Sand Island Recreation Area

Location

BLM Monticello Field Office
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Policies

Check-in

00:00 PM

Check-out

11:00 AM

Pets

Allowed (per listing)

Campfires

Allowed (per listing)

Booking

First come, first served (pay on site)

About

Sand Island Recreation Area sits along the San Juan River about three miles west of Bluff, Utah (and roughly a mile east of the junction of U.S. Routes 163 and 191), and offers a straightforward, riverside camping experience for people heading into Cedar Mesa or launching river trips. The campground contains 23 campsites, each configured to serve both RVs and tents and sized to accommodate up to 8 people and 2 vehicles. Every site includes a tent/trailer space, a picnic table, a metal fire ring and access to vault toilets; cottonwood trees dot the campground and provide shade while a band of red sandstone walls rims the north side of the site. Drinking water is available seasonally typically March through October and the area is accessible by all passenger vehicles. For groups that need more space, Sand Island Group Sites can be reserved in advance through Recreation.gov; individual campsites, however, are strictly first-come, first-served and must be claimed at the self-register kiosk on arrival. Sand Island is the primary launch point for multi-day San Juan River float trips, so boaters should plan ahead: a river permit is required in advance and the campground doubles as a staging and access area for trips into the canyon country. On-site you can walk to the Sand Island Petroglyph Panel on the north sandstone wall, and from the campground it's an easy drive to hiking, scenic driving and archaeological sites across Cedar Mesa and Bears Ears National Monument. Activities in the surrounding landscape include auto touring, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting, photography and wildlife viewing; the campground itself supports camping and recreational vehicles. There is no fee for day use; camping payment is made at the self-register kiosk on arrival (cash, check, or the Scan & Pay feature in the Recreation.gov mobile app note you must have the app to use Scan & Pay). No refunds are available. For facility-specific questions call (435) 587-1500.