Utah

Kates_Moby

Any suggestions for the best campgrounds in Moab and near Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon? Also, any must see's besides the parks. We are planning a 10 day, 3000 mile trip to Utah. Thanks!

Cyclonic

I am staying at Dead Horse Point State Park outside Moab next month, I'll be sure to give a full report.

Cyclonic

I would also suggest checking out the reviews on rvparkreviews.com.  It is a very useful site for finding some nice campgrounds.

Lisa33

Dead Horse Point is wonderful. Devil's Garden campground in Arches is supposed to be a good spot. While I was in Moab last year, I stayed at a BLM campground called King's Bottom. The campsite was right on the Colorado River with amazing views of Poison Spider Mesa.

 

 At Bryce, Zion and the Grand Canyon we lucked out with some incredible boon-docking sites. At the Grand Canyon we were right on the East Rim. Here is a pic from the campsite:

   

At Bryce we were near Red Canyon State Park in a location recommended by the rangers in the Dixie National Forest station. When we arrived at the coordinates, our site was occupied by a herd of free range cattle. They were ok with sharing.

 

 

Beautiful site just outside of Zion, too.

 

  

 One spot that we really enjoyed was Goblin Valley State Park. It is like a big playground with rock formations (goblins) as far as the eye can see.

   

 Anyway, I became a huge boon-docking convert after that trip. So many spots were just incredible. Best thing to do if anyone decides to give it a try is to stop at a ranger station to ask for suggestions for dispersed camping. There is also a site freecampsites.net that I found useful. Enjoy your trip! What an amazing area! Oh, and Colorado National Monument isn't too far from Arches. Absolutely gorgeous. Lisa

Michigan_Mike

I agree with you Lisa that boon-docking is the preferred means and affords more privacy, tranquility, away from the noise and humdrum of a campground.  Although there are some folks who need the WIFI and the bathroom facilities, etc.  it is nice to wake up to the sound of a light breeze, sunshine, the call of a hawk looking for breakfast in its homeland and the warmth of sunlight against the skin.  As long as you have some water for cooking, light clean-up, hygiene, etc. anything is possible.  Not to mention it helps cut costs and there is always plenty of room for camping and an extended stay if you so desire.  

Kates_Moby

Thank you so much for the great pics and suggestions.

DurangoTaB

I agree with everyone's postings (and great pix!). A couple places not mentioned (I'm not sure of your route or time of year) are Monument Valley, on the UT/AZ border and Natural Bridges (near Blanding).

DurangoTaB

We can't say enough about Natural Bridges...cute (how many times has your T@B been called "cute"!) little campground (no big rigs), and easy access to super scenery and some good hiking trails. Also an "International Dark Sky Park". http://www.nps.gov/nabr/index.htm.

jkjenn

I am staying at the Riverside Oasis in Moab for the third time his summer. I have been happy with everything before and the bathrooms were spotless. They are doing construction on site, but I know I won't be there during the day, so not a big deal to me.

jkjenn

Ended up at the Moab Valley RV Resort, instead. I thought it was nice enough. if it had not been 100 degrees that week, I would have tried boondocking, but I don't bear the extreme heat that well.

What I liked:

• Facilities were clean. I did not use the restroom since they had full hook ups.
• I called ahead as a late arrival and they had everything waiting for me.
• All the connections were good and worked!
• Location was concenient. Road noise was not am issue, but I was in the very back.

What could have been better:

Spaces are right on top of each other, but that's an RV park for you!

mash2

Spent a couple of days in Kodachrome Basin State Park just east of Bryce.  Really nice state park, fairly close to Bryce and very good facilities.  Had a good time hiking in the area and then went up to Bryce to camp as well (it's first come, first serve so if you stay at Kodachrome and get up and drive up to Bryce, you should arrive early in the day and you can get a spot in Bryce as well).  Beautiful area.  Zion, arches, bryce and Kodachrome were all beautiful.  

Michigan_Mike

I visited Kodachrome a few years ago and when they were upgrading their facilities.  It looked like the new campground would be nice as they were laying asphalt at the campsites.  Have they paved the roads in the park as they were dirt roads and a bit dusty when I drove through the area?  I left there, drove across a wash and traveled through the back country of Cottonwood Canyon along the edge of the Grand Staircase Escalante.  I wasn't pulling a trailer and probably never would have made it through for that fact, but it was beautiful, wild and remote.  I ended up over at Page, AZ and when I stopped at a BLM office off highway 79 (I believe?) they shook their head in disbelief when I told them I'd driven the entire route in my 04 Chevy Monte Carlo.  They remarked that that particular route was recommended only for high profile 4WD vehicles and that they'd pulled many individuals out who could not make it through.   

That was an interesting trip and a great adventure to say the least!  

Kates_Moby

Well. We made it to Moab. Amazing scenery, nice peeps, reasonable food prices. We are staying at Moab Valley Camground. I am sure it is great for this area, people are nice, pool is great, location is awesome. Only thing is, you have the space your travel trailer takes up and you share a common area with your neighbor that is at best 15 feet wide. Being from WI we have a little more space when we camp. Thank goodness we have nice peeps on both sides of us. Utah should be on your list of must sees. Highway 128 is stunning. Along the Colorado river with huge rocks all over. The river is very brown because of the rain but the weather is perfect! Put Utah on your list of must sees.

Librarydragon

Heading up to Utah today, going to go through Zion. Any camping recommendations? Main goal is north rim Grand Canyon. 

Kates_Moby

Don't miss Bryce. I liked it the best. Also Dead Horse Point was a good view.
no camping recommendations as we stayed further north.

mash2

If you get up to Bryce, check out Kodachrome Basin State Park.  Nice place with good campground.  I was there last July and much less crowded than NP's.  Good jump off point for Bryce, Red Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  

leenscottfl

One of our favorite hikes in the Moab area is Negro Bill's Canyon. Really. It is off road 128 just west of Moab at the Colorado River. . Not a hard hike but there is a branch and it is an oasis in the desert.

jkjenn

mash2 said:

If you get up to Bryce, check out Kodachrome Basin State Park.  Nice place with good campground.  I was there last July and much less crowded than NP's.  Good jump off point for Bryce, Red Canyon and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  

You can also camp close to Bryce but headed towards Zion at a NFS campground at Red Canyon. It's a really neat area, a lot like Bryce, but not as crowded. Gobblins Valley, on the way to Hanksville makes a nice stop and they have a very nice campground, as well. The Calf Creek Falls near Escalante campground is very nice, but only a few spots.

I stopped by to scout out the campground at Kodachrome Basin in February and it was really nice. Yes, the roads are all paved now.  IT was pretty cool to see it all covered with snow!

jkjenn

My favorite campground in Utah was at Cathedral Valley - but don't take your T@b! It requires you to ford the river (I think it was the Fremont).  Also, the road can be very rough. The last time I went, I approached it from I-70 via Baker Ranch Rd and it was washed out in a lot of spots. I was OK in my Jeep but I think a regular passenger car would have been in trouble. Taking the route from Fruita was some better, but still really rough.

That being said, the views were amazing.