Desert camping in Utah

From lakes to mountains to desert plateaus, Utah’s great outdoors comes in many flavors.

95% (9504 reviews)
95% (9504 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Utah

Community favorites in Utah

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Public campgrounds in Utah

Under $50

Available this weekend

12 top desert campgrounds in Utah

97%
(3988)

Zion Wright Ranch Eco-Camp

67 sites · RVs, Tents1200 acres · Virgin, UT
Off Grid eco oriented camp on 1200 acres overlooking Zion National Park. Owned and operated by Bill Wright, a rancher whose family has farmed and ranched the land for several generations. A few minutes from Zion’s backcountry trails in the Kolob Terrace Region and approx. 40 minutes to the main gate of Zion NP. Bill Wright is the father of the legendary "Wright Brothers" the family of Professional Rodeo Saddle Bronc riders. You will often see Bill tending the land and moving cattle and horses from your campsite. This off the grid ranch has some of the most stunning views you'll ever encounter. Want a little adventure during your stay? Reserve a 2-hour horseback ride with Bill. He'll finish your ride with one of the most breathtaking vistas you can find of Zion National Park. Our property features many spaced out sites to choose from with bathrooms onsite. Pets and campfires are also allowed.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
Cooking equipment
from 
$35
 / night
94%
(1415)

The Needles Outpost Campground

55 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents300 acres · Monticello , UT
This Outpost and campground is located on 300 acres of private property surrounded by park and public land. It has been here for over 30 years in some form or another. We are Caleb & Amber who enjoyed managing this little oasis in the middle of the desert from March to June of 2017 when we decided to purchase the business & make it our own. This is a dry, rugged campground with a bathhouse that provides coin operated showers and flush toilets. In addition there is little old rustic camp store placed in the middle of nowhere where we provide fuel, snacks, firewood, ice, showers, cold drinks & more. If you are looking for a more private site with lots of space and shade, book our Small Group at the Rocks. For a warmer stay during the cooler months book one of our Glamping Tents listed. We have the larger, and spacious tent in the grove of the Juniper Trees (which is also amazing in the warmer season) and rent a heater from us inside the general/camp store. BE SURE TO GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO CHECK IN NO LATER THAN 5PM. THANK YOU!! DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A SCREEN SHOT OF THE DIRECTIONS HERE, YOU WILL LOSE SERVICE ON YOUR WAY.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$34
 / night
96%
(782)

Arrowhead Campground

7 sites · RVs, Tents5 acres · Monument Valley, UT
Greetings! Welcome to Arrowhead Campground! Arrowhead Campground is roughly 5 acres of land, sitting right in Monument Valley, Utah. Come stay with us to experience one of the most amazing views in the world! You'll get to experience a full 360 degree view of all the towering red sandstone buttes and mesas. This is great for capturing the best views in the area. You'll experience breathtaking sunsets and sunrises right from your campsite. Great for pictures and photoshoots. The campground offers one of the largest shade structures in the area, with durable white picnic tables. We do allow campfires, so there is a fire-pit for that. The campground is only 2 1/2 miles away from the tribal park and 1 1/4 miles from the nearest highway. It's tucked away and secluded from noise and light pollution. The stars at night are bright and shinny, so you can pitch your tent right underneath them. With that said, Arrowhead Campground will be one of the best campgrounds you'll ever stay at. If you have any other questions feel free to message me with any of your questions. Note: This is a dry campsite. Although, we do offer potable water to fill any water containers up to 10 gallons.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$40
 / night
95%
(276)

Mexican Hat Rocks

40 sites · RVs, Tents200 acres · Mexican Hat, UT
No need to reserve ahead of time! Camp spots are not marked but are obvious, choose site when you arrive, refer to map. Please respect No Trespassing signs! Two (2) miles north of Mexican Hat, UT on Hwy 163, turn East, find your spot! Bigger Rigs: Keep to the right at the 'Y' as the road to the San Juan River is steep and a little bumpy! Next to the Bears Ears National Monument, between Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley along the San Juan River is Mexican Hat where you can camp on private property...as this is NOT on the Navajo Reservation, alcohol is allowed. So many things to see! Goosenecks State Park, Natural Bridges, Moki Dugway, Cedar Mesa! Camp on this private estate that was founded in the 1890's by gold and oil prospectors and where John Wayne later crossed the river in several western movies! The night skies are unbeatable as is the quiet solitude that is sadly disappearing in other areas. Mexican Hat Rock and this portion of the San Juan River are accessible only through this estate that is open for your enjoyment, however, if you wish to camp we now ask for a small fee so we can keep it clean, maintain roads and continue our conservation efforts so all can enjoy it forever! Portable toilets are required!!! And please pick up after yourself, dogs and horses. Pack it in, pack it out. Respect your fellow campers and stay on obvious trails and roads, do know that part of this property is marked as 'No Trespassing', please respect signage. No fee is required for day trips to 'The Hat'.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$18
 / night
100%
(1)

Up The Creek Campground

9 sites · Tents1 acres · Moab, UT
Your quest to find a tent only Moab Campground can stop. Base all of your adventures and exploring in Arches & Canyonlands National Parks from Moab's best, Up the Creek Campground. Just two blocks from Main Street, Up The Creek is a cozy, urban campground - an oasis of peace and relaxation in the heart of Moab. Our 16 site, tent-only, park &; walk to your site campground is nestled within a grove of large shade trees next to a cooling perennial stream. We are located off the beaten path, yet a just a short walk to Moab's many restaurants and shops. Our close proximity to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks as well as the World Famous Slick Rock Bike Trail gives you easy access to any adventure you choose! Pricing is as follows: $/night for 1 person; each additional person in a site is $7 Friday and Saturday is $3 for 1 plus $9/person additional Below (at the bottom of this email and copied from the website) is the checklist of items guests must acknowledge before booking on our site. In addition, we have the following Disclaimer & Etiquette items: Disclaimer We are a tiny, cozy Urban Campground located right in the bustling town of Moab next to the newly constructed middle school. We are nestled within a grove of large shade trees, and beautiful landscaping, and next to a cool perennial stream. (Please keep in mind that if you are coming in the early spring, there will not be foliage or flowers yet and camp will look more bare than the website photos! Also, note that the creek's flow is variable throughout the year) We are just 2 blocks off of the Main street, close to shopping, restaurants and the bike/walking path. We are a self check-in, (no onsite office), tent-only, walk-in only (park and walk in), campground. (No cars in camp, no camping in parking lot allowed.) Sites are primarily on sand. There is no on-site office. We are in camp 3+ times a day to check, clean, mow, etc. If you don't see us, but you need something...call and leave a message at 435-248-2001 or email. We have clean bathhouses with hot showers (closed daily from 11-1) and an outdoor sink for dishes. There is a picnic table at each site, and 3 communal propane BBQ grills. Sorry, but no campfires, propane fire rings or open flame allowed. Camp stoves are fine! Sorry, no dogs. We have two site types, Small Tent Sites and Large Tent Sites. Small Tent sites can accommodate one larger tent or two smaller tents with a maximum capacity of four people. Large Tent Sites can accommodate 2 larger tents or three to four smaller tents with a maximum capacity of 6 people. Due to our small size, this camp is not recommend for children under 3. Etiquette: Check-in/Quiet hrs: Check-in is after 12:00 noon and Check-out is 11:00 am. The bath house is closed for cleaning from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Please plan accordingly! Quiet hours in camp are from 10:00pm to 6:00am. Consider the many nearby places you can go if you want to stay up late, as a courtesy to your neighbors. ‍ About Us: We are an Urban Camp! Local noise includes but is not limited to; trucks, cars, motorcycles, 4X4’s, school bells, marching bands and perhaps even a parade! We are self-check in (no onsite office or staff), walk in and tent only. We are in camp 3+ times a day to check, clean, mow, etc. If you don't see us, but you need something or have a problem, call and leave a message or email. Campsite: Your tent and equipment must fit and be set up between the camp dividers and cannot be over the “No Camping Beyond This Point”. Please do not overflow into the neighboring campsites. Camp Tables and Site Use: Do not move the picnic tables, as they are chained down. Each camp table is numbered for that site. No cleaning, repairing or working on bicycles and/or motors on the picnic tables. No Motorcycles are allowed in the camp area for any reason. All motor vehicles and trailers must be in parking lot. No exceptions! Nature and The Environment: This is the desert! We have rocks, sand, dirt, sun, heat, cold, rain, wind, etc. Most campgrounds in the city area of Moab have the same desert aspects as we do; the difference is our close proximity to downtown. You are camping! Be prepared for bugs, insects, ants, spiders, Cottonwood beetles, caterpillars, lizards, deer, cotton from the trees, etc. Leaving food out or unsecured, attracts bugs and Ravens. Ravens are smart, they will wait until you leave and will get into everything except zippered tents, closed coolers, and locked cars, (at least thus far)! Plan accordingly. No dogs are allowed in the camp or parking lot. Before Booking Acknowledgement: Tent Only: No RVs, trailers, campers, or vehicles in camp. Park in the parking lot and use our handy carts to get your gear to your site. Sleeping in vehicles and in the parking lot is not allowed. Urban Campground: Our campground is right in the middle of beautiful downtown Moab. No Dogs: We love dogs, however, we don't allow them at our campground. 3 Years + We don't recommend our campground for kids under 3. No Camp Fires We do not allow campfires. Personal propane camp stoves are how most people prepare their meals. The campground has a few propane barbecue grills available for use.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Showers
Trash
from 
$31.50
 / night
98%
(888)

Ranchito Feliz

6 sites · RVs, Tents9 acres · Cannonville, UT
When booking please add in your note the type of camping you are doing, ie. tent, car, van, or larger RV and please, only texts...NO calls. In the middle of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument; adjacent to Bryce Canyon National Park; within walking distance of Kodachrome Basin State Park; and an easy drive to Zion and Capital Reef National Parks, as well as Lake Powell National Recreational Area, this unique site is an opportunity not to miss. The pet/horse friendly property (approximately 9 acres/3 ha/64 sq. m) boasts private designated single tent sites, and a mix car camping and larger RV sites, as well as paleontological, geological, biological, astronomical, and historical interests of the ranch. The equestrians will find three paddocks, a round pen, as well as beautiful places to ride from the ranch. This secluded location has a small town of about 175 (Cannonville) three miles/5 k distant where there is a small store, gas, and a Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center. And, bonus, the in town campground has: high speed internet, and cell phone service and laundry. This ranch and campground is an off the grid, passive/active solar voltaic, so no electricity, no internet and only Verizon works here. In Tropic 12 miles distant all carriers get service. Potable water, shower, dish washing station and composting toilet (This means that all campers count when booking, even the kids...their poops add up too). The views are spectacular from any site where the xeroscaped landscape uses indigenous material and plants to complement the quintessential Pinon/Juniper ecosystem the campground sits in. On three sides you are surrounded by red cliffs in the Carmel Formation which can give shelter from wind and sun, but campers can also look out over the Paria River (you can hear the river from camp as well as its amphibians) which runs south in front of the property and eventually meets the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry where most put-in to raft the Grand Canyon. Looking north, one sees the meaning of the term “Grand Staircase” by viewing The Entrada, Tropic Shale, Straight Cliffs, Wahweap, Kaiparowits, and Pink Limestone Formations capped by late Tertiary Volcanism; or, the “steps” of Promise Rock, Sand Point, Powell Point, and the Aquarius Plateau (highest forested mesa in North America at over eleven thousand feet.). The biological diversity here is also astounding: Birds: 140 species and counting including the tiny Costa’s Humming Bird all the way up to the enormous California Condor. Plants: 2 species of Sagebrush, 4 species of trees, numerous grass species, and a plethora of beautiful wildflowers and cacti. Reptiles: Many species of snakes and lizards. Unfortunately, this includes the occasional rattlesnake. It is advised that you have your pets vaccinated. Amphibian: Toads and Salamanders Insects: There are very few mosquitos. There are a few biting Deer Flies, and worse yet, those damn gnats. These “no-see-ums” are temperature dependent so are not a bother in the shade, early mornings, late evenings and at night. It is recommended that you bring some kick ass insect repellant and a “bee hat” if you are out and about in the sun during the day between May and July. Fossils: Bivalves, snails, petrified wood (many types) and various other corals, insects and plant fossils abound and are often incorporated into the ranch infrastructure. The nearby area is considered the hottest paleontological spot on the planet. Astronomy: The area is widely considered to be under the darkest skies in the lower 49. The Milky Way and Presides are common sights without the unsightly annoyance of any neighbor’s lights. The climate is varied and interesting. All four seasons are here and occasionally all in one day. Winter snows melt quickly though temperatures can dip into the sub-zeros. The 5,900 ft./1800 m. elevation keeps the summer temps reasonable and always gives a chilly summer evening to cool things off. If you want climatic extremes, you can, within an hour or so, be at Lake Powell and its 100+ F/38+ C heat or on the Aquarius Plateau at 65 degrees F/18 C in midday June. Recreation on many levels is all within proximity. From canyoneering, “free” climbing on an established nearby crag composed of a welded tuff capping the Aquarius Plateau (see Mountain Project and “The Aquarius Plateau”) and many aid lines on Entrada Formation towers within walking distance (see Mountain Project and “The Grand Staircase”), water sports of Lake Powell and the Colorado River as well as fishing in the cool temps of Pine Lake 35 minutes distant. Then of course, there is the Monument, National Park and the State Park only a short drive away. Seclusion, security, water, and views all within a short walk or drive of exiting destinations, make this worth the stop.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$40
 / night
96%
(548)

Sunset Campground on Ruin Road

10 sites · RVs, Tents19 acres · Blanding, UT
Watch the sun come up over the Sleeping Ute Mountain in Colorado and enjoy a gorgeous sunset as the sun sets over the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. We are off the grid and have no electricity or water. Our graveled camping sites are easy to access. We are located next to a paved road. You do not need high clearance vehicles or 4-wheel drive. Camp in a natural high desert environment consisting of cedar and pinion trees, Brigham tea, sagebrush, etc. Great views of the night sky. An ancient Indian mound is on site. The Five Kiva Ruin and Nations Natural Bridge are within hiking distance. Minutes away is the town of Blanding with restaurants, hospital, gas stations and a dump station. Its only a short drive to five different National Monuments: Bears Ears, Natural Bridges, Rainbow Bridge, Hovenweep, and Canyon of The Ancients. Take a scenic drive over the Blue Mountain and Elk Ridge. Southeastern Utah is full of archeology history to hike and explore.
Pets
Toilets
Trash
from 
$25
 / night
93%
(297)

Red Desert RV Park

8 sites · RVs, Tents7 acres · Moab, UT
Red Desert RV Park has expanded to 55 full hookup RV sites along with 14 cabins. We are geared towards outdoor adventurists and sightseers wanting a cost-effective stay while taking advantage of everything Moab has to offer! We are locally owned by a family of 8 and love calling Moab our home. We understand the corporate overtaking that Moab has had in the last 5 years and plan to keep our campground affordably priced and locally owned. We have upgraded the old site plan from 7 RV sites to 55 Full Service RV sites this year. Most sites are pull through but we will have some back-ins. Our new bathhouse has a laundry, women's bathrooms and showers, men's bathrooms and showers, and an ADA compliant family style bathroom. In addition to the new bathhouse, we have a new office and retail store where we sell souvenirs, RV supplies, snacks, drinks, ice, firewood, and other necessities for guests. We do not currently have propane fill on site. We know that there are many options to choose from when it comes to staying in Moab. We urge people to support locally owned businesses that help Moab grow and solve problems that exist in our community. Moab is a recreation mecca with something for everyone and our little campground on the south end of the valley puts you within minutes of town, the mountains, and the red deserts around Moab.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$45
 / night
95%
(176)

Where The Wild Things Camp

17 sites · RVs, Tents25 acres · La Sal, UT
Come camp Where The Wild Things Camp! Let the awe-inspiring views of the majestic slick rock, sage and juniper surround you in the peace and quiet of this beautifully secluded desert space. Centrally located to the best Canyonlands has to offer, our camp is located on 25 acres less than half a mile from Looking Glass Arch, a popular rock climbing destination which got its name from the conquistadors who would climb to the top and look through a “looking glass” for landmarks that would lead them back to Santa Fe.  Moab is 25 miles to our North, about a 30 minute drive. The nearest convenience store/gas station is in the tiny town of La Sal, 12 miles NE of us. Although the Lasal Jct. now has burger truck, showers, ice and snacks. The nearby La Sal mountains rise to over 12,000 in elevation and is a great place to get out of the heat and enjoy lakes surrounded by beautiful pine and aspen forests. As the name suggests, Where The Wild Things Camp truly is wild and not for everyone. We are off grid, meaning there is NO electricity, no drinking water, and only "spotty" cell phone service is best just anywhere before bathrooms. Make sure to check the weather forecast before coming out and be prepared for anything as the weather here in the desert can be unpredictable and ALWAYS stake down your tents! Porta-Potty's available. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRACTICE PACK-IT-IN AND PACK-IT-OUT. Trash service not available. NON-AGGRESSIVE dogs are always welcome, however please keep in mind that a lot of our wild friends also live here, such as coyotes, rattlesnakes, deer and antelope. We wouldn’t want your pets or our friends harmed in any way! From Moab: Drive south on Hwy 191 for approximately 23 miles and turn right (east) onto Looking Glass Rd/Co. Rd. 131 (It will be the first right after La Sal Junction) Continue on this road for 1.4 miles until you see a wide gravel road branching off to the left. Turn left, this road will branch again in .03 miles, turn to the right and continue straight (another .5 mile to WHERE THE WILD THINGS CAMP!! From Monticello: Drive north on Hwy 191 for approximately 31 miles and turn left onto Looking Glass Rd/Co. Rd 131 (It will be the first left after Wilson Arch). https://earth.google.com/earth... Moab: 25 miles Canyon Rims Recreation Area: 12 miles La Sal: 12 miles Monticello: 33 miles Blanding: 54 miles Bluff: 79 miles Mexican Hat: 104 miles Monument Valley: 126 miles
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
Trash
from 
$45
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

Star Hosts in Utah

Other options in Utah

Value Prop
Value Prop
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field
Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Desert camping in Utah guide

Overview

Welcome to Hipcamp, the ultimate camping resource for outdoor enthusiasts! If you're looking for a desert camping experience in Utah, you're in luck. With over 2775 options specifically tailored to your preference, you'll find the perfect spot to immerse yourself in the stunning desert landscapes. Whether you're seeking a tranquil oasis or an adventurous getaway, our top campsites like Zion Wright Ranch Eco-Camp (2033 reviews), The Needles Outpost Campground (811 reviews), and Ranchito Feliz (520 reviews) have got you covered. Enjoy popular amenities like pet-friendly sites, trash disposal, and campfire pits. And don't miss out on thrilling activities such as paddling, wildlife watching, and hiking. With an average price per night of just $30 and options as low as $5, camping in the Utah desert has never been more accessible. Happy camping!

Top regions in and near Utah

Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.