Much of the desert around Utah's national parks is Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and the mountains and plateaus above it are national forest. Both allow dispersed camping, but the rules differ by agency, by forest and, around Moab, by zone.

The rules at a glance

Land Stay limit Distance rules Notes
BLM Utah 14 days at a campsite 300 ft from range improvements Free, no permit, except where posted
Dixie National Forest 16 days, then move 10 miles 300 ft from water; vehicles within 150 ft of a route No camping within 1 mile of developed campgrounds
Manti-La Sal National Forest 14 days in any 28, then move 10 miles (straight line) — Applies to campgrounds and undeveloped sites
BLM Moab 14 days, then move 30 miles Zones: campgrounds only, designated sites only, dispersed Portable toilet required

BLM land in Utah

BLM Utah's rules are simple: free dispersed camping is allowed throughout its land except where posted, and there are no fees, permits or passes. While you're out there:

  • There's a 14-day limit at any campsite.
  • Travel only on designated routes. Check with the local office for off-road areas.
  • Camp only on previously disturbed sites, not near developed campgrounds, picnic areas or trailheads.
  • Camp at least 300 feet from range improvements such as corrals, gates, livestock water and pens. Interfering with grazing operations can get you a citation.
  • Don't trench, dig or level your site, and don't cut limbs to fit a tent or trailer.
  • Pack out all trash.
  • Fires: check current restrictions at utahfireinfo.gov, use existing fire rings or a fire pan, burn only dead and down wood, and drown and stir the fire before bed or before you leave.

Dixie National Forest

The Dixie National Forest's dispersed camping rules:

  • Stay up to 16 days, then move at least 10 miles to another dispersed area.
  • Camp at least 300 feet from any stream or water source, and at least 300 feet from livestock corrals from May 1 to November 15.
  • Drive no more than 150 feet off a designated route to reach a site, and use one path in and out.
  • No dispersed camping within one mile of developed campgrounds, and generally not near picnic areas or trailheads.
  • In some popular areas, camping is limited to designated sites only.
  • Be self-contained: there's no water, toilet or trash service.

Senior and Access pass holders get 50% off certain fees in Dixie campgrounds, but not on cabins, lookouts, group facilities, Pine Valley Recreation Area, utilities or prime-site fees. See our guide to camping near Bryce Canyon for campgrounds on the forest near the park.

Manti-La Sal National Forest

On the Manti-La Sal National Forest, a forest order sets the stay limit for both campgrounds and undeveloped sites:

  • 14 days within any 28-day period, whether in one stay or several visits.
  • After the 14th day you must move to a site at least 10 miles away in a straight line, and you can't return to the same site until 14 days have passed.

Moab: the big exception

The country around Moab gets about three million visitors a year, and the BLM has responded with zones:

  • Camp only in campgrounds in many areas near Moab and its developed campgrounds.
  • Camp only in designated sites, marked with a brown post and a tent symbol, in others.
  • Dispersed camping on previously used sites elsewhere.
  • A portable toilet system or waste bag is required for all dispersed camping in Grand County, and the stay limit is 14 days, after which you move at least 30 miles.

Our Moab BLM camping guide lists the BLM campgrounds and explains the zones.

Finding a spot

  1. Start with the maps: the BLM's interactive map for land ownership, and each national forest's Motor Vehicle Use Map for open roads.
  2. Call the field office or ranger district for current closures, road conditions and fire restrictions.
  3. Arrive with water. There is none at dispersed sites, and summer heat in the desert is dangerous.
  4. Watch the weather. Flash floods can turn dry washes into rivers; don't camp in a wash.
  5. Have a backup in case your first choice is taken or closed.

For how dispersed camping works in general, read our dispersed camping guide, and for everything else in the state, our Utah camping guide.