Westwater Campground (Ranger Station)

Location

BLM Moab Field Office
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Policies

Check-in

12:01 PM

Check-out

12:00 PM

Pets

Allowed (per listing)

Campfires

Allowed (per listing)

Booking

First come, first served (pay on site)

About

Perched beside the Westwater Ranger Station on the Colorado River, Westwater Campground is a small, serviceable base for river trips and trail access rather than a full-service resort. There are 11 campsites in total each configured to accommodate both RVs and tents with room for two vehicles (a vehicle towing a trailer counts as two). Every site has a picnic table, fire ring and nearby vault toilet and trash receptacle; drinking water may be available seasonally (typically March through November) but is not guaranteed, and there are no electrical hookups. Campsites 1 7 are first-come, first-served and can be paid for on-site by cash, check or by scanning and paying through the Recreation.gov mobile app; sites 8 11 require reservations (they can be booked the day of up to six months in advance where service is available) and must be paid through Recreation.gov cash and check are not accepted for those sites. The nightly fee is $20 per site plus any reservation fees. Cell coverage is inconsistent across the campground, though most carriers do have service at the Ranger Station during business hours, where staff can help with campsite assignments, trip planning and permit questions. The campground sits at the river's edge with clear views of Navajo Sandstone walls and is positioned at the take-out for the Ruby Horsethief stretch and the put-in for Westwater Canyon, making it an excellent start or finish point for boaters. Westwater Canyon is the first Utah whitewater on the Colorado River: a 17-mile run with eleven named rapids up to Class IV, rated challenging at all water levels and recommended only for experienced paddlers. Because of its remoteness and ecological sensitivity, permits have been required year-round (available through Recreation.gov since January 2020) and use is limited seasonally April 1 September 30 private use is capped at five permits or 75 people per day (commercial 75 passengers), while October 1 March 31 the limit increases to seven permits or 150 people per day; permit fees are non-refundable. Other nearby recreation includes the 25-mile Ruby Horsethief stretch (mostly flat water with Class I II rapids), day hikes and the Kokopelli mountain bike trail network to the north. If you reserve, note the change and cancellation rules: you can modify reservations through your Recreation.gov account before arrival (a $10 fee applies if you change to dates entirely outside your original reservation), standard cancellations incur a $10 service fee withheld from refunds, late cancellations forfeit the first night plus the $10 fee, no-shows forfeit the first night and are assessed a $20 service fee, and refund requests must be submitted through Recreation.gov within seven days of departure; emergency closures will result in full refunds.