We recommend reserving your spot ahead of time, particularly if you’ll be in town in the peak season.
What’s your favorite spot for camping in Moab, Utah? Let us know in the comments below!