Gateway, Colorado

Porcupine Rim Campground, just inside the Manti-La Sal National Forest, is a fantastic dispersed campsite (with bathrooms) that overlooks the hills and mesas of Castle Valley some 2000' feet below. Most are familiar with the area due to the famous Porcupine Pine Rim mountain biking trail, but the...

This a classic Moab area campground. Although you'll have neighbors nearby and a highway next to the site, it feels very secluded and quiet. You can sunbath on the sand and take a dip in the river to cool off/wash up everyday. It doesn't get much better than that. This is first-come, first-serve ...

This campground has three different campsites. All the sites are made for larger groups, so there has to be a minimum number of people to reserve a site. Site A is the largest, with the maximum capacity of 40 people. Site B fits 20 people and site C fits about 30 people. All the sites are non-ele...

Drinks Canyon Camping Area is located just 6 miles up the Colorado River on Hwy 191 from Moab. This BLM managed campsite has 17 sites that are all first-come, first served. Just a short drive from Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Fisher Towers, and the surrounding BLM land, Drinks...

Ken's Lake is an excellent location for peace and quiet. It is operated by the Bureau of Land Management and you can register on site or the reservation system at Recreation.gov. There are three group sites and 30 tent sites so relatively small. Faux Waterfall is within walking distance and a nic...

Fins & Things is a 9.4 mile classic Moab ATV / 4WD trail rated 5 by the Red Rock Four-Wheelers. It is steep, has great traction, some fantastic slalom cutes and of course, glorious views of the Moab redrock scenery. The one-way trail is broken into three sections and begins at campsite E-6 in...

Arches National Park is a must see for all photographers, but especially for astrophotography. Many of the most common places to shoot are balanced rock, and Delicate Arch and there's a good reason, these are beautiful places. North Window Arch is much less common, and even on a moonless night,...

The rock domes and slickrock around the campsites provide fun for young and old to scramble on, or simply enjoy the sunrise or sunset. Located just outside of the town of Moab Utah is the Sand Flats Recreation Area. The area is managed jointly by the Bureau of Land Management and Grand County Uta...

Granstaff Campground has 17 campsites available, which are first come, first served. The sites are $15 a night per vehicle. The campground is a little limited and doesn't have running water, so bring your filter or head into town and pick up supplies.During the day, you can easily make your way t...

Many of the campground in Arches National Park are extremely hard to book and almost impossible to get walk-in spots during the peak season in this area. However, the Colorado River near Moab has an abundance of beautiful campsites along its shore. Highway 128 heads northwest out of Moab followin...

If you're looking to backpack outside of the highly publicized areas of Colorado (aka the Rockies), head out to Western CO for some amazing experiences. Located 4 hours west of Denver along I-70 is the McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA). Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM...

This popular campground houses 50 campsites. Keep in mind that since it's the only campground in Arches, it can be crowded from March through October, so get on it early. This campsite not only provides easy access to landmarks like the delicate arch, but also provides very convenient access to t...

If you're looking to take your first backpacking adventure, but want something that is manageable yet thrilling, this is what you're looking for. Located along the Gunnison River in Western Colorado, the Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation area is easy to access yet full of adventure and be...

Moab's Wall Street is exactly what it sounds like, but nothing like the "Wall Street" you're familiar with. Several miles off Highway 279, it hugs the Colorado River on one side and a towering 500ft sandstone wall littered with climbing routes on the other. There is easy access to all of the clim...

This adventure begins at Devils Garden, which is a hotspot in Arches National Park. Most people take the shorter route to see Landscape Arch and then turn around, but the Primitive Loop, while challenging at times, is completely worth it. Starting from Landscape Arch, the loop will take you to se...

Kane Creek is a massive canyon, with the Colorado river at it's feet and red cliffs towering on either side. There are numerous trail heads and campgrounds the farther you explore into the canyon. However, these sites fill up fast. The canyon restricts camping to only designated sites, capping th...