South Temple Wash BLM

BLM Utah

Visited October 2011

South Temple Wash is a BLM-administrated dispersed camping area near Goblin Valley State Park north of Hanksville. Other than two vault toilets, there are no amenities. The area is popular with ATV and Jeep enthusiasts, who find miles of roads and trails to explore. We just happpened across it and decided to stay a few days.

The camping area is located on the site of an old dump. Some years ago users began cleaning it up and eventually the BLM completed the job. This region is known as the San Rafael Swell.

Greetings from

South Temple Wash BLM

The camping area is located on the site of an old dump. Some years ago users began cleaning it up and eventually the BLM completed the job. This region is known as the San Rafael Swell.

Ribbit! The WxToad

Around the campground

Figuring that it might get a little noisy over the weekend, we chose to settle in at one end of the parking area.

Here's the view from our front window. This was about noon on Friday shortly after our arrival. Throughout the afternoon, campers kept rolling in.

The boys and their toys. We talked to one fellow from Colorado who said he had been coming here for 35 years - it's a semi-annual pilgrimage to gather with friends. It generally seemed to be an older crowd, very friendly.

That's us, dwarfed by the rock formations.

If you're feeling a little more adventuresome and/or would prefer more solitude, you can continue on up the road... — If you're feeling a little more adventuresome and/or would prefer more solitude, you can continue on up the road past South Temple Wash camping area and boondock just about anywhere you'd like. Beware that road conditions can change quickly with sudden storms.

About 3/4 of mile beyond the South Temple Wash area is another dispersed area, complete with a corral for horses.

Nearby campgrounds

Goblin Valley State ParkUT · 6 miles away

Capitol Reef National Park - Fruita CampgroundUT · 41 miles away

Legacy Inn RV Park, PriceUT · 66 miles away

Natural Bridges National MonumentUT · 81 miles away

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