Where to Camp for Free in Moab
Camping near the Fisher Towers outside of Moab. Photo by Southwest Jeep Adventures.
One of the best things about the American West, and Moab in particular, is the abundance of public lands. These are swaths of land owned by the federal government to be used by the people for free. Certain areas have their own management and regulations (like national parks), but for the most part you can camp on public lands for no fee, and with no reservations or permits required. Just show up and set up camp! This is called dispersed camping, or also known as boondocking.
The only catch to this free camping is that you have to be completely self sufficient. Public lands are free to use because the managing agencies don’t pay anyone to clean them up. That means the responsibility belongs to all of us who use the land to take care of it. So, while there aren’t a whole lot of rules about camping on public land, there are some important guidelines to follow to ensure that we preserve it for the future, and that we keep the privilege of using it for free! I want to first talk about these best practices for dispersed camping, then I’ll reveal some of my favorite places to spend nights in the desert near Moab.
How to Dispersed Camp in the Desert
Photo by Tevin Trinh.
Be Prepared. Dispersed camping means there are no services, no facilities, and no supplies available. Maybe not even cell phone signal. You’ll need to plan ahead to bring everything you need for nights and days in the desert under potentially harsh conditions.
Pack it in, Pack it out! Everything you bring with you to camp needs to leave with you. It’s no one’s job to clean up after you except your own.
Drive only on established roads. Off-roading does damage that takes a long time to heal in the desert. Stick to roads that are designated and well used. Don’t follow faint tracks and thereby worsen the erosion.
Camp only in well-used spots. Don’t trample any soil or vegetation to create a new spot. There’s plenty of places already cleared that make great campsites.
In general the idea is to Leave No Trace: Make as small of an impact as possible wherever you camp, so that spots stay just as good for everyone after you to enjoy. That also means no wood cutting or collecting (wood is a limited resource in the desert). You can make a fire as long as no restrictions are in place, and if you use existing fire pits. You shouldn’t enlarge fire pits either, so consider packing out the ashes.
Human waste should be packed out too! This is a rule that most of us don’t like, but in the highly used desert lands around Moab this is super important. “Wag bags” are the simplest method, but you might invest in a portable toilet and maybe even a privacy screen for increased comfort.
Dispersed Camping Areas near Moab
Now that you know how to camp responsibly in the desert, the next step is learning how to tell what land public and free for camping. This isn’t always easy to tell, as free camping isn’t typically advertised. So here’s my list of some free camping areas around Moab. Keep in mind that there may still be restricted areas within these, so just pay attention to signs or you might end up in the wrong spot. You’ll want to spend some time exploring to find the ideal location, but any of these general areas make a good place to start.
Willow Springs Road - A Road between Highway 191 and a back entrance to Arches National Park, with lots of large, flat camping areas within the first few miles coming from the highway.
Klondike Bluffs Road - Another dirt road off 191 that eventually leads into Arches, but with more trailheads for hiking and biking, as well as dispersed camping spots.
Dubinky Well Road - One of a handful of good dirt roads in the Bartlett Flat area, on the way to Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park.
Fisher Towers - These giant rock spires near Castle Valley are a popular spot for hiking and rock climbing. Camping is allowed here only in designated spots, and a toilet is provided, but it’s still free. Spaces are limited so try to arrive early in the day.
La Sal Loop Road - This is the popular mountain drive into the La Sal Mountains. Camping is not allowed right along the paved road, but dirt side roads have some limited dispersed camping spots.
La Sal Pass Road - A dirt road that links with La Sal Pass Road, but travels all the way over the mountains by way of a high pass. More dispersed camping can be found along this road.
More to Do in Moab
After finding your ideal camping spot near Moab, the next step is to hit the trails! Moab has some of the best desert trails in the world, for both hiking and mountain biking. But there are so many to choose from that finding your ideal destination can be difficult. Here are some of my top recommendations, featured in FATMAP. Follow links on the maps to find out more.
Best Hiking Trails
Best Mountain Bike Trails
This article is a collaboration with Southwest Jeep Adventures, provider of camper Jeep rentals and trip planning services in Moab, Utah. Check out their website to learn more about camping and other adventures around Moab.
