Dalton Wells Road Designated Camping

We stayed here for 4 nights in April 2023 using this spot as a safe base camp to explore all the national parks nearby.

While it wasn't free, the cost provide very clean porta potty's, and rangers coming through several times a day so we felt a bit better leaving our stuff for the long days in the parks.

The road in crosses a level but large wash that was a lot of loose sand when we were here. We made sure the truck was in 4x4 to pull our Airstream through it but we also saw many large class A's that don't have 4x4 that crossed it without issue.

We really enjoyed this spot and will definitely keep it as an option and pay the $15 for such great access to NP.

This area is since May 15, 2022 part of the Utahraptor State Park, and there is a $15 fee per night. Sooner or later there will be on top an entrance fee to the "park."

It would be good to rename this place here on Campendium.

The same applies to the former Willow Springs Designated Dispersed Camping area.

See also the link below with more detailed information and a map of the "park" boundaries.

https://stateparks.utah.gov/2022/05/06/new-camping-fees-coming-to-utahraptor-state-park/

Stayed here one night (Sunday). There were very few other campers, and it was a relatively easy drive in if you go slow (there's one rocky spot). A little freeway noise in the background, and it's a very large open lot, so there's no privacy. Still, overall really nice and really easy. Even arriving late (10:30pm), it was easy to find a good spot for the tent. Several scattered fire rings, but there was a fire ban so we didn't use them. Close to Canyonlands and really close to Arches.

First time boondocking. Plenty of sites the week before Memorial Day weekend too. Easy access from highway, but camping road access is a bit rough yet not a big deal. Flat area to set up. Fire pits. Windy some days but not really bad wind while we were there. A great location close to Moab, and great to use as a staging area as we went to the Needles District and Island in the Sky district of Canyonland NP on separate days.

We met some of the state folks who informed us that this area and the one next to it - Willow Springs - will be converted to a state park. They will begin paving the main road in by this summer and plan to have it set up with actual campgrounds by next summer. This is great for those that don't mind paying and want amenities. I'm sure it will be a beautiful conversion. It will however, reduce a HUGE number of free dispersed camping in area making the few that are left extremely crowded. Willow Springs alone has hundreds of campers on any given day. I'm glad we were able to enjoy it before the conversion.

Camped here 2 nights in our 29' class C. The road coming in is heavily rutted and has many dips and washboards, so take it slow and you should be OK. The area itself is mostly just dirt with the average amount of trash you'd expect to find at a BLM campsite. Enough room to spread out so noisy neighbors don't bother you too much. Easy access to mineral bottom road for all the hiking and off-roading opportunities.