Are you thinking of camping in Arches National Park? Though there is only one campground in this amazing park near Moab, Utah, it really is an ideal place to camp. First, the nighttime skies in the park are super starry. The campground is also located near a bunch of great things to do that you can walk to. But one of the biggest reasons to camp in Arches National Park is to be able to officially “reserve” a spot in one of the busiest parks (for its size) in the United States.
While the general Moab area has plenty of lodging and camping options, staying in the park is something that we highly recommend.
We hope this guide helps you figure out what to expect and what to do while you are visiting Arches National Park!
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUNDS: OVERVIEW
Arches National Park is one of the more popular parks in the country. With these sandstone structures around nearly every place you look in the park, it’s no wonder why. Many of the park’s iconic arches are located right near a parking area. Some, like Landscape Arch require a short walk while others, like Delicate Arch, require a longer hike and take a bit of effort to see.
The only campground in Arches National Park is located at the end of the park road. While it’s not particularly difficult to get to, it is challenging to get reservations at the campground. Prior planning is a must, particularly during the busy season (between early March through late October).
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK CAMPING SUPPLIES
For camping supplies, we recommend heading into the park with what you need, as it can be a challenge to get out and back into the park during certain hours of the day. However, if you really need to depart the park to get something, nearby Moab, Utah has plenty of options for both food and camping supplies that you may have forgotten.
Ahead of your trip, be sure to download our itinerary for Arches National Park. We include hiking maps, what to see and do in the area, what to bring with you on your trip to the park, hiking recommendations and what to expect for crowds and weather. Finally, we also have recommended 1, 2 and 3 day itineraries for visiting the park.
CAMPING IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: DETAILS AND CAMPGROUND MAP
Map of the Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park, courtesy of the National Park Service
Devils Garden Campground
- Location: The Devils Garden Campground is located all the way at the end of the Park Road. This 17.5-mile drive (from the entrance station) takes about 40 minutes. Directions from the Arches National Park entrance station to the Devils Garden Campground.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Offered March through October. Devils Garden Campground Reservations.
- Capacity: 51 sites.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, no showers and no dishwashing station.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground, but not allowed on any of the trails. Pets must be kept on a leash at all times, and the leash must be less than 6 feet long.
- Operating Season: The campground is open all year round, but reservations are only offered March through October.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am. Generators may be used only from 8 am until 8 pm.
- Nearby: The area surrounding the Devils Garden Campground is one of the most popular in the park, and there really is a lot to do! Our recommendations include the Devils Garden Trail to Landscape Arch, which is a 1.9-mile (round-trip) hike that only gains about 100 feet. You can also extend that hike to Double-O-Arch and to Private Arch, which is a challenging 7.2-mile loop. Another option is to take the short hike to Tapestry Arch, Broken Arch and Sand Dune Arch.
- Additional details: While the Devils Garden Campground is the farthest point possible from the entrance station, its location means that you won’t have to fight the traffic coming into the park, which will be heading in the opposite direction as you if you decide to head out in your car in the morning. The surrounding scenery here is great, but just be advised that you are without much in the way of resources here. You need to be sure you bring what you need, as it’s a long trek to get out of the park.
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK GROUP CAMPING
There are no group sites available in Arches National Park.
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING AT ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
If you are in for a real adventure, try camping in the backcountry at Arches! Getting here takes a bit of time, requires navigation skills and some good planning. You can only camp in designated spots in the park, which all happen to be at the Courthouse Wash area in the park.
You need to obtain a permit in the park, and need to go in person to the Backcountry Permit Office in Moab. For more information, see camping in the backcountry in Arches National Park.
CAMPING NEAR ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
In the event that you are not able to get a campsite in Arches National Park (or want some additional amenities), then there are plenty of options in Moab, Utah and the surrounding area. You also may want to camp in nearby Canyonlands National Park or Dead Horse Point State Park. We also put together a few other options that are worth considering:
Goose Island Campground
- Location: From Moab, head north on US-191 for about 2 miles. Turn right onto UT-128 and continue for approximately 1.4 miles. The campground will be on your left, along the banks of the Colorado River.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Not accepted.
- Capacity: 20 sites, capable of handling both RVs and tents.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Vault toilets and no showers or dishwashing station.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am. Generators may be used only from 8 am until 8 pm.
- Nearby: Right near the campground you ca get to the town of Moab, only about 2 miles away. You can also drive along scenic route 128.
- Additional details: While limited in services, this is a great spot to stop. It’s low cost and in an amazingly beautiful setting. Get here early in the day to scout out a spot, though, as spots do fill up quite fast.
Sun Outdoors Arches Gateway
- Location: From Moab, head north on US-191 for about 3 miles. The campground is on the right, just past the entrance to Arches National Park.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Accepted and highly recommended. You can make reservations here.
- Capacity: It unclear how many campsites are available, but there area nearly 100 campsites available.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / Yes / Yes.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, great showers and a dishwashing station.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 8 am.
- Additional details: This is a full-service campground, with the normal amenities plus activities for kids like a swimming pool and a playground. The campground is a bit more expensive than some of the others in the area, and it is crowded during peak park visitation.
Portal RV Resort
- Location: From Moab, head north on US-191 for about 2 miles. The resort will be on your left, just before the entrance to Arches National Park.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Accepted and highly recommended. You can make reservations here.
- Capacity: Plenty of sites for RVs. They also offer cabins and vacation rentals.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / Yes / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, showers and a dishwashing station.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 8 am.
- Additional details: This is another great option if you are looking for a campground with a ton of facilities. It’s actually super close to Arches National Park, so you won’t have to travel far. The sites are pretty close together. Expect to have super-clean facilities. It is a bit expensive, and you will have some road noise at the campground.
Moab Rim Campark
- Location: From downtown Moab, head south on Main Street (US-191) and turn left onto E 300 S. The campground will be on your left.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Accepted and highly recommended. You can make reservations here.
- Capacity: Plenty of sites for RVs and tents. There are also cabins for rent.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / Yes / Yes.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, showers and a dishwashing station.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 8 am.
- Additional details: This is another great option for camping in the area. It’s located in a quieter part of Moab as it is south of the city. The sites are a bit close together. The staff is great, and the campground is well maintained. There is a bit of noise from the highway, and there is limited shade at some of the sites.
Up the Creek Campground
- Location: From downtown Moab, head south on Main Street (US-191) and turn left onto E 300 S. The campground will be on your left. It’s actually within walking distance of Moab, UT!
- Accessible via:
- Reservations: You can make reservations here.
- Capacity: 18 tent sites.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, showers and a dishwashing station.
- Pets: Not allowed.
- Operating Season: March1 through October 31.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 7 am.
- Additional details: This is a tent-only campground. Since it’s within a short walk of Moab, it’s great for using as a base but also allows you to head into town to get food as needed. The grassy tent sites are great, and the place is well maintained. Just be advised that the sites are a bit close together, and there is a bit of road noise that you can hear throughout the day and even in the evening at times.
Moab KOA Holiday
- Location: From Moab, head south on US-191 for about 4 miles. The campground will be on your right. It’s about 10 to 15 minutes from Arches National Park.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: Accepted and highly recommended. You can make reservations here.
- Capacity: Over 100 sites are available, from Cabins to RV to tent sites.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: Yes / Yes / Yes.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Flush toilets, showers dishwashing stations.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 7 am.
- Additional details: This is one of the most full-service campgrounds you can get to in the area. There is plenty to do for families, wi-fi, picnic tables and a fire ring at ever site. The place is very well maintained. It’s quite expensive, with some sites reaching over $100 per night. You can also expect some noise from the nearby highway.
Sand Flats Recreation Area
- Location: rom Moab, head east on Mill Creek Drive, then continue onto Sand Flats Road. Follow Sand Flats Road for approximately 2 miles to reach the recreation area and campground.
- Accessible via: Car and RV.
- Reservations: None offered-the campground is first-come, first-served.
- Capacity: Over 120 sites are available spread across multiple loops.
- Electricity / Water Hookups / Dump Station: No / No / No.
- Toilets / Showers / Dishwashing station: Vault toilets only.
- Pets: Allowed at the campground but must be kept on a 6 foot leash at all times.
- Operating Season: Year-round.
- Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am.
- Nearby: Near the campground you’ll find a ton to do, including mountain biking and Hell’s Revenge, the famous 4 x 4 trail.
- Additional details: This campground has a beautiful landscape, but the amenities are pretty much non-existent. Just come prepared and you’ll love it here! The place is popular and can be a bit noisy due to the prevalence of 4 x 4 vehicles here during the day.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON ARCHES NATIONAL PARK FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- Be sure to check out our other articles on the park, including Things to Do in Arches National Park, Best Hikes in Arches National Park, Hiking the Delicate Arch Trail, Best Airports to fly into for Arches National Park, Hiking to Landscape Arch and Hiking the Fiery Furnace Trail.
- Our Arches National Park itinerary covers the best hikes in this expansive park, as well as what to pack, what to reserve ahead of time and what to do while you are in the area.
- When you return, go ahead and send us a picture or two and we’ll create a custom, vintage travel poster!
