BLM sites in Utah

[kfreedman]

Looking for experienced advice...
We are planning a trip to southwest (Utah/AZ) for October.
There are many BLM options, but all are 1st come/1st serve.
What are people's experiences with BLM sites? Can you count on getting a space or is it the luck of the draw? Is there a lot of searching/time involved when you arrive at a location?
Presently we are trying to make a definitive reservation where we can, but the Capitol Reef to Zion stretch is limited with places that have openings and dense with BLM .
No concerns with boondocking.
We have a 17B with Highlander.
Thanks in advance for any response.
Dave and Karen (and dog)

[MyronL]

Along US 279 and beside the Colordado River. It's a drive about 14 miles north of Moab via US 191. BLM land is all free because - nothing fancy, all first come first serve, no hookups.

[John in Santa Cruz]

my favorite campground in that area is Kodachrome Basin State Park, near Cannondale.

[wackyburggeezer]

we boondock on a regular basis in San Juan County and Grand County. Basically, if you see a spot that's interesting, and it's not posted as private property, it's a good place to boondock. By October, most tourists have gone home, so there's a much lesser demand for BLM sites. If you're going to be in Utah on October 14, be aware that there's an annular solar eclipse in the morning of October 14. We'll be boondocking in San Juan County on that date. Have Fun!

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by wackyburggeezer

If you're going to be in Utah on October 14, be aware that there's an annular solar eclipse in the morning of October 14. We'll be boondocking in San Juan County on that date. Have Fun!

I'll be outside of Eugene, Oregon for the eclipse. Looking forward to it!

[Mike G]

Sites in BLM CGs might be hard to obtain on weekends. But if you arrive by early to mid afternoon Sun-Thur, you have a good chance of finding a site.


You can use freecampsites.net to spot some known boondock sites on BLM and NF land.

[John in Santa Cruz]

yeah, in BLM places like Grand Staircase-Escalante, you can boondock camp most anywhere off the main roads.

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by kfreedman

Looking for experienced advice...
...
but the Capitol Reef to Zion stretch is limited with places that have openings and dense with BLM .
No concerns with boondocking.
...

There are a few BLM boondocking areas just outside Capitol Reef that are suitable for your equipment. Since they are so close to the NP they tend to be well used so plan to interact with your neighbors. If you can't find these places in boondocking websites or by looking on Google Earth, drop me a Private Message (I don't actively monitor the PMs so please be patient.)

[davidmurphy02]

Just on the east side of Torrey on the south side of Highway 24 there is a dirt road that turns right, if you're heading east out of Torrey, just past the Sky View B&B. There is a large dispersed camping area here, free, several branching roads with lots of camping possibilities, it shows as Overlook Point Camping on the map below. A little further east as you head towards Capitol Reef there are a couple of dispersed camping areas on the north side of the highway, not as nice because they are smaller and really just open areas where everyone can camp in a group.

Just west of Torrey, before you come into the town of Bicknell, there is a small but very nice forest service campground, SunGlow, on the north side of Highway 24. Likely full on the weekends but probably some available spots on weekdays.

At Kodachrome Basin State Park, a favorite of ours, they have several first-come sites in addition to all the reservation sites - worth asking about those if you arrive not too late in the day. And where you make the final left turn into the park, if you continue straight ahead maybe a quarter mile or so there is a dispersed camping area on the right side, Rock Springs.

There's not much in the way of BLM stuff at Bryce Canyon, in recent years they closed off some dispersed camping areas right outside the park due to extremely heavy use. But the majority of the south campground in the park is always first-come, and if you are able to get there in the morning by 10 you usually have a good shot at getting a campsite. That's easy to do if you stayed night or three at Kodachrome Basin which is right next door. And if you prefer not to move as often, it's really easy to make a day trip over to Bryce from there.

[Perry Butler]

Originally Posted by davidmurphy02

Just on the east side of Torrey on the south side of Highway 24 there is a dirt road that turns right, if you're heading east out of Torrey, just past the Sky View B&B. There is a large dispersed camping area here, free, several branching roads with lots of camping possibilities, it shows as Overlook Point Camping on the map below. A little further east as you head towards Capitol Reef there are a couple of dispersed camping areas on the north side of the highway, not as nice because they are smaller and really just open areas where everyone can camp in a group.

Just west of Torrey, before you come into the town of Bicknell, there is a small but very nice forest service campground, SunGlow, on the north side of Highway 24. Likely full on the weekends but probably some available spots on weekdays.

We've camped at both the BLM site east of Torry and the forest service site by Bicknell. We prefer the Bicknell forest service campsite IF a site is available. If not, we'll take the BLM site east of Torry, but if it rains . . . . .

BTW, David and Mary turned us on to Curry Pizza in Bicknell. We will go there every time we are at Capital Reef, no matter where we are camping.

There is also a great hike at the Bicknell Forest service campsite. Gaia is our friend when hiking.

Enjoy,

Perry

[TTMartin]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I'll be outside of Eugene, Oregon for the eclipse. Looking forward to it!

I'll be at Zion and will be driving slightly north to be in the path of annular eclipse. I have solar filters for my camera (and eyes) and am excited to get photos of it.

[dlakeman]

Be aware, Zion has one trail that allows dogs. Having been to Zion a few times, I now avoid the place like the plague. Maybe in October the crowds will be gone. There's one two-lane road through the park. Expect to travel at 5MPH or less when the one idiot is at the beginning of the line holding up traffic. Additionally, there's a tunnel that has trailer size restrictions. You have to make a reservation to go through the tunnel. Other traffic will be stopped by the Park Rangers so you can pass through. I really like Brian Head or Bryce Canyon instead of Zion.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by dlakeman

Be aware, Zion has one trail that allows dogs. Having been to Zion a few times, I now avoid the place like the plague. Maybe in October the crowds will be gone. There's one two-lane road through the park. Expect to travel at 5MPH or less when the one idiot is at the beginning of the line holding up traffic. Additionally, there's a tunnel that has trailer size restrictions. You have to make a reservation to go through the tunnel. Other traffic will be stopped by the Park Rangers so you can pass through. I really like Brian Head or Bryce Canyon instead of Zion.

I'll concur. Unless you're into hard core back country hiking, a 'drive through' at Zion is just not that great of an experience, and we did it back in the late 80s when the crowds were a fraction of what they are today. We have enjoyed Bryce twice now, and really dug the Grand Staircase Escalante area, Canyonlands, and in spite of the massive crowds, Arches. at Grand Staircase Escalante, and Canyonlands there's a whole lot of places you can drive to only with a 4x4. Doesn't have to be extreme, a stock 4x4 pickup truck or SUV (not crossover) with all terrain tires will get you into a ton of fun

[rbryan4]

Couldn't agree more about Zion. The exception is if you're one of the brave who want to climb Angels Landing. We love Bryce, Escalante, Capitol Reef, Kodachrome Basin, Grosvenor Arch, etc. Anymore we just don't enjoy the crowds.

[Katemcginn12@gmail.com]

We were concerned about availability in May but we had no problems finding BLM sites. There's a nice one between Bryce Canyon NP and the Red Rock Canyon. Great one up the hill behind Moab.....

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Katemcginn12@gmail.com

We were concerned about availability in May but we had no problems finding BLM sites. There's a nice one between Bryce Canyon NP and the Red Rock Canyon. Great one up the hill behind Moab.....

That one up the hill on the east side of Moab is Sand Flats. I camped there last March (in the Alcove section) and it was decent. $15 per night, I think. Lots of motor noise during the day from the 4-wheelers and dirt bikes, though.

[John in Santa Cruz]

when we were in that area in 2019, we found free camping just outside the entrance to Bryce. Was lots of camping on this loop of FS roads 090, 1175, 1173 as shown here (thats what Google Maps designates them as, I dunno what signage says). basically, turn right just before the big 'log' sign for Bryce National Park.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/37...6298?entry=ttu

I wouldn't leave a camper there unattended, we just spent the night and moved the trailer in the morning, we had reservations for a week at Kodachrome Basin starting the next night.

[iamunique127]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

I wouldn't leave a camper there unattended, we just spent the night and moved the trailer in the morning, we had reservations for a week at Kodachrome Basin starting the next night.

Can you explain why you wouldn't leave the trailer unattended there, John? I'm not familiar with that area or with off-grid camping in the US at all really but we always enjoy our time stateside and we are interested in exploring more of the south in the future.

[Mike G]

I can say that I personally feel more comfortable leaving my trailer in an established campground than boondocked along a forest road, because in my mind it feels like the trailer is less likely to be stolen from the CG where there are many eyes who could witness the theft. Witnesses tend to deter thieves somewhat, although theft can take place anywhere and at any time (some thieves are bold). I'm not saying that I never leave the trailer sitting boondocked, but the concern is in the back of my mind when I do so.

[John in Santa Cruz]

that area is a little too populated. the May afternoon we pulled in, we saw a dozen other boondockers scattered around that loop. And what Mike G said...