Utah has five national parks, a large state park system and millions of acres of open BLM land. It's also competitive. Zion's Watchman, Bryce Canyon's North Campground and Arches' Devils Garden book up months ahead, and the rules for getting a site differ from park to park.
Here's how each kind of camping works in Utah, and where to start.
National park campgrounds
| Park | Campground | Sites | Booking | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zion | Watchman | 184 | 6 months ahead; open year-round | $35+ |
| Zion | South | 124 | 14 days ahead; early March to end of October | $35 |
| Zion | Lava Point | 6 | Reservation | — |
| Bryce Canyon | North | 98 | 6 months ahead; open year-round | $30 |
| Bryce Canyon | Sunset | 101 | 14 days ahead; closed in winter | $30 |
| Arches | Devils Garden | 51 | Reservation Mar–Oct; first come Nov–Feb | $25 |
| Canyonlands | Island in the Sky (Willow Flat) | 12 | First come, first served | $15 |
| Canyonlands | Needles | 25 | Loop A first come; others reservable | $20 |
| Capitol Reef | Fruita | 71 (65 reservable) | Reservation only, year-round | $25 |
Site counts and prices are from the parks and Recreation.gov. Entrance fees are separate. At Zion and Bryce Canyon, Senior and Access pass holders get 50% off camping on one site.
Zion
Zion's two main campgrounds sit near the south entrance, a short walk from the visitor center, the shuttle and Springdale.
- Watchman: open year-round and bookable six months ahead. Loops A and B have 30-amp electric sites (a handful at 50 amp) for tents or RVs; loops C and D are non-electric and don't allow vehicles 19 feet or longer; loop F is tent-only. There's a dump station with potable water, but no full hookups. Generators aren't allowed.
- South: reservable only 14 days ahead, with no hookups, flush toilets, a dump station, and generators allowed 8–10 a.m. and 6–8 p.m. The maximum stay is 14 days.
- At both, the person named on the reservation must show photo ID at check-in, and the name can't be changed. Hammocks are prohibited in all park campgrounds.
- RV size limits: from June 7, 2026, vehicles over 35'9" long, 11'4" tall or 7'10" wide can't drive the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway through the park, so big rigs coming from the east have to go around.
Bryce Canyon
- North Campground: open year-round, reservation only, up to six months ahead.
- Sunset Campground: closed in winter (mid-October to mid-April), reservable up to 14 days ahead.
- Both are $30 a night. Front-country sites can fill by noon on summer weekends. During shuttle season, vehicles over 23 feet can't park in the Bryce Amphitheater during shuttle hours.
See our guide to camping near Bryce Canyon for options outside the park.
Arches
Devils Garden, 18 miles inside the park at about 5,200 feet among sandstone fins, is the only campground in Arches. From March 1 to October 31 every site is by reservation and it's usually full every night; from November through February it's first come, first served with Scan & Pay. No camper may stay more than 7 days a month or 14 days a year.
Canyonlands
- Island in the Sky (Willow Flat): 12 first-come sites, $15 a night, open year-round, near the Green River Overlook. No water; get it at the visitor center spring through fall. Sites fill quickly from spring to fall.
- Needles: 25 sites in a remote district with no cell coverage, about 1.5 hours from Moab. Loop A is first come, first served. Drinking water and flush toilets, but no hookups, electricity, showers or dump station; most sites take a maximum combined length of 28 feet.
Capitol Reef
Fruita Campground has 71 sites; 65 are reservable year-round, and there are no longer any first-come sites. There's a dump and water fill station but no hookups (the three ADA electric sites are for medical devices only). The stay limit is 14 days a year, and there's no cell coverage, so save your confirmation before you arrive.
Utah state parks
Utah State Parks book through ReserveAmerica:
- Individual campsites open on a four-month rolling basis (on January 10 you can book through May 10), and you can book up to 13 days past the end of the window.
- Group sites open 11 months ahead.
- Every reservation carries an $8 reservation fee; changes cost $5 per site.
- Stays are generally limited to 14 days in any 30-day period.
- If you haven't occupied a reserved site by 10 a.m. the day after arrival, it may be given away. Most parks don't allow access after 10 p.m.
Some parks also rent yurts, including Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab.
Free camping on BLM land
On Utah's BLM land, dispersed camping is allowed throughout BLM Utah land except where posted, with no fees, permits or passes. The rules:
- 14-day limit at any campsite.
- Travel only on designated routes.
- Camp only on previously disturbed sites, and not near developed campgrounds, picnic areas or trailheads.
- Stay at least 300 feet from range improvements like corrals, gates and livestock water.
- Don't dig, trench or level your site, and don't cut tree limbs.
- Pack out all trash, and check fire restrictions at utahfireinfo.gov.
Around Moab, the BLM has restricted many areas to campgrounds or designated sites. Read our guides to Moab BLM camping and dispersed camping in Utah before you go.
Glamping
If you'd rather skip the tent, see our review of Under Canvas Moab.
