Camping at Fruita, Cedar Mesa and Cathedral Valley

All sites are booked ahead through recreation.gov, which accepts reservations as far as six months out. The campground often fills, so booking early is the best way to secure a spot.

Larger parties can book the Group Campsite inside Fruita Campground through recreation.gov, and the window opens a full year ahead. It also fills up often, so plan ahead if your party is large.

For a quieter stay, two primitive campgrounds take no reservations and work on a first-come, first-served basis. Cedar Mesa Campground lies at 5,600 feet and has five sites and pit toilets, about 30 miles from the visitor center. Cathedral Valley Campground stands at 7,000 feet with six sites, located about midway around the Cathedral Valley Loop Road. Neither campground has any water, both are small and can fill on busy weekends, and neither works for RVs or trailers, whatever their size.

Backcountry camping calls for a permit that is free and available at the visitor center. Car camping and dispersed camping away from designated sites are both banned inside the park, so stay in a designated campground or hold a backcountry permit. Outside the park, Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service lands and private campgrounds offer other options.

Cathedral Valley, the rugged northern district, is reached over unpaved gravel roads. Reaching the campground calls for high ground clearance, and four-wheel drive is usually needed as well. Storms can leave the roads muddy or cut off, so ask at the visitor center about conditions before setting out. Phones often get no signal out there, there is no drinking water, and help could take hours or days to arrive. Pack enough water and food, extra fuel, warm layers, a shovel, and emergency gear.