18 Road Dispersed Camping

We were just there and noticed camping area improvements (in the middle of it) and a new sign. As of fall 2021, there will be a fee-based system with a camp host. It will be $20 per night (I think there might be a discount for those with a senior pass, like America the Beautiful), cleaner toilet vaults (last time we were there they were REALLY full), and more camping spots with campfire rings and picnic tables. For now, it is free. There is another camping site just north or northwest of this free area that is fee-based with a camp host (we drove through there and found that they are small sites). If you have a big rig, park at the North Fruita Desert Campground and Event area (at this site). They have improved the event area as there are numerous biking trails (bring your bicycles), and perhaps events in the future, plus easier access into the camping sites. I am uploading a photo I took of the new sign with more information. We did have problems connecting with the internet (too much buffering, but we do not have hot spots). We both have AT&T and Verizon. It is toasty at this time of year, but they are looking for a campground host (probably when it cools down) and the number is on the photo I took. Nearby Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument are fun places to explore if you are in this area.

An incredibly open space to park any size rig. Lots of mountain biking trails for your pleasure! You can also hike on those trails. Nice views of the mountains close to the site. There is a paid campground down the street, but this one was free (May 2021). There were vault toilets (needed cleaning), a picnic table and a fire ring at the sites. After passing through the beautiful neighborhood of ranches, the road gets rough, is gravel and broken asphalt. Go all the way to the end for the campground. Quiet nights with amazing views of the sky. Great cell phone service for both Verizon and At&t. Not a far drive to Grand Junction for grocery shopping and laundry. Lots of things to do in Grand Junction, plus a visit to Colorado National Monument is delightful! Free dump and water, plus garbage at the visitor center in Fruita, Colorado. Might ask for donation (we were there when they were closed and could not find anywhere to donate money). Highly recommend this place as it is close to many amenities in Grand Junction, Colorado.

For years this has offered free camping to all the mtn bike riders with direct access to 18 road trails. The BLM has come in over the winter and graded the road and put down some gravel and some vault toilets to now make it more official.
Still very dusty in big windy conditions that do frequent this area, but way better than it was before.
No water, or anything’s for that matter. It’s a :25 min drive into town down a dirt / paved road.
On any Friday or Saturday night it will be very crowded

This is a great place to camp if you’re looking to get away from town but not too far away. Lots of access to biking trails, and you’ll be camping near but not next to other campers. The road within the camping areas is rough and rutted, so a high clearance vehicle would be better than a passenger car. The night sky though - incredible view of the Milky Way!

Upon entering public land, 18 Rd goes from a good paved road to 3 miles of rough, washboard gravel and old, potholed blacktop before the turn off to the camping area at 39.2969, -108.7078. The camping area is 1 mile long, with over 30 level sites, many of them very large, and also a number of badly sloping sites against the hill on the left. The road through the camping area is in very good condition.

I was there mid-June, and there were never more than 3 other campers, and never more than 3 at the paid campground at the end of 18 Rd. Of course, it was 90 degrees, so that may be why so few were there. If you are a tent or van camper, there are toilets at that campground.

I camped at the first site on the right (coords in site number above). It was hard, level and spotlessly clean, with a view directly across the valley to the cliffs and canyons of Colorado National Monument, which looked very impressive at sunset. There were prairie dogs and rabbits for company.

The area on the other side of 18 Rd from the camping area is a mountain bike mecca. The area closer to town is open OHV, but I never heard any OHVs when I was at my campsite.

I had 2 bars of Verizon with -110dB, but 4G was barely usable, with less than 0.2 Mbps down and 1 Mbps up. The tower is to the south (using the map on the Network Cell Info Lite app), so it is not shielded by the hills at the sides.

There is free water, a free dump station and dumpsters at the Colorado Welcome Center in Fruita. The tourist information office there is well stocked with brochures for all of Colorado. There is a propane refill and a laundry at the Exxon station on the south side of the Fruita I-70 exit.

Ho-Ly Crap.
Never have I ever left a spot because I was so frustrated with an issue. What issue was that? DUST. It was windy and this place was literally unbearable with the dust problem. No, it wasn't like 40mph winds, either... it was just typical out-west afternoon winds. Maybe 10-15mph? Gusting higher or not. We got there in the afternoon one day and were gone the next afternoon around 4pm.

Aside from the dust, the views are very nice. It's pretty. Scenic. We had ok cellular. The road coming in is atrocious. It's not paved, it's graded, but when we came in it was in dire need of help.

There's a long graded road to travel before you hit the turnoff to the right to camp. Then THAT road is pretty bad as well. It has huge ruts in it so you have to make sure you put your wheels where you aren't going to scrape a low-hanging (mine) weight distribution hitch. So going in to find a spot took about 45 minutes if I recall correctly.

Spots are fairly spread out. You will see your neighbors. You are just outside of Fruita and about maybe 20 minutes to Grand Junction?

I have never left a spot out of frustration. It was a mutual, almost unspoken decision we made around 3 that afternoon... we packed up as fast as possible and just LEFT to arrive at a Wal-Mart parking lot in Rock Springs, Wy around 11 pm.

That's why I give this a 1-star. I don't foresee going back and risking the mess that was the dust issue. I've been to dusty spots all over the west. None compared to this.