Campervan Camping around the Mighty 5
Utah is famous for its 5 National Parks, the Mighty 5. These natural wonders are amazing places for your next campervan trip. The park campgrounds are the most obvious choice for camping on your adventure but as these campgrounds fill up, alternative options including free camping are great options as well.
Zion National Park Camping
Zion National Park has two campgrounds near the entrance for campervan camping. South and Watchman Campground are the two main Campervan campgrounds just inside of the National Park. Both have pluses and minuses, but they are both now reservations only campgrounds so make sure to book your sites far in advance if possible. South Campground provides very easy access to the Pa’rus Paved Trail. Both campgrounds are a short walk to the main bus station to catch the bus for the narrows.
If both of these campgrounds are full, then head outside the park to Zion Canyon Campground. This campground has smaller less private sites, but does have easy access to showers and usually has spots when the other two campgrounds are full.
If you want free Campervan camping, there is Sheep Bridge Road just after passing through Hurricane. Once you cross over the river, there are lots of primitive spots along the dirt road. Be aware that the road can get very muddy during heavy rains and will become impassable.
Best Bet for Showers: Zion Canyon Campground just outside of the park gives campers access to there showers. If you are traveling to Bryce there are showers at Mt Carmel Junction in the East Zion RV Park
Arches National Park Camping
Arches National Park has one Campervan campground and it is all the way at the end of the road. There are very few spots so make sure to book early. There are no shower facilities, but there is water available. Don't be disappointed if you don't get a spot in Arches. There are a ton of options around Moab.
If you want to stay in a RV park then the Portal RV park is the nicest in Moab. If you want some remote options, check out the many campsites along the Colorado River. Right next to the famous slick rock trail you will find the Sand Flats area which has lots of camping options.
Free camping a plenty can be found around the Bar -M- Trailhead and off Dalton Wells Road.
Best Bet for Showers: There are a ton of shower options so here is the full list. The list is just in alphabetical order not the order of the best options. Keep in mind there is a fee to use the showers.
1) Canyonlands Campground, 555 S. Main St, 435-259-6848
2) Dowd Flats, 2701 S. Highway 191, 435-259-5909
3) Moab Cyclery, 391 S Main St, 435-259-7423
4) Moab Recreation & Aquatic Center, 374 Park Ave, 435-259-8226
5) Moab Valley RV, 1773 N Highway 191, 435-259-4469
6) OK RV Park, 3310 Spanish Valley, 435-259-1400
7) Pack Creek Camp Park, 1520 Murphy Lane, 435-259-2982
8) Poison Spider Bike Shop, 497 N Main St, 435-259-7882
9) Slickrock Campground, 1301 N Hwy 191, 435-259-7660
10) Spanish Trail RV Park, 2980 S Hwy 191, 435-259-2411
Canyonlands National Park Camping
Canyonlands National Park has a two campervan campgrounds. In the main part of the park, there is the Islands in the Sky Campground. This campground is only 13 sites and they are all first come first serve. Note: there is no water at this campground so be sure to fill up at the visitors office.
In the Needles district you will find the Squaw Flats Campground which has 27 sites. Some of these sites are reservable depending on the time of the year. There are always first come first serve sites so just make sure to get there early to reserve one.
Just outside of Canyonlands National Park is the campground at Dead Horse Point State Park. There is water at Dead Horse State Park and bathrooms. There are no shower facilities immediate to Canyonlands and you would be best to drive back to Moab if you need a shower. There is lots of free camping options on the way to Canyonlands if you want to go that route.
Bryce Canyon National Park Camping
Bryce Canyon has come excellent campgrounds inside the park including the North Campground and Sunset Campground. These two campgrounds at Bryce have plenty of trees in contrast to the other Utah National Parks. North Campground has 101 sites and Sunset Campground has 102 sites.
Sunset Campground is open mainly during the busy season from late spring through early fall only, but part of North Campground is open year-round snow dependent. Both campgrounds are nice, but North Campground is our first choice because it's closer to the Rim Trail. This hiking trail provides some amazing sunrises and sunsets. Arrive early if you don't have a reservation since they tend to fill by 2pm in the busy months. Reservations are available from early May through late September for North Campground.
There are Showers for $2 and laundry, open from 7am to 8pm at the General Store, which are a little ways from either campground.
Outside the Park
Just outside of the entrance to the park is Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground, which is just outside the park and next to the shuttle bus route. Most RV and tent sites are shaded. The campground contains an outdoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, barbecue grills, coin-operated laundry, and a store with groceries, RV supplies, and propane.
King Creek Campground, in the Dixie National Forest, above Tropic Reservoir, offers a quiet, peaceful forest camping experience relatively close to the national park. Stop at the Red Canyon Visitor Center on the way to Bryce for more information. The campground has gravel roads and sites are tall trees. To get to the campground from the park, drive north 3 miles on Utah 63, then west on Utah 12 about 2 1/2 miles to the access road, turn south (left) and follow signs to Tropic Reservoir for about 7 miles to the campground.
Red Canyon Campground is about 9 miles from the park. Tucked in among the trees along the south side of Utah 12, the sites offer great views of the red rock formations across the highway, there is a bit of road noise. There is a nice bike path nearby and many trails. Showers cost $2 whether you're staying in the campground or not.
Kodachrome Basin State Park is about 22 miles southeast of the park there are nice sites set among rock chimneys and piñon and juniper trees. This area is part of the International Dark Sky Association so the star gazing in this region is spectacular!
Capitol Reef National Park Camping:
In Capitol Reef National Park you will find Fruita Campground just 1 mile south of the visitor center there are shade trees and bathrooms.
Capitol Reef also has two more primitive campgrounds but only one is accessible without 4x4 access. In the southern part of the park, there is Cedar Mesa Campground. Go east on Utah 24 about 9 miles to Notom-Bullfrog Road, which you take about 23 miles south to the campground, only the first 10 miles are paved so plan appropriately.
Near the Park
Outside of the park there are lots of other options including a nice Forest Service campground.
The closest full-service RV park and campground to the national park is Wonderland RV Park, at the junction of Utah 12 and 24. The grounds and bathhouses are immaculate, and there are shade trees, grass, big rig sites, and croquet, horseshoes, volleyball, and basketball. Wi-Fi, cable TV, and use of gas barbecue grills are included in the rates. Also on the grounds and sharing the bathhouse are two basic camping cabins and two of what are called mountain cabins, with two queen beds, color TVs, microwave and fridge. There's also a cute sheep wagon available to reserve.
About 1 mile west of Torrey on Utah 24 is Thousand Lakes RV Park. In addition to the usual amenities, this campground offers excellent views of surrounding rock formations, some shade trees, and Wi-Fi. RV sites are gravel; tent sites are grass. The campground also has a convenience store, a coin-op laundry, horseshoes, an outdoor heated pool, and barbecues. The campground has several cabins, some of which involve a walk to the bathhouse, and some deluxe cabins with private bathrooms, one of which sleeps six and has a kitchen and bathroom.
Those looking to be in the National Forest will find Single Tree Campground, located on Utah 12 about 16 miles south of Torrey. There is a large forest trees among the sites and all of the sites are paved.
Best Bet For Showers:
1) Chuck Wagon General Store, 12 West Main St., 435-425-3288
Season: (March - October) 7am-10pm (shorter hours in shoulder season)
2) Thousand Lakes RV Park & Campground, 1110 West Highway 24, 435-425-3500
Season: (April - October) 8am-8pm
3) Sand Creek Hotel, RV Park, & Campground, 540 West Highway 24, 435-425-3577
Season: (March - November) 8am-6pm
4) Torrey Trading Post, 75 West Main St. (next to post office), 435-425-3716, 12pm-4pm
Don’t worry if you don’t snag a campground in a National Park! There are a fair share of camping options to choose from that are just a short drive out of of these famous parks. Feel free to reach out to our team if you need some tips on where to travel around the Mighty 5.
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