UT Moab Campsites

Hi all,

I'm attempting to work out my road trip, and right now I'm looking at 2 nights near Moab so we can visit both Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

This area is hot, so I'm hoping for a camp with electricity to run the AC plus swimming.

Has anyone been there and have any recommendations?

Moab/Dead Horse Point State Park website: http://www.utah.com/database/campgrounds/?id=453

 

Good campground near Moab, UT?

We've stayed at Dead Horse Point. Beautiful, but HOT, HOT , HOT. I believe there was electricity. We were in a tent at the time and wilted, not make that melted. No pool, swimming etc. as it is on a high mesa top.... Let me know if you find the perfect camp as we would love to go back in the CI.

 

Good campground near Moab, UT?

AAA seems to recommend a couple of RV resorts or the KOA. It seems like the more remote and beautiful do not have services, and in town may be the only place with both.

I'm looking at Moab Valley RV Resort as an in town location. While AAA TripTik claims that there is swimming at the BLM campground named Horsethief, I'm doubting that based on the link I just provided.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

Thanks for pointing out that Dead Horse Point had electricity... I ended up going for it, even though there was no pool. The views just looked too nice to miss. We'll stay there two nights, and have a day or more to go explore Arches and Canyonlands. I reserved a full hookup the night after that at Mesa Verde, which I've been to before (just car camping) and is also a nice, but hot visit.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

I should summarize my findings:

I was looking for an "ideal" campground. To me, this involved having all of 3 things:

1) Being in a beautiful area / not in town
2) Having Electricity
3) Having swimming

I could only find combinations of 2 out of the 3. I could not find anything with all 3 of these.

In particular:

- Dead Horse Point -- beautiful mesa with canyonland views and electricity / state park / reservable

- Ken's lake -- Swimming and out of town / no electricity / no reservations / BLM

- in town RV places -- swimming pools and electric hookups / reservable

Both of the out-of-town places apparently have mountain biking trails suitable for the entire family nearby.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

Almost forgot... I should give honourable mention to Warner Lake Campground. While it does not appear to have swimming or electricity, it's at 9,600', and the altitude would likely bring down the temperatures.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

When is your trip? I'd like to hear it when you get back. We have been in the area only once, and would love to go back. Never been to Mesa Verde, which is high on our to do list.

enjoy!
Eileen

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

Well... my trailer left Camp-inn this morning on a truck. I'm the second delivery... the first is going to Yakima, WA.

I hope to leave a week from Saturday (7/24) headed from Ashland, OR to reach near Antonito, CO on Sunday August 1st.

I need to be at that destination on August 1st. I reserved the Dead Horse Point campground on 7/28 and 7/29, and a full hookup at Mesa Verde on 7/30.

With luck, good traffic, and good weather, my trailer will get to me sometime next week, and I'll have hopefully more than 2 days to get it packed up. If it runs late, I'll likely have more driving to do and less time.

My plan for the first few days:

- Leave Saturday, drive to Lassen Volcanic NP in CA, camp somewhere nearby, spend some time exploring.

- Sunday after playing the morning in the Lassen area drive down to roughly Fernley, NV. Stay at an RV park with electricity and a pool... not much to do here, so won't spend much time.

- Monday drive either the whole way to Great Basin NP or stop somewhere in between (Humbolt-Toyenbee NF?). Camp at Wheeler Peak (9,886', should be cooler). Stargaze at night (should I bring my telescope? or binoculars...), take a cave tour, visit the bristlecone pines. Maybe stay 2 days if we did the whole drive.

- Tuesday/Wednesday drive to Moab, maybe take 2 days and stop midway, depending on schedule.

- Weds night / Thurs night reservations at Dead Horse SP near Moab, spend a day (morning/evening) exploring arches, canyonlands.

- Friday drive to Mesa Verde, spend the night there.

- Saturday morning, early hike at mesa verde? or head out and catch a train ride.

- Sunday afternoon show up at the dude ranch, where we are booked for a week.

- Sunday 8/1 through Sunday 8/8 spend a week at the dude ranch with my mom, step-dad, step-sister and family, sister and family.

- Take a week to drive back (this part we haven't yet planned out)... some thoughts around the northern route, hitting Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Craters of the Moon, John Day fossil beds, Crater lake, home. My sister is coming out with her kids in a travel trailer (they live in NJ), and she plans to head a little west after the dude ranch for explorations... we may join her.

I'll attempt to document and report back.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

My mother is living in Red Bluff, just down the hill from Lassen NP. She says the road through the park was just opened a week ago, and there is snow! There are Forest Service campgrounds at Lake Almanor that we camped at all the time in my high school years. They are on the west shore, Plumas Pines I believe is the campgrounds name. Lassen Peak reflects beautifully onto the lake!
Have you been to Lassen before?? The obvious hikes are the thermal areas and the peak. If you have 2 cars, my favorite is to hike down to Bumpass Hell, then continue on to Kings Meadow (? -I need to double check the location). Since most go down to Bumpass Hell and return, the continued hike is private and wonderful. My parents retired to Lake Almanor for 10 years, until my father needed to drop down to low elevation. I went to high school in Red Bluff (in the 70's) and spent as much time as I could up the hill, in the Lassen area. So, I know the area fairly well.

Places to check out enroute to Lassen -Lava Beds and Burney Falls. Being in Ashland, you are probably familiar with all this.

Binocs or scope? -always take both!! You'll always want to one you didn't bring!
Have a great trip!
Eileen

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

I have not actually been to Lassen yet, but look forward to it. I have a 7 year old and a 2.5 year old, so we're looking for some not-too-challenging hikes/walks.

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

The Sulpher Works, near the south entrance is a must! Easy, handicapped accessible, short walk -1/4 mile ish. Lots of small fumeroles, mud pots and stinky sulpher fumes. Perfect to impress a 7 year old!
The Bumpass Hell walk is longer to a more impressive geothermically active area. Trail is downhill to the "action" and uphill back. Probably too far for a 2.5 yr old! Back in the 60's NONE of it was roped off or on wood walkways. Parents were nervous. The name comes from a Mr. Bumpass who was herding livestock in the area and fell through the thin crust. He survived, but he described it as hell.
Enjoy!
Eileen

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

Lyle, Hope your trip is a great one. Beware of the HEAT. I know this country well and heat is different in it. Lots of water is a must. I am excited knowing what you will see and all those things that country will call you back to see on another trip. My first trips to Dead Horse Point was long before it was any kind of camp. Just a dirt road, passable if not raining, and one sat on the cliff edge. I, of course, ran and jumped about more than I sat. Also as a kid in the early 50's I met the Lone Ranger and Tonto in Moab. they were filming in the area and came into town in costume. Moab had board sidewalks in those days and was an undiscoved jewel.


My grandfather drove the first wagon over the original road to Mesa Verde. They have a picture of the event up there and label it as tourists visiting. The truth is the wagon was full of the road crew.

Anyway, you should have a great trip, travel easy.....

Kent

 

Re: Good campground near Moab, UT?

Have stayed at KOA in Moab, showers & bathrooms, everything you need. Close to the South part of town not far from the fairgrounds and everything else.

http://www.moabkoa.com/
3225 South Highway 191
Moab, UT 84532
Reserve(800) 562-0372
Info(435) 259-6682