Found a killer campsite near Moab by just pulling over on BLM land

Last spring during a road trip out west, I was looking at campsites near Moab and they were all $35 a night or booked solid. I pulled over at a Bureau of Land Management office and grabbed a free map, then drove 15 minutes outside town on a dirt road. Found a spot under some juniper trees with no one around for miles, totally free for up to 14 days. Anyone else had good luck just winging it on public land? I'm curious what other spots you've stumbled onto that saved you a bunch.

2 comments

2 Comments

anthonyhunt1mo ago

Yeah, that's basically the only way to do it out there. BLM land is a lifesaver. Just make sure you're not on a closed area or too close to a water source, some spots have fire restrictions during dry season too. I've had good luck near the La Sals and up by Canyonlands, pulled off some random two track and found a flat spot with a view. The map they give you is usually good enough to see where you can camp, just watch for signs that say no overnight parking.

alex_taylor101mo ago

Wait, @anthonyhunt, am I the only one who's gotten stuck trying to read those BLM maps upside down in the dark?