Canyonlands National Park Needles District Campground, Canyonlands National Park

Campground

Facilities

The Needles is a remote district with limited services and no cell coverage. The Needles Campground and group sites are best suited to tents and small, self-contained campers and RVs. A seasonal campground host (spring and fall) is located in Loop A of the campground.

Individual Campsites: Drinking water and flush toilets are available in the campground. Picnic tables and fire rings are provided at each site. There are no RV hook-ups. The campground does not have electricity, showers or a dump station. Maximum combined vehicle and trailer length is 28 feet (8.5 m).
If you are looking for group campsites, visit the Needles District Group Campground page.

Natural Features

The campground contains stands of Utah juniper and pinyon pine. Flowering prickly pear cacti, yucca and other desert wildflowers dot the landscape in the spring, adding to the vivid colors of the surrounding red rock desert. The Needles District forms the southeast corner of Canyonlands National Park and was named for the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. The park is within an arid, high desert environment with hot summers and cold winters.

Recreation

The Needles District's extensive trail system provides many opportunities for long day hikes and overnight backpacking trips. Foot trails and four-wheel-drive roads lead to such features as Confluence Overlook, Druid Arch, the Joint Trail and Chesler Park.

Recreation Sites

Management
Standard Nonelectric
Tent Only Nonelectric
Overnight

Activities

Hiking
Interpretive Programs
Camping
Historic & Cultural Site
Biking
Backpacking
Evening Programs
Photography
Star Gazing
Wilderness

Amenities

Accessible Flush Toilets
Amphitheater
Drinking Water (Hand Pump)
Flush Toilets (Seasonal)
Host
Interpretive Trails
Tent Pads
Trailhead Parking
Utility Sinks
Vault Toilets
Water (Seasonal)

Nearby Attractions

Southeastern Utah offers breathtaking scenery, hiking, road and mountain biking opportunities, rafting and scenic driving routes. Arches and Mesa Verde National Parks, the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park, Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Monuments and Dead Horse Point and Edge of the Cedars State Parks are all within three hours drive of the Needles Campground. Moab, Utah, (1.5 hours away) offers numerous restaurants, shops and museums.

Getting Here

Latitude

38° 10' 7.6300" N

Longitude

109° 45' 36.1400" W

On US Highway 191, drive 40 miles (60 km) south of Moab or 14 miles (22 km) north of Monticello, then take Utah Highway 211 roughly 35 miles (56 km) west. Highway 211 ends in the Needles, and is the only paved road leading in and out of the district.

Needles District Campground

From the entrance station follow the main park road until you see signs for the campground. Turn left into the campground and follow the signs into Loop B.

For reservations and directions to group campsites (groups of 11 or more), please visit the Canyonlands National Park Needles District Group Campsites page.

Important!!

There are no lights on park roads or campsites. If you are unfamiliar with the Needles, the park recommends arriving before dark. Bring these driving directions with you.

Need to Know

There is no electricity in the Needles Campground.

The Needles Campground and group sites are best suited to tents and small, self-contained campers and RVs:

Maximum combined length limit is 28 ft (8.5 m) in most sites.
There are no hookups.
There is no dump station.

There is no cell coverage in the Needles District.

Loop A of the Needles Campground is available first come, first served only. Our busy seasons are spring and fall. We recommend getting here early if you want an opportunity to secure a Loop A site during these times of year.

Universally Accessible Campsites: There are two accessible sites in Loop A. You may contact the Needles Visitor Center to inquire about accessible site reservations at (435) 259-4711. Reservations for these sites will be taken on a first come, first served basis no more than six months ahead of visit.