Can you wild camp in Arches National Park?

Permits. You must have a permit for all overnight stays in the backcountry. Backpacking permits are no longer issued at Arches Visitor Center. We now issue permits in person at the Backcountry Permit Office two miles south of Moab up to seven days before the trip start date.



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There are no lodging or dining facilities in the park. Canyonlands has two campgrounds, one at The Needles and one at Island in the Sky. Individual sites at Island in the Sky are first-come, first-served. You may reserve some individual sites and all group sites at The Needles. Read more about camping at Canyonlands.

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There are plenty of dirt roads through the desert where you can just pull over and set up camp, no fees or permits required! That's called dispersed camping, also called boondocking, and it's easy to do around Moab just as long as you know where to go, and know how to do it right.

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The BLM maintains developed campgrounds in the Moab area for your enjoyment. These campgrounds are located on scenic routes along rivers, in canyons, and on mesa tops.

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Yes, you can sleep in your car in Moab as long as you do so at a designated campground or RV park that allows for vehicle camping. Many campgrounds in the area specifically cater to RVs, vans, and car campers. To find a suitable location for car camping, check out Hipcamp.

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Arches National Park is Open On very busy days, when parking lots fill to capacity we temporarily delay additional park entries. Visitors who encounter a closed gate may try back in a few hours or consider visiting other nearby destinations.

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Climbing, scrambling, walking or standing upon, or rapelling off any named or unnamed arch with an opening greater than three feet is prohibited in the park. This is to promote visitor safety and the opportunity to view natural features undisturbed. Balanced Rock is also closed to climbing.

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It's easy to access and can be visited no matter how much time you have to spend. If, as I was, you're rather short on time, you can make the most of just one day in Arches National Park.

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Inexpensive and remote camping opportunities are found here: Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In comparison with national conservation areas and developed campgrounds, BLMs are undeveloped public lands that offer disperse camping options for those seeking solitude.

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Moab camping ranges in price, from $20 per night for a simple tent or RV camping site to upwards of $350 for a luxury Moab cabin. You're likely to pay more as amenities increase, as prices are lowest for primitive campsites and rise with access to things like bathrooms, showers, camp kitchens, and free wifi.

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Bears. Black bears occasionally wander into the park from the nearby mountains.

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If you only want to see a few highlights in each park, then yes, one day in Arches and Canyonlands is enough time. For a better experience, add one more day to your itinerary, so you can spend one full day in Arches and one full day in Canyonlands.

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