Westwater Group Site (Ranger Station)

Location

82 E. DOGWOOD AVE.
Open in Google Maps ↗

Policies

Check-in

12:01 PM

Check-out

12:00 PM

Pets

Allowed (per listing)

Campfires

Allowed (per listing)

About

The Westwater Group Site sits immediately beside the Westwater Ranger Station and the Colorado River, offering one reserved group campsite that can accommodate up to 30 people and accepts both RVs and tents. The site includes a shaded shelter with picnic tables, a single fire ring, a vault toilet and parking for up to 10 vehicles everything organized around one compact riverside gathering area rather than multiple dispersed sites. Reservations and the $50-per-night group fee are handled through Recreation.gov; the site is intended for organized groups and interagency pass discounts do not apply. Because this is a highly managed river corridor, river permits for Westwater Canyon have been issued through Recreation.gov since January 2020 and are required year-round for private and commercial trips. Permit limits change seasonally (April 1 Sept 30: private use limited to five permits or 75 people per day, commercial limited to 75 passengers; Oct 1 Mar 31: up to seven permits or 150 people per day) and permit fees are non-refundable. For reservation changes or cancellations contact the BLM Moab Field Office at 435-259-2100; standard Recreation.gov rules apply (a $10 change fee if you move entirely outside your original dates, a $10 cancellation service fee withheld from refunds, late cancellations under 14 days incur the $10 fee plus forfeiture of the first night, and no-shows are assessed a $20 service fee and the first night's fee). The site's location makes it practical for river-focused groups: it serves as the take-out for the Ruby-Horsethief section upriver and as the put-in for Westwater Canyon, so it's commonly used by boaters staging multi-section floats. The river here flows between Navajo Sandstone walls and through the Westwater Wilderness Study Area; Ruby-Horsethief is a mostly flat-water 25-mile stretch with Class I II rapids and day-hike options, while Westwater Canyon is the first Utah whitewater on the Colorado a 17-mile run with 11 named rapids ranging up to Class IV and recommended only for experienced boaters. Beyond boating, the area connects to motorized and non-motorized trail systems including the Kokopelli's Trail corridor, and towns and services are a drive away (Grand Junction and Fruita are about 35 miles east; Moab and the national parks lie roughly 70 miles southwest). Access to the ranger station is from I-70 (exit 227, then south about nine miles); avoid exit 221 when roads are wet. This single group site works best for organized parties who arrive with river permits, a solid plan for trip logistics, and the expectation of self-sufficiency in a high-demand, sparsely serviced landscape.