Best Camping in and near Hovenweep National Monument

100% (2 reviews)

This national monument was once a haven for more than 2,500 people.

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Stay at a public campground in Hovenweep National Monument

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Hovenweep Campground

31 sites · RVs, Tents In Hovenweep National Monument

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Top-rated campgrounds near Hovenweep National Monument

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Bright Star Campground

33 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents40 acres · Cortez, CO

We have COMPLIMENTARY Wifi, Drinking Water, Ice, Hot Showers, Bathrooms, Shade, and an equipped Camper's Kitchen for our guests to enjoy from April 15 - Oct 15! There are TIPIS, CAMPING CABINS, TENT and BOONDOCK SITES. WE ALSO HAVE A NAVAJO HOGAN (wood yurt) OPEN-YEAR ROUND. All of our sites are not listed here. We can also accommodate groups and small events but not public events. We have a private covered group site as well. Bright Star Campground: Once used as a church camp, it is now a Campground for all to enjoy! We are a perfectly located vacation campground on 40 acres with amenities and wide-open spaces. Amenities include hot showers, an equipped community kitchen, a pavilion with hammocks, tables, ping pong, etc. Enjoy complimentary coffee, eggs, filtered drinking water and more. Bright Star Campground is located in the Great Sage Plain in the shadow of Mesa Verde National Park with panoramic mountain/mesa views of the Four Corners region, all only 5 miles southeast of Cortez. We are in an arid desert climate. Water is scarce, stored in cisterns for use in camp. Because of this we ask that you be conservative with water use in camp. We are a cannabis-friendly destination but ask that Cannabis use stay at your campsite, cabin or tipi. There are many things to do/see nearby: Mesa Verde National Park, Canyons of the Ancients, Hovenweep National Monument and Phil's World Mountain Biking. Raft down the Dolores river, maybe rent a SUP or kayak and chill on a quiet reservoir. There are museums and cultural centers in the area as well. Durango is 45 min, Telluride is 1.5 hrs away, and Moab is about 2.5 hours away-including Arches and Canyonlands National parks. The best/nearest airport is in Durango. Cortez has Denver Air (Key Lime Air) with connections to Denver and Phoenix. The nearest large international airport is in Salt Lake City or Albuquerque.

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The Needles Outpost Campground

55 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents100 acres · Monticello , UT

This Outpost and campground is located on 300 acres of private property surrounded by park and public land. It has been here for over 30 years in some form or another. We are Caleb & Amber who enjoyed managing this little oasis in the middle of the desert from March to June of 2017 when we decided to purchase the business & make it our own. This is a dry, rugged campground with a bathhouse that provides coin operated showers and flush toilets. In addition there is little old rustic camp store placed in the middle of nowhere where we provide fuel, snacks, firewood, ice, showers, cold drinks & more. If you are looking for a more private site with lots of space and shade, book our Small Group at the Rocks. For a warmer stay during the cooler months book one of our Glamping Tents listed. We have the larger, and spacious tent in the grove of the Juniper Trees (which is also amazing in the warmer season) and rent a heater from us inside the general/camp store. BE SURE TO GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO CHECK IN NO LATER THAN 5PM. THANK YOU!! DON'T FORGET TO TAKE A SCREEN SHOT OF THE DIRECTIONS HERE, YOU WILL LOSE SERVICE ON YOUR WAY.

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Sunset Campground on Ruin Road

10 sites · RVs, Tents19 acres · Blanding, UT

Watch the sun come up over the Sleeping Ute Mountain in Colorado and enjoy a gorgeous sunset as the sun sets over the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. We are off the grid and have no electricity or water. Our graveled camping sites are easy to access. We are located next to a paved road. You do not need high clearance vehicles or 4-wheel drive. Camp in a natural high desert environment consisting of cedar and pinion trees, Brigham tea, sagebrush, etc. Great views of the night sky. An ancient Indian mound is on site. The Five Kiva Ruin and Nations Natural Bridge are within hiking distance. Minutes away is the town of Blanding with restaurants, hospital, gas stations and a dump station. Its only a short drive to five different National Monuments: Bears Ears, Natural Bridges, Rainbow Bridge, Hovenweep, and Canyon of The Ancients. Take a scenic drive over the Blue Mountain and Elk Ridge. Southeastern Utah is full of archeology history to hike and explore.

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Where The Wild Things Camp

17 sites · RVs, Tents25 acres · La Sal, UT

Come camp Where The Wild Things Camp! Let the awe-inspiring views of the majestic slick rock, sage and juniper surround you in the peace and quiet of this beautifully secluded desert space. Centrally located to the best Canyonlands has to offer, our camp is located on 25 acres less than half a mile from Looking Glass Arch, a popular rock climbing destination which got its name from the conquistadors who would climb to the top and look through a “looking glass” for landmarks that would lead them back to Santa Fe. Not to mention less than 1/4 from world class ULUM resort! Moab is 25 miles to our North, about a 30 minute drive. The nearest convenience store/gas station is in the tiny town of La Sal, 12 miles NE of us. Although the Lasal Jct. now has burger truck, showers, ice and snacks. The nearby La Sal mountains rise to over 12,000 in elevation and is a great place to get out of the heat and enjoy lakes surrounded by beautiful pine and aspen forests. As the name suggests, Where The Wild Things Camp truly is wild and not for everyone. We are off grid, meaning there is NO electricity, no drinking water, and only "spotty" cell phone service is best just anywhere before bathrooms. Make sure to check the weather forecast before coming out and be prepared for anything as the weather here in the desert can be unpredictable and ALWAYS stake down your tents! Porta-Potty's available. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRACTICE PACK-IT-IN AND PACK-IT-OUT. Trash service not available. NON-AGGRESSIVE dogs are always welcome, however please keep in mind that a lot of our wild friends also live here, such as coyotes, rattlesnakes, deer and antelope. We wouldn’t want your pets or our friends harmed in any way! From Moab: Drive south on Hwy 191 for approximately 23 miles and turn right (east) onto Looking Glass Rd/Co. Rd. 131 (It will be the first right after La Sal Junction) Continue on this road for 1.4 miles until you see a wide gravel road branching off to the left. Turn left, this road will branch again in .03 miles, turn to the right and continue straight (another .5 mile to WHERE THE WILD THINGS CAMP!! From Monticello: Drive north on Hwy 191 for approximately 31 miles and turn left onto Looking Glass Rd/Co. Rd 131 (It will be the first left after Wilson Arch). https://earth.google.com/earth/d/1LNE4WnnOSypbZmVX_Z1uOCCNpkMgFDdl?usp=sharing Moab: 25 miles Canyon Rims Recreation Area: 12 miles La Sal: 12 miles Monticello: 33 miles Blanding: 54 miles Bluff: 79 miles Mexican Hat: 104 miles Monument Valley: 126 miles

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South-40@LaSal Tent and RV Park

4 sites · RVs, Tents40 acres · La Sal, UT

The South-40@LaSal Is: quiet, spacious, secluded, secure, and natural! We are located 26 miles southeast of Moab Utah. ( about a 30 minute drive from town or 40 minutes from Arches national Park.) This property is 40 acres of undeveloped Ranch land That borders the remote community of La Sal, Utah. We currently offer four (4) RV spots and several opportunities for tent camping. The RV spots include: Electric hook ups with (50amp, 30 amp, & 20 amp) water hydrants, Wi-Fi Internet, gray water disposal system, and solar powered sanitary vault toilet, Currently there are no sewer hook ups, black water dump . See more pictures and videos on FB at South-40 at LaSal

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Indian Canyon Ranch

12 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents20 acres · Monticello, UT

Please be advised, that during heavy rain four-wheel drive may be necessary. Units are not heated. Please plan to show up before dark for the best experience and ease of finding the location. Indian Canyon Ranch is proud to be an independent, off grid property with limited solar power and water available. There are no RV hook ups available but there is limited solar power in the rental units and in the communal area but not in the primitive campsites. Campsites are primitive camping only. Showers in the main communal area are solar powered and only hot with the sun and for an hour or so after sunset Joe purchased this property in 2008. At that time, it was 8 acres, and it is now at 20 acres continuous property. The ranch is situated 2 miles off the highway down a bumpy dirt road on the edge of the national forest, this gives you a feeling of being in the wilderness. The south and east sides are boarded by canyons and ruins. All other private properties in the area are 10 acres or more so are well spread out and sparsely populated. All the structures on site were brought here piece by piece and were salvaged from construction projects in Yosemite and Grand Canyon national parks. Water is manually hauled in and the power in the kitchen area is solar generated so please be conscious of water and power use.

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Adventure Haven RV

8 sites · RVs1 acre · La Sal, UT

The stream is running with snow melt and site 1,2 and 3 have wonderful brook noise! Please note we are RV's only, and that we do not have restrooms. ALL five sites have FULL hookups and strong WiFi. We are 27 miles south of Moab. Please read to the bottom of this description, we are open about what this place is like and we care about your experience. What kind of people LIKE the Adventure Haven? Those who like peace and quiet and dark skies. Relaxed full-time RVers, work-at-homes who need strong and fast WiFi, folks on a budget, those who like to support Hipcamp hosts, people looking for inside local information, solo travelers who want to feel safe yet not in a crowded place - like they’re near someone they know, and in a quiet, small town where unusual things are noticed. What kind of people DON’T like the Adventure Haven? People on high-pressure vacations who did not read the listing and expected a commercial RV resort. People who are uncomfortable with rural eye-sores (old cars, and slow projects). People who like street lights, sidewalks and curb appeal. Party people and special event groups (not allowed here). Let’s have a pretend conversation to make sure this place is a good fit for you! James and Linda: Hello Hipcamper, did you read our listing? We are overstating things because we care about your experience and we know your trip is important. We are located in a funky rural subdivision that has a wonderful view of beautiful nearby mountains. YOU: Yes we did read it and a rural, working class Utah vibe is fine with us. We’re not expecting a RV resort, we just want to be away from the noise and hustle of Moab, and we’re looking for a good value. What a great view of the mountain! (We’ll just ignore that old trailer across the street in the other direction.) The park has so much open space and only five spots! It is really relaxed. Wow - the WiFi is solid! We can work from home here; it is so reliable and fast (fiber optic). Your insider information on the area will be a great help to us; who could put a value on that? You say the night skies are some of the darkest anywhere? We already feel the freedom here. This place is great! The funky neighborhood is just part of the adventure. James and Linda: Good, we want you to be happy! We like it here, and many other people have grown to love it too; just look at our reviews! ****If you want a long stay and the calendar shows we are full, please contact us because we might be able to work it out! The Adventure Haven is a five site mini-RV park located in an old and sparsely occupied town with a population of about 300. A uranium boom town in the 1950's, La Sal is now a shadow of past times (and littered with artifact trailers and structures). But we are in beautiful high desert country and we are at the foothills of the La Sal Mountains and the park has a completely unobstructed view of this range! All sites have water, sewer, WiFi, and 30 amp electric service (two have 50amp). We also have two fire rings with a view to the mountain, and two portable fire pits. All sites have tables. Our park is new, clean and open with a solid road base surface. Sites can accommodate 40 foot plus units, but all require some backing. The La Sal vibe: as in any rural community, old junk is seen as valuable assets, and "curb appeal" is not in the local vocabulary (actually we don't have curbs or street lights here, and half the town has dirt roads). But it is peaceful here, a refreshing get away. We have some of the darkest skies anywhere, and hours can go by with no traffic at all. Welcome to rural Utah! We have built a tall privacy fence so you don't have to look at our treasure. Looking north and west, the Adventure Haven feels fairly secluded: houses are mostly obscured or out of sight in these directions. A row of large aspen trees is along one side of the camp with our neighbor obscured (when the trees have leaves), but not far away. Two funky old house trailers are visible to the south (just across the street), but camps face North with unobstructed views to the mountain. We are on the very northwest edge of this old community. This is not a place for a late night party, but it is a good place for normal gatherings. (You can stay up late and enjoy the night sky and talk, but if you get wild we will talk with you about it.) People in general find it to be quite nice as well as a good value. The Adventure Haven feels open, public and safe to most people. Funky and rural, in high pristine desert with a sweet view of the mountain is the overall vibe. The Needles district of Canyonlands is about 1 hour from Camp; Moab and Arches National Park are only 35 minutes away, and there are exciting features to explore right in our neighborhood. • Looking Glass Arch, Lopez Arch and Wilson Arch are all about 15 minutes away! • The world-famous motorcycle route, Colorado 90, begins just 12 miles away, with fine scenery all the way. • Hook and Ladder OHV Trail system is less that five miles from the Adventure Haven, the dirt starting in only 2. The Rim Rocker Trail can be accessed from here as well by driving a few miles on pavement. • Forest Service access to the La Sal Mountains is less than 7 miles away for an escape into alpine coolness, with fishing at Medicine Lake 15 miles from here. Note: Only mellow, quiet, and controlled pets are allowed here, and only two per site. Pets must be on a leash and owners must pick up after them. Please tell us about your pet in the booking request. Please consider that this place may not be suitable for your children. The perimeter is well marked, but is not child proof and there are hazards, such as an irrigation ditch, beyond it (running now). We also lack a play area, but there is a nice one at the elementary school 2.5 miles away. Thanks for reading this!

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High Sage Hogans

4 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents2 acres · La Sal, UT

Situated at 7,000 feet, campers are surrounded by the snow covered LaSal Mountains overlooking the deep Canyonlands NP of the Colorado River escarpment, and only 30 minutes from Moab, Utah. Summer temps are much cooler here than in the surrounding canyons and valleys of the Moab area, a very pleasant retreat from the heat! Virtually ALL outdoor sporting adventures are found around here in nearly limitless abundance, including winter sports, snowmobiling, off-roading, dirt-biking, 4-wheeling, and more. Campground has outdoor-potty, free firewood with pits.

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Camping in the Mesas

8 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents15 acres · Dolores, CO

This land was inhabited by the Ancient Anasazi and Pueblo people. The Anasazi Heritage Museum and archeological ruins are two miles away. There are ruins and sites on this land that have yet to be excavated. Many different ancient people came through this land, left and sites were inhabited by other people. One group of people would come and build upon the sites of another group, and taking part of their culture with them.

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Earls HideAway

10 sites · RVs, Tents116 acres · Naturita, CO

Learn more about this land:Hi explorers!!! We are explorers ourselves and enjoy sharing our slice of heaven!!! Please remember to be respectful, not only to our land but all land :) After booking, we will call with instructions on how to access the site (there will most likely not be cell service in the area).We are in the Paradox Valley, Dolores River within a mile, Petroglyphs, Western artifacts, Native American artifacts, Red Cliffs, Red Dirt, Peace, Isolation, Calm, Sunshine, Hunting! We have dry RV sites and tent sites. Please BYO supplies and pack out what you pack in. The camping land is a fenced/gated/protected area where you can leave belongings safe while exploring!!!

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Canvas Camp

3 sites · Lodging5 acres · Monticello, UT

An off-grid glamping camp in the mountains with spacious tents, shady porches, flushing toilets, potable water, hot showers, picnic areas, grills and propane fire rings. Close to Moab, Canyonlands, Arches, Butler wash ruins, Bears Ears, natural bridges, Needles, Hovenweep and more. 6 minutes from town.

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RV sites

3 sites · RVs9 acres · Dolores, CO

Learn more about this land: View of mts off of paved highway access. Within minutes to national forest, lakes and rivers. Enjoy fishing, biking, hunting, ohv riding also hiking and climbing within minutes of sites.

The best camping near Hovenweep National Monument guide

Overview

About

Combine history and a remote location at this ancestral Puebloan site. Hovenweep is a word meaning "deserted valley" in the Ute language. It's a fitting name for this seemingly desolate place on the Colorado-Utah border. The main draw is the historic structures. Some of which date back to the year 900.

Red and brown bricks form walls nearly three stories tall. Cutthroat Castle is the largest of these buildings.

The settlement spans six separate villages spread out along Allen and Hovenweep Canyons. Some have circular towers that look as if they belong in a majestic royal castle. Others have small windows for air circulation.

These ruins were once a bustling Pueblo enclave around 400 years before the arrival of Europeans. Some artwork still adorns the canyon walls. One such depiction notes the summer solstice, much like Stonehenge.

The 31-site campground stays open year-round near the visitor center. Sites are mostly for tents, but a few can handle RVs up to 36 feet long.

Notable campgrounds

Spend a serene night at Hovenweep's campground, where the stars illuminate the ancient structures.

Tips for snagging a campsite

Arrive early to secure a spot at the first-come, first-served campground.
Visit during off-peak seasons for a better chance at snagging a campsite.
Prepare for a rustic experience, as amenities may be limited.
Explore nearby camping options in case the campground is full.

When to go

Hovenweep National Monument is open year-round, offering a unique experience in every season. The best time to visit is during spring and fall when the weather is mild. Winter brings reduced services and unpredictable weather, so be prepared for all conditions if you visit during the colder months.

Know before you go

Check the weather forecast and trail conditions before your visit.
Visitor services are reduced in winter; plan accordingly.
Bring plenty of water and sun protection for your adventures.
Respect the ancient structures and leave no trace of your visit.
Start your visit at the Visitor Center for maps and information from friendly rangers.