Sand Flats Recreation Area near Moab, Utah
The Sand Flats Recreation Area is just an hour west of the Colorado Stateline and while it is a very loooong hour the slick rock, waterfall hikes, and Moab itself is worth the drive.
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At A Glance: Sand Flats Recreation Area
Rating: 4 out of 5
Vibe: High-desert basecamp for mountain biking and hiking; good for families, though it’s noisy during the day from 4×4 traffic on the roads and trail
Skip It If: You want a secluded, quiet campground or need any amenities…or if you can only go in the heat of summer and don’t like to be baked
Elevation: 4,500–5,700 feet across the campsites
Location: East of Moab, about 10 minutes from town (map)
Reservations: Individual sites are first-come-first-served (non-reservable); group sites only through Recreation.gov
Cost: Group sites are $80/night + day-use vehicle pass
Season: Open year-round, but practical camping season runs roughly late April through late October
Vehicle Accessibility: Dirt road access to the main campgrounds and group sites; some higher loops and nearby trail-access roads require 4×4/high clearance
Maximum Vehicle Length: 30+ feet limits in some loops, most loops list no limits
Water Access: No potable water anywhere in the Sand Flats Recreation Area
Restroom Type: Vault/pit toilets (a mix of older open-air ones and newer enclosed vault toilets)
Campfire Regulations: Metal fire ring only, bring your own firewood (no gathering, no pallets)
Wildlife Considerations: Little to no chance of large wildlife, no noted bear risk but keep food protected from birds and rodents
Amenities & Extras: Over 100 campsites across eight campgrounds on 9,000 acres; cell service good through Campground D; close to Mill Creek waterfall hike, Slickrock Trail, Hell’s Revenge Trail, Arches, and Canyonlands
Would We Return? Of course, we’ve been multiple times! The first come, first serve aspect of the campsites is rough when you’re traveling with a family (expectations!) but if you can wrangle a few more families definitely book a group site!
Get The Same List I Pack From
The free family camping packing list is the one I actually use while I load the car. It covers shelter, layers, first aid, kid gear, and the kitchen stuff that’s easiest to forget. It is free, printable and just one page.
Sand Flats Recreation Area Camping: The Ultimate Basecamp for Slickrock
The Sand Flats Recreation Area has A LOT to offer — single track, slick rock, campsites, off-road trails…and just a 10 minute drive into Moab (and Milt’s!). There are eight different campgrounds with over 100 individual campsites. Most of the sites are first come, first serve but the group sites can be reserved.
The campgrounds are so quiet at night but are definitely noisy throughout the day with the 4×4’s accessing trails. The shade is *very* limited and even in early May our tent hit 100+ degrees mid-day. With no water nearby we needed to leave camp to cool down (on river trails and in town). Plan ahead for hot weather even before summer kicks in.
The toilets have been upgraded over the years — the open air pit toilets are still there but there are also more modern (still no flush!) pit toilets.
Cell service is good up through Campground D (the furthest we went). But there is no water within the Sand Flats Recreation Area so come prepared! We fill two of these Collapsible Water Containers for a weekend trip for drinking, cooking, and fire dousing.
Our Experience: When the High Rockies are forecasting snow in May and a friend has a group campsite in the desert…you follow them to the desert! We did just this. We stayed at a group site within the Sand Flats Recreation Area and our first night was the image of perfection. The skies were clear, the campfire was perfect, the wind was just breezy enough to keep the no-see-ems away, and it was warm! Absolute perfection!
Friday’s long drive day blessed me with a slow morning as my daughter slept in a bit. We had our standard get-up-and-go oatmeal bowls for breakfast. After eating the kids jumped right into making “soup” in the sand with a friend I took advantage of simply sitting. Ah, the true beauty of camping with other families…
Our big plans for Saturday revolved around a hike to the Mill Creek waterfall. Lately my daughter has been very motivated to hike and I’m not about to discourage that! Although I do pack extra snacks as bribery, just in case. The kids were very happy playing at camp so we got a late start and paid for it at the Mill Creek trailhead. It turns out parking is a hot commodity at a popular, easy trail. We should have known but we’re off our game as we slowly venture out of our winter hibernation.
We did eventually get a parking spot and started our hike up the the Mill Creek waterfall. The kids (all four and under) did the full hike themselves. A handful of water crossings helped keep them distracted, as did the multitude of dogs on the trail. We arrived at the waterfall just in time for lunch…and about six off leash dogs. As someone hiking alongside a nervous dog (and with kids unfamiliar with dogs) and chaos of so many off leash dogs killed the vibe quickly. We stopped just long enough to splash in the water a bit while we snacked then continued on.
We opted to take the more treacherous hike along the slick rock to the top of the waterfall. She did phenomenal but my heart did a few flip flops as we navigated the ledges. The chaos was still going strong at the top of the waterfall but there was more space so we were able to find space off to the side to play in the water. After a second snack we started our trek back to the trailhead. A solid 2.5 miles later we got stickers and badges from the Moab Trail Association for being good trail stewards.
We finished off our day with some playground frolicking at the Rotary Park, a stop by the Moab Food Truck Park, and a hike up the slick rock near our campsite to soak up the last rays of sunshine. This all seemed to be the perfect lead up to another night of desert perfection but alas, the wind had other plans. We were only able to roast a marshmallow or two before the wind gusts took over. Our gear went flying and the tent filled with sand (we had the “windows” open, doh). After a mad dash to put safely put out the campfire, secure our chair, and pick up the toys we all ducked into our tents.
Within about thirty minutes I made the decision to move us into the back of the SUV. The tent was holding up and felt secure but my daughter was starting to get scared of the tent (and blowing away). I wanted to avoid a negative experience in the tent so we made the move. The forecast had the wind gusting until after 1am and we did sleep surprisingly well in the car leading me to stand by this decision. Our REI Base Camp 4 did a great job in the wind! There was no damage, every stake stayed in place, and there was no extra sand in the tent (after we closed the windows!).
Come Sunday morning we reluctantly packed up to start the long drive back to the snowy mountains. (Rifle Falls State Park is right off I-70 if you want to break up that drive with a short hike around the waterfalls.) With one last stop by Rotary Park to get our wiggles out and splash in the river we bid our goodbyes…to our friends and to the blissful sunshine.
Meals We Planned: Brats and Tots, Pancakes, DIY Snack-ables, Quesadillas, Oatmeal Bowls
Meals We Actually Ate: Milt’s Burgers, Oatmeal Bowls, DIY Trail Snacks, Milt’s Burgers, Quesadillas
Gear We Used: REI Base Camp 4, Nemo Roamer Sleeping Pads, Butane Stove, Flannel Sleeping Blanket, Huskfirm Double Camp Chair, Collapsible Camp Chair
Places We Visited: Mill Creek Trailhead, Milt’s Burgers, Moab Food Truck Park, Rotary Park
More Places We Love: Bar M Trails, Grand County Library, Last Page Bookshop, Moab Rec Center Pool, Arches National Park (timed entry), Island in the Sky of Canyonlands National Park, Grandstaff Trail to Morning Glory Arch
Let’s Make Packing Easier
I love lists. I live for lists. And I want to share them with you. This is my color-coordinated packing list, and it has everything you need for a family camping trip. It’s all on one page and detailed without being overwhelming.
