Willow Springs Designated Camping
UtahRaptor State Park
Write a Review Willow Springs Trail Moab, UT 84532 801-538-7220 Official WebsiteGPS: 38.6968, -109.6981
Overview of Willow Springs Designated Camping
As of May 15, 2022 there is a $15 fee for use of this area. First-come, first-served. The Willow Springs area is the location of the new UtahRaptor State Park. This area is undergoing changes and construction of the new park may begin in the coming months. Primitive camping will continue to be available during planning and construction. Updates are available on the UtahRaptor website. Please respect all signed area closures and camp only at existing fire rings.
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads.
Learn more: Boondocking 101
Last Price Paid: $15
Reported by la_Montebello on 10/14/2023
Longest RV Reported: 43 feet (Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel)
Reported by J Stark on 10/12/2021
Pad Type dirt
Elevation 4,429 ft / 1,349 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about Willow Springs Designated Camping
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 801-538-7220
swan-bull asked on 4/10/2023
Can anyone confirm the 2 night maximum someone else posted about?
JoJo In Idaho asked on 5/8/2022
Are the Willow Springs Campsites still open or has construction started on the new UtahRaptor State Park? Thanks!
Wyopooh asked on 3/26/2022
Has anyone been here recently? Is it still open to boondocking or has construction started on the new State Park? We ...
Mikem asked on 10/10/2021
Does anyone now when Willow Springs is scheduled to close to dispersed camping? I know it's supposed to go away sinc...
MJ asked on 8/25/2021
How busy does the Willow Springs Trail dispersed campsites get in mid-September? Do you think there will be spots av...
Chuck asked on 6/7/2021
Hello from Ohio, my wife and I are going to be in this area July 9th & 10th - do you think there will be plenty of pl...
dmuns asked on 4/21/2021
Can a small front wheel drive vehicle safely make it to a viable camping spot in this area?
Thenextexit asked on 3/8/2021
How busy is the camping at Willow Springs Trail in March?
Dancing Duo asked on 3/10/2020
From here could we ride our e-bikes to either Moab or Arches (preferably on trails away from cars :D).
Reviews of Willow Springs Designated Camping 125 people have reviewed this location.
“Boondocking conveniently located to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Moab”
Reviewed 4/20/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 5 |
Site Number: | na |
RV Length: | 24' (Travel Trailer) |
Willow Springs Road is well marked from US-191, just north of the Canyonlands NP road. There are lots of spots with varying degrees of level and space and rigs of all sizes seemed to have no trouble on the washboard roads. We picked a spot about a mile back from the highway. There is a lot of dust here, so the further away from the ... more
Willow Springs Road is well marked from US-191, just north of the Canyonlands NP road. There are lots of spots with varying degrees of level and space and rigs of all sizes seemed to have no trouble on the washboard roads. We picked a spot about a mile back from the highway. There is a lot of dust here, so the further away from the access road, the better.
Willow Springs is very full of campers and ATVs, but, it wasn’t hard to find a spot early in the day in the middle of the week (by Friday afternoon it was pretty full, however). Most of the sites have a view of something pretty, if not much privacy. I was worried about getting stuck without being able to turn around, but there are plenty of spots to turn around if needed. The sites are on a combo of sandstone and a sandy dirt hard pack. No shade, so great for solar panels.
Verizon cell signal was strong enough for internet streaming connection, especially during off-peak hours. T-Mobile was pretty much unusable (we don't have a cell booster).
We thought it was fantastic for its convenience to Arches, Canyonlands, Deadhorse Point State Park, and Moab, but it is pretty congested with campers, especially on the weekend. It is perfect as a home base for exploring Moab and the national parks, but probably not suitable as a place to quietly spend at the campsite and commune with nature.
There is free water fill up at the Arches Visitor’s Center with 3 spigots that can fill a 5 gallon jug, not just water bottles, but it doesn’t taste as nice as the filtered water we’ve been getting. There is a filtered water refill station available at the Village Market in Moab, which is located a bit inconveniently in the back corner of the store. Just fill up and pay at the checkout counter.
Free dump station and potable water at the Maverick gas station on south end of Moab. The dump station is easily accessible and has great water pressure on the rinse hose. We didn’t use the fresh water, which is located on the store building across from the dump area. There is an RV/Truck island for gas/diesel near the dump station that was very convenient as well. Easy in and easy exit for the RVs here.
PBJ 4 the Road would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Tons of camping available but a bit crowded”
Reviewed 4/20/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 4 |
RV Length: | 25' (Pop Up Camper) |
We ended up here after checking a few other spots and not digging them. We went back behind a bunch of other campers off the main road and found a more secluded spot which we greatly enjoyed. Since we didn't have traffic passing us to get anywhere, we were comfortable with our 2 year old exploring. At night the stars are stunning, and ... more
We ended up here after checking a few other spots and not digging them. We went back behind a bunch of other campers off the main road and found a more secluded spot which we greatly enjoyed. Since we didn't have traffic passing us to get anywhere, we were comfortable with our 2 year old exploring. At night the stars are stunning, and it's quiet. We really enjoyed this spot. You just have to really hunt before settling into a spot that's great. I was so happy to see that it was really clean, no trash to be found! So proud of everyone here for packing out.
NessieAnd Bessie would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Stupid popular”
Reviewed 4/3/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | 69 |
Even if it’s busy you can find a spot lots of flat areas. Warning!!!!big rigs can make it here. LOTS O NOISE KIDS
Canroc would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great place to stay to visit national parks”
Reviewed 4/2/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 7 |
Stayed here to visit Arches and Canyonlands. Very conveniently located 15 min from arches entrance, 25min from canyonlands, 20min to downtown Moab. Accessible for any vehicle and big rigs. This is a HUGE blm area and is not patrolled by any officials, so alot of ppl I spoke to had been there for months. Surprisingly clean and trash... more
Stayed here to visit Arches and Canyonlands. Very conveniently located 15 min from arches entrance, 25min from canyonlands, 20min to downtown Moab. Accessible for any vehicle and big rigs. This is a HUGE blm area and is not patrolled by any officials, so alot of ppl I spoke to had been there for months. Surprisingly clean and trash free despite the amount of ppl there. Theres porta jons spread around too which was great to keep the tent campers from pooping all over. We were there in the off-season (March 2021), and there were still over 300 campers but enough room to find a spot. There is alot of changover throughout the day as vans and ohvs head out to recreate and new rigs come in.
We had 2 bars verizon LTE everywhere in the area BUT STILL NO CHANCE OF DATA (voice only), as there were too many ppl bogging down the tower even in the off-season. A few cafes in town had free wifi so were able to map out our plans there.
CaptainDerp would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“very popular location”
Reviewed 3/30/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
RV Length: | 29' (Fifth Wheel) |
Stayed here 10/23/19 – 10/26/19. We have also stayed here in the summer for two nights at a time. It is located on state sovereign land and has a 14 day stay limit. Seems like a very popular location. The road in is dirt and right off the highway. There are lots of pull offs to camp in however, stay in designated camping spots an... more
Stayed here 10/23/19 – 10/26/19. We have also stayed here in the summer for two nights at a time. It is located on state sovereign land and has a 14 day stay limit. Seems like a very popular location. The road in is dirt and right off the highway. There are lots of pull offs to camp in however, stay in designated camping spots and avoid driving over vegetation.
Rohdsteading would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great for what it offers and its purpose; but...”
Reviewed 3/23/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 1 |
Site Number: | Not Applicable |
This dispersed camping area just a bit outside of Moab is perfect for what it offers, free dry camping amongst the valley backdrop. It attracts small/singles and large groups alike who are watching budget and like the flexibility that dispersed camping offers (no one pushing rules). For those who are coming from staying at campgrou... more
This dispersed camping area just a bit outside of Moab is perfect for what it offers, free dry camping amongst the valley backdrop.
It attracts small/singles and large groups alike who are watching budget and like the flexibility that dispersed camping offers (no one pushing rules). For those who are coming from staying at campgrounds in any of the Moab national/state parks, this is a big difference and you should manage your expectations accordingly. If you do that and pick your campsite (and by extension neighbors) wisely, then Willow Spring Trail is a good option for those needing to infill between reservations, a quick spot to rest on the race to see all that Utah offers or those simply watching budget since the Moab park campgrounds are somewhat pricey (although impeccably maintained so in my opinion, worth it).
Tips:
1. Arrive and pick your campsite early. You still want to adhere to giving your neighbors space but as the hours of the day go by, your options on distancing and neighbor choice diminish greatly.
2. It’s beyond dusty here if the weather has been dry (and by extension is muddy if the weather is wet). Be ready to get dust in every crevice of your belongings, your self and maybe your food. Which goes to Tip 3.
3. Try to get a spot way off the road to limit how much dust travels your way. Which means, get there early and have a capable vehicle to get you back into the protected and more private nooks and crannies of the area.
FYI: My ratings are based on what Willow Spring Trail has to offer, rather than a comparison of offerings from the neighboring national and state parks.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“It’s a nice spot ”
Reviewed 3/13/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 14 |
Site Number: | N/a |
If your a tent camper just be aware there is not a lot of solid ground to put up a tent. Lots of sand and sandstone. That being said the first day I got here was on a Tuesday early morning, the main road was packed no good spots. I then took the first right of the main road (you’ll need a suv or something with ground Clearance). Drove ... more
If your a tent camper just be aware there is not a lot of solid ground to put up a tent. Lots of sand and sandstone. That being said the first day I got here was on a Tuesday early morning, the main road was packed no good spots. I then took the first right of the main road (you’ll need a suv or something with ground Clearance). Drove all the way back to the wash and found a nice spot away from all the campers. Must worn you if it’s windy do not put up your tent😂. Ended up just staying in my Cherokee. Now it’s very beautiful. Snow capped mountains to the east, sand stone to the north, red rocks to the south and west. Close to Moab, and dead horse , and the road to canyon land. Cell service was pretty good. It switched between 2bars Lte and 5G AT&T The main road is pretty smooth lots of toilets. There is some road noise but very doable
Greygoose would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Easy access from Highway for any size or type of rig. Lots of spots. Popular area.”
Reviewed 2/21/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 8 |
Site Number: | N/A |
We pulled into Willow Springs at about 2:00 pm on a Saturday in late April 2018. Since it was a Saturday, many of the sites were occupied and privacy was not to be had. However, we did find a place to park our 38' 5th wheel amongst the other campers without infringing on others' space. This area and campsite is a off-road paradise, ... more
We pulled into Willow Springs at about 2:00 pm on a Saturday in late April 2018. Since it was a Saturday, many of the sites were occupied and privacy was not to be had. However, we did find a place to park our 38' 5th wheel amongst the other campers without infringing on others' space. This area and campsite is a off-road paradise, and access to many of the trails north of Moab are easy from Willow Springs. Although the area was teeming with campers, nights were relatively quiet. Most campers respected their neighbors and the area. It was not badly littered considering the number of people who were there. My guess is that there are 200+ spots in and around Willow Springs. I also imagine that it can be blistering hot in the summer months, but temperatures were near perfect in April.
The camping area is about 20 minutes from the center of Moab. There is a pit toilet near the end of one of the loops. There is no running water, electricity or RV dump stations, however there are many options for filling and draining fresh/grey/black water in and around Moab; the Maverick Gas station on the south end of Moab is one of them. That station can get pretty busy on those days were people generally arrive and leave the area.
We loved the stunning scenery and access to off road trails from this spot. If you don't like a festive camping atmosphere, this place might not be for you.
Dantho would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“I've been boondocking all over the country and this is one of my favorites”
Reviewed 2/6/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 10 |
I stayed here in November and then again in February. It was definitely more crowded in November, but I was still able to find a nice spot both times. The view of the mountains is beautiful. Weather in beginning of February has been 20-30's at night and 40's-50's during the day with light winds. I wouldn't do tent camping, but there a... more
I stayed here in November and then again in February. It was definitely more crowded in November, but I was still able to find a nice spot both times. The view of the mountains is beautiful. Weather in beginning of February has been 20-30's at night and 40's-50's during the day with light winds. I wouldn't do tent camping, but there are others out here. National Parks are basically empty in February which is also a bonus. 2 bars of Verizon. Not the fastest, but quick enough to stream netflix - about 7mbps down and 1 up. About 15 minutes down to Moab.
GrowYourOwnWay would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“free and close to town, but there's probably better options”
Reviewed 1/19/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
RV Length: | 13' (Pop Up Camper) |
We stayed first weekend in November. Tmobile was basically nonexistent except close to the main road. We found it decently quiet for an off season weekend, but if you go during high season expect generators to run all night, parties, and lots of dust and traffic. Due to the lack of trees and general busy-ness, I'd rate this a... more
We stayed first weekend in November.
Tmobile was basically nonexistent except close to the main road.
We found it decently quiet for an off season weekend, but if you go during high season expect generators to run all night, parties, and lots of dust and traffic.
Due to the lack of trees and general busy-ness, I'd rate this a relatively safe location to leave your camper to go do activities.
The views were lacking, but one cannot complain when it's free.
They had a few port-a-pottys in front of the larger spots
Shay would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Amenities
Hookups
- dry camping
- Dispersed Camping
Recreation
- recreation trail
Site Amenities
- fire ring
Facilities
- restrooms: vault
Pets
- pets
Nearby
Dalton Wells Road Designated Camping
Not free boondocking, but great spot to explore the National Parks from
- Alternate Roads
Dubinky Well Road Designated Sites
Easy access with a large rig if you enter on the correct road.
- Dantho
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