The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.
The Bureau of Land Management runs campgrounds on public lands for a small daily fee. In these BLM campgrounds, the usual Bureau of Land Management camping rules apply. You may not stay more than two weeks during any period of 28 days. As with other Bureau of Land Management campgrounds, check-in time is 11 a.m. The Sand Flats Recreation area is near the La Sal Mountains, which rise to 13,000 feet and provide sensational vistas. The terrain in the area itself features rock domes, fins, and bowls, which is why it's world-renowned as an area for mountain bikes and motorized trail vehicles. If you're in the Moab area, then you are likely to find Sand Flats Recreation Area if you search for "BLM Camping near me." The area is only five miles away. Also, Capitol Reef National Park is only about 140 miles away. The ranger-led tours there are quite educational about the landscape. It's a fine choice as a family-friendly destination.
This is one of the most famous mountain biking trails in the world. It's also for use with motorcycles. Be sure to bring your helmet. Distance: 10.5 miles Difficulty: Difficult
This is a great place to ease into hiking at Sand Flats Recreation Area. The trail is largely smooth rock, but there are a couple of sharp elevation changes that cover short distances. Distance: 1.7 miles Difficulty: Easy
This is a sandy trail that provides signs and trail markers that educate you on desert ecology and the relationship between the different species that live here. At the trailhead, some brochures describe certain things at different numbered locations. Distance: 3 miles Difficulty: Easy
The elevation of the area is a little more than 4,500 feet above sea level. The best climbing spots are a little ways from Slickrock Trail. There are nine well-mapped climbs. The most difficult climb is Fifteen Minutes of Shame, which is rated 5.10+. The easiest climb is Tea Pot Rock, which is rated 4. These climbs are all over sandstone, which gets extremely slippery when wet. The area is a desert, but it gets occasional rain. When it rains, not only do the climbs get dangerous, but the sandstone is prone to breaking off in clumps when it's wet, permanently damaging the climbing routes. Also, in the springtime, some climbs might be closed because they are too close to the cliff nests of local birds of prey.
Desert wildlife generally retreats to cooler places during the heat of the day. You might be lucky, however, and catch sight of one of the 18 species of bats zooming silently by at night. You will see some wildlife during the day, such as coyotes, rabbits, and lizards. Throughout the area, there are small depressions in the landscape that are known as potholes. Within these potholes, there is a unique ecosystem. During the infrequent rains, many forms of life will temporarily stir. Perhaps the most famous of these are the tardigrades, which are about a millimeter long and resemble eight-legged bears under magnification. When the waters dry up, the denizens of the potholes become dormant. You should not wade in the water and contaminate these critical ecosystems.
Each campsite has a picnic area and fire ring. These are the only places to have picnics as the environment out in the desert, other than the established trails for hiking, biking, and motorized vehicles, must be maintained as pristine.
The Sand Flats Recreation Area has extensive RV camping options. There are nine campgrounds. Therein, there are 120 campsites. All of these can accommodate up to 16 people. The group sites have spots for six cars or two Class-A RVs. They can fit three smaller RVs instead. The codes of the sites that have this much space are A, B, D, and E-1. The Datura C sites, along with those marked E-10, have about 2/3 the available space. They are only really comfortable accommodating a single RV of any size. They will also only fit one tow-vehicle/RV trailer combination. You will need to bring drinking water, and there are no hookups. Instead, there are vault toilets nearby. The terrain is desert, and it is open sky, so rigs with solar panels should get plenty of light.
Whether you call it boondocking, Bureau of Land Management free camping, or dispersed camping, it's not allowed at Sand Flats Recreation Area. The environment is fragile, and campers outside of the designated areas will damage it. You can, however, boondock at Gemini Bridges Dispersed Camping, which is 10 miles up the road.
Practice "low-impact" camping at the campsites at Sand Flats Recreation Area. That includes quiet hours from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. and no generators running from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. Always walk to other campsites or to the vault toilets on marked trails instead of across the spaces in between. Don't hang food in a tree. Ground critters won't get to it, but the ravens that inhabit the area will either strew it everywhere or eat it, leaving you nothing edible. If you pitch a tent, don't leave food in it either. The ravens will peck their way through it. Leave it inside your vehicle or in a sealed cooler. Use water to douse any campfires in the campfire rings, not sand. Remember, you have to bring your own water with you. You also must bring your own firewood as collecting wood is strictly forbidden. If you're going to bike or use motorized vehicles on the trails within the Sand Flats Recreation Area, please remember to attempt only those trails that fit your skill level. Most of the trails are for experienced folks, especially some of the most difficult ATV trails. You can't practice by riding around the campgrounds either. Please also bear in mind that not following the trails with motorized vehicles can result in fines, imprisonment, and loss of the offending vehicle under Federal Law.
Don't leave anything behind. Don't take anything with you that you didn't bring with you. Take your trash and recyclables to the designated receptacles by using the trails. The strictness of this rule at Sand Flats Recreation Area is crucial to maintaining the delicate environment. The "Leave No Trace" guidelines ensure that our lands are kept as nature intended them to be.
From Moab, proceed north on Highway 191. Turn east onto 400. There's a stoplight and a gas station at the crossroads. Drive east on 400 for about a half-mile. Then, turn south onto Mill Creek Drive. You will come to a three-way stop. Go straight ahead. Mill Creek Drive becomes Sand Flats Road. About two miles further on, you will come to a parking lot outside of the Entrance Station of Sand Flats Recreation Area. Ready to visit Sand Flats Recreation Area? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.
