Tips for Canyonlands NP

[LolaT]

Thinking about taking a trip to Canyonlands NP in Utah this weekend. I thought as we gained more experience after owning our 23D for about three years, I would get better at trip planning, but the truth is, the opposite seems to be the case. With three kids and regular schedules it’s hard to devote a lot of time researching preplanning trips these days.

So, I would love to hear any direct experiences, insights, and tips about Canyonlands and surrounding area maybe further south into Colorado and New Mexico. (Not Arches or Moab as we’ve already been there, and I’m all about exploring new places on our trips).

Reservable campground spots are full of course for Spring Break which is when we’ll be going. We’ll have about 9-10 days. So, wondering about easily accessible BLM spots etc.

Thank you!

[Len n Jeanne]

There aren't tons of super camping places for an AS within Canyonlands NP. It's more for the rugged backcountry jeep set.

Just about anywhere, be sure to bring your own water, and lots of it, as most of the BLM campgrounds are dry. Then you need to locate a sani-dump in town also.

Given your location you might contact the state BLM office, or the BLM field offices in Moab and Monticello. Ask to talk to their recreation specialist is there is one.

https://www.blm.gov/office/monticello-field-office

I looked for the Monticello district's primitive campground map for the Needles district of Canyonlands, and couldn't find it, but some CG names to ask about are Hamburger Rock, and Creek Pasture . You could try Squaw Flats in the park.

A fairly primitive commercial campground for the Needles district is the Needles Outpost, close to some beautiful hiking. https://needlesoutpost.com/

You can pretty much camp anywhere on BLM land not posted to the contrary, but a lot of places are too steep, rocky, or separated from the road by big ditches. Some are just uninteresting. A lot of the roads are pretty rough, so some folks recommend taking along a bicycle for reconnaissance purposes, as faster than walking/jogging, if you're not sure about the road ahead.

Close to Moab and near the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands is the Horse Thief CG run by the BLM. Basically you get a gravel pad, fire ring, pit toilets, and picnic table. This used to be our go-to place for both Moab and the beautiful nearby Dead Horse Point State Park. But it can get busy, anymore. However, if you turn off just before then towards the group campground and follow the road that continues past it, there is a lot of dispersed camping, especially off to your left overlooking a small canyon. Also busy in season, but close to Island in the Sky.

I hope this gets you started.

[Len n Jeanne]

I think the group campsite near Dead Horse Point/Island in the Sky is called Lone Mesa.

[LolaT]

Wow. Yes! This is definitely helpful.
Thank you so much.

[Blu_Hwy_Lady]

Last year I took my first big solo trip since my partner's death, making a big loop through Colorado, southern Utah and Northern AZ. I stayed at the Moutainview campground in Monticello for 3 nights and took day trips up into Canyonlands including Newspaper Rock. It's a pretty basic small RV park with pull-through spots--important since I suck at backing. The bathroom/showers are the best I've ever found at an RV park. Driving up into Canyonlands I scouted out BLM and other dry campgrounds for a future trip when I'm a little more brave about venturing off the beaten path with the AS. I found a bunch of possibilities between Newspaper Rock and Moab.

[TBRich]

Ww have had 3 Airstrem Rallies in the Moab and Canyonlands areas...as pointed out, BLM camping is big there, but there are RV parks as well... I would highly recommend ACT Campground...this is a 20-site RV Park 3 miles south of Moab out of the fray but still close to town. The have tent spaces and rooms as well. Lovely people and as accommodating as they can be considering the popularity of the area. Call them and see if they might have something...their number is 435-355-0355. Ask for David or Cherie (she's the owner and all has a 19' Bambi tha they rent like a room! Tell them Terry from 4CU sent you. (We'll be back there for our Moab3 Rally in May.)

[Lumatic]

Hamburger Rock is a good place to camp. Also the Needles Overlook and Hatch Point (never camped there but drove in). There is some great BLM camping near Goblin Valley State Park. If you have a good high clearance TV with 4wd or All Wheel Drive consider a trip into Horseshoe Canyon. Wha too you have for a tow vehicle. I know some great off the beaten track spots if that is what you are looking for.

[Len n Jeanne]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

Hamburger Rock is a good place to camp. Also the Needles Overlook and Hatch Point (never camped there but drove in). There is some great BLM camping near Goblin Valley State Park. If you have a good high clearance TV with 4wd or All Wheel Drive consider a trip into Horseshoe Canyon. Wha too you have for a tow vehicle. I know some great off the beaten track spots if that is what you are looking for.

We've camped at Hatch Point a number of times. It is a nice little primitive BLM campground (i. e., pit toilets, bring your own water, no sani-dump.) The parking spaces in the sites are mostly small but there are a few pull-throughs. It's in a district of BLM land called Canyon Rim that doesn't seem to get much use. While the scenery at Hatch Point isn't spectacular, this area contains two scenic drives to really impressive overlooks.

On the way in is another BLM campground called Wind Whistle. We've not stayed there, but it looks fine.

[pmclemore]

West of the main park, south of Green River is Goblin Valley State Park. Nice campground and lots of rock formations that are really a hoot. Prominently featured in "Galaxy Quest".

Across the road, and over a dirt road is the Horseshoe Canyon section of Canyonlands. You can hike down into the valley and see lots of large pictographs, including the Grand Gallery which has the spaceman-like images you may have seen images of.

Pat

[LolaT]

Thanks for the info!
We have visited Goblin Valley before but stayed at the campground inside.
We have a very capable off-road Land Rover 3 but while we're fine with taking it off road by itself, not a fan of going very far on dirt roads with the Airstream - just the minimum necessary to get to a somewhat flat or groomed BLM spot.

[Len n Jeanne]

Lola, please let us know how your trip went and where you stayed. We'll be down that way in April.

[Lumatic]

Lola,
Don't want to take this thread too far afield from Canyonlands but Goblin Valley is at the bottom of San Rafael Swell which is loaded with great sites without the Canyonlands crowds.

Just before the final turn to Goblin Valley if you go straight on the good dirt road for a few miles you come to a large BLM campground near a big petroglyph panel.

Another place I really enjoyed is Black Dragon Canyon, right off I-70. Narrow serpentine Canyon with great petroglyphs. Your Landrover would have a lot of fun but leave the Stream behind for this one.

Moving west into Capital Reef the Burr Trail is unforgettable with it's switchbacks and awesome drops. I would also leave the Stream behind for this one.

[LolaT]

Great! I've been taking lots of notes.

What are good places for dumping since we will most likely be doing BLM and primitive camping?

(We are hoping to leave tomorrow morning. We were delayed as we were preparing the LR3 with new tires, new windshield, etc. and left the Airstream checks for the end since we've never had any issues de-winterizing in the past. Well, the water heater was leaking upon pressurizing the lines so now we've been on a quest to find a new water heater. Apparently, Atwood, the manufactured was bought by another company and they decided to change the part numbers. Hmm, smart! So we received the wrong one from Amazon, but it looks like we've located the right one locally, finally.)

[Lumatic]

You could probably dump at Goblin Valley or Dukes Slickrock RV Park in Hanksville.

Let me know if you need any directions. The turn offs for Black Dragon and Burr Trail are easy to miss, especially for Black Dragon. I have a book " Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell", the National Geographic map "San Rafael Swell" and the BLM "The San Rafael Swell A Visitor's Guide".

By the way I have been trying to find someone willing to go into The Maze for a few days. I would not take my trailer in, but set it up as a basecamp.

[GOUSC]

I would second Horsethieves BLM in the Canyonlands area. We were there in Sept and were surprised how crowded it was. We even had a hard time finding availability in the private Campgrounds. It is beautiful area - you will enjoy.

[Len n Jeanne]

Lola, in the desert we really try to conserve water as well as the waste-water tank capacity. Here are some suggestions:

1. Wash dishes in plastic tubs on your picnice or portable table. Discard waste water in some sagebrush.

2. If you don't have neighbours, you can shower outside. Turn the water off if you're not actually rinsing. Better yet, take a sponge bath in a plastic tub or bucket.

3. If you're in a primitive BLM campground with pit toilets, use them whenever possible, instead of your inboard toilet. In a remote area of BLM land, you could probably dig a latrine, to be suitably covered with dirt before you leave. (Taking along a shovel is always a good idea. You may want to clean up old cow pies on BLM land, not to mention cleaning up after slob campers.)

4. Carry a lot of baby-wipes for cleaning your hands, vs. using water in the sink.

5. Any town with an RV park will probably let you dump, for a fee.

[Gene]

Don’t know if you are there yet, but Canyonlands is a wonderful place, but is for small four wheel drive vehicles and hikers for the most part. You can see some cool stuff outside the 4wd areas though and learn more so you can return. Permits are required for a lot of backcountry things. We explored the Park before there were many rules and missed few roads and trails. It was memorable and we spent our honeymoon 30 years ago in the Maze. Canyonlands takes some real planning and learning to get the full thing. It was worth every bit of it.

Arches is more easily explored with a large pickup or SUV or any car. It can be very busy.

Now until late May is the best time as well as the fall because of summer heat. We’ll be down in Bluff and exploring Bears Ears NM for a couple of weeks starting in late April.

This is only your first trip to red rock country—now we live at the edge of it and have visited scores of times.

[GOUSC]

Originally Posted by Len n Jeanne

Lola, in the desert we really try to conserve water as well as the waste-water tank capacity. Here are some suggestions:

1. Wash dishes in plastic tubs on your picnice or portable table. Discard waste water in some sagebrush.

2. If you don't have neighbours, you can shower outside. Turn the water off if you're not actually rinsing. Better yet, take a sponge bath in a plastic tub or bucket.

3. If you're in a primitive BLM campground with pit toilets, use them whenever possible, instead of your inboard toilet. In a remote area of BLM land, you could probably dig a latrine, to be suitably covered with dirt before you leave. (Taking along a shovel is always a good idea. You may want to clean up old cow pies on BLM land, not to mention cleaning up after slob campers.)

4. Carry a lot of baby-wipes for cleaning your hands, vs. using water in the sink.

5. Any town with an RV park will probably let you dump, for a fee.

Along this same thought, there was no water or dumping at the Horsethieves BLM. There is a a large camping store next to the City Market in Moab. They will let you fill your portable water containers for free. Get a 5 gallon portable water jug / fill it with water their and use a funnel to add it to you RV fresh water tank.

Gathering dishwater / shower water in a bucket keeps it out of the holding tank. Refilling with portable water keeps you with fresh water and not having to dump for a long time.

[Dave-n-Janet]

We stayed at HorseThief for 4 nights 2 weeks ago. With kids, you may want to check out 'Dinosaur Tracks and Trail' - some in situ tracks and some bones about a mile farther. Short walks to both from parking areas.

I had not realized how big Mountain Biking is in the area. 3 routes accessible from Horse Thief and a number in the state park (Dead Horse Point).

Most campers seemed to be there for biking.
Dave

[Gene]

And, remember, you can't dump grey water on the ground. I think it is illegal everywhere. One of those situations where if one person does it, it probably doesn't matter, but if everyone does, not good—human food scraps aren't good for animals (they aren't into the stuff we eat, but may not know it), soap may be bad for plant life, other stuff that goes down the drain may be nasty on the ground. Use a container in the kitchen sink and pour the grey water into the toilet. The grey water tank always fills first (unless you get cholera).