Needles Outpost & Campground

Pictures can't do justice to the serene beauty of Needles Outpost. Uplifting views facing all directions. The hosts are great- I appreciated straightforward and detailed communication, from the posting description all the way through to check-in. Beyond its stunning natural beauty, this place has great vibes.

We stayed in site 11 and it was great. If we return we'd choose site 4 - it seemed to be the most private site tucked up on its own little plateau.

Check in was easy- as mentioned in another review, you are guaranteed a site with a reservation but not a particular one... you get to pick from what is available when you show up. The sites are pretty close to one another and the rocks behind the sites make everything echo so hopefully your neighbors are quiet. The first night we were there every site will filled, but on night two there were only a handful of campers out which made for a really peaceful and quiet experience.

Shower tokens cost $3 for 5 minutes. Bathhouse was basic but served its purpose.

The best thing about this location was its proximity to the entrance to the Needles district of Canyonlands.

When you make a reservation, you are assured a site, but not a specific site. Views for miles and great rock climbing on the "wall" at the back of the campground. Every evening campers hike up to the top to take in the incredible sunset views. The bathrooms are basic (toilets/showers/sinks). When we there, they were experiencing some problems with the bathroom sinks, but the showers were warm and one token was more than enough for a good shower. The campsites all had tables and campfire rings. The general store and gas pump came in handy. Cell service wasn't very important for us but when we needed it we could find a signal at the visitor center inside the park.

We were with a large group and our site was a fantastic group site. Our tent site was tucked up into some cedars that afforded us some shade and privacy.

From the group site, the restrooms were quite a ways away. The showers were operated by tokens, not quarters, and the tokens were not refundable if you didn’t use them all. Kind of weird, but that’s ok.

Showers were ok, tokens didn’t buy a lot of time/water, but since there isn’t much water here and is trucked in, its totally understandable.

Needles Outpost is a smallish piece of private land adjacent to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Over the course of its long history, it's been the only private campground in this part of Utah, which is completely off the grid.

Reviews, from any source, of Needles Outpost prior to the Spring of 2017 should be discarded. The Outpost is under new ownership and management. Previously the State of Utah owned the land and lease the business - in early 2017 Utah put the land up for auction - it was purchased by a land conservationist and donated to the Nature Conservancy. The current proprietors of the Outpost have a long-term lease to maintain the outpost and campground.

The campground offers a few tepees, several tent sites, group sites and a variety of other sites that can fit various sizes of RV. This campground is off the grid - there is no electricity and no potable water, and no cell phone service*, so camping it primitive.

The roads in the campground are primarily dirt and could be problematic in wet weather. It's recommended that larger RV's scout ahead from the main outpost building before driving to the camp area.

There is a general store that includes a fuel station - this is the only place to get gas without driving to Moab or Monticello. The proprietors will occasionally cook meals.

There is a fully-functioning bathhouse with flush toilets and showers. Water is trucked in daily from the National park - showers are not free but are a nice benefit in an otherwise waterless area.

RV's and campers can get water in the National Park campground.

There are a couple miles of unmaintained trails on the property that lead to the top of the redrock behind the campground.

The Campground also an unofficial overflow for the National Park campground, which is frequently full.

Overall this is a good, if primitive, campground - mainly because of it's location. There are some BLM camping opportunities nearby as well the National Park.

*There is no cellular coverage in this area. The store has a cellular antenna and booster pointed at the Verizon tower near Monticello. This provides enough signal for voice calls and very limited data. The hosts also offer WiFi for a daily or weekly charge - the WiFi connects to their Hughesnet satellite system and only works near the main building. The WiFi will not reach the actual campsites, but those with WiFi boosters might be able to get some signal.

The only other WiFi in the area is at the National Park Visitor Center, but that Wifi is usually swamped with users. Overall, this area is a cellular and internet dark zone - enjoy being disconnected!