Distance From Denver: 252 Miles

Cost: $15/night for up to 5 people. Keep in mind that riding (jeeps, dirtbikes etc., will cost extra!)

Liz Rating: 5/5

Best Time of Year: March - Mid-May, Late September - Early November

Things to Do:

1. Camp

2. Off-Road, Dirt Bike, or take your UTV on any of the famous trails within the park (Fins N Things, Hell’s Revenge, Slickrock (dirt bike, hiking, and bicycle-only).

3. Visit the nearby National Parks (Arches and Canyonlands).

4. Visit Dead Horse Point State Park

5. Paddleboard the Colorado in the summer

6. White Water Rafting

7. 4x4 Excursions

8. Helicopter Rental

9. Hike

10. Photograph the rock formations, slot canyons, and sand dunes

Before we get started - if you are looking for free dispersed camping, stay tuned. This will be a future post! For now, I will focus on paid camping sites at the Sand Flats Recreation Area. Camping is inexpensive, sites are relatively well dispersed and away from other people. There are several campgrounds within the park. Unfortunately, there is no reservation system. If you plan on camping here, try to get here Thursday night or Friday morning during the spring and fall. Summer and winter are less busy. You will need to pay separate entrance fees for camping and dirt biking. If you complete a trail like Hell’s Revenge that ends outside of the park, you will need to have some sort of proof that you already paid to get back to your campsite (if you’re not willing to re-ride the trail in reverse!).

Fees:

Grand County says the following can accomodate RVs: (we have found there are many more sites that can accomodate your RV IF you have ample clearance and don’t mind a bumpy road into the site):

Campgrounds A, B,E, and Juniper (J) have campsites suitable for RVs but there are no hook- ups. Please note out of 120 individual campsites 30 can accommodate RVs 35-40 feet in length. There are no campsites that can accommodate vehicles longer than 40 feet. These campsites cannot be reserved but are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.