Horsethief Campground

Horsethief Campground is one of a large number of Bureau of Land Management campgrounds scattered around the Moab area. These parks complement the commercial campgrounds in Moab as well as the national and state park campgrounds in the area, which are often booked up well in advance. Horsethief is particularly great for both mountain bikers, due to its proximity to a vast trail network, and for RV campers who may have difficulty finding suitable sites in Canyonlands or Arches.

The park has a few loops with widely-separated sites, vault toilets, and little else. The desert scenery is vast here and looms large for nearly all sites. The short dirt road to the campground is well-maintained, as are the internal roads. Most of the sites are back-in, but there are a few pull-throughs as well, and there is one reservable group site that is just a large parking area with an area for tents.

Within a 20-minute drive are the wonderful overlooks and trails of Dead Horse Point State Park and the most popular sections of Canyonland's Island in the Sky District. Arches is a bit further away but still not a bad drive, so Horsethief could easily be the main base camp for a visit to the entire Moab area. This campground can be popular at times, so early arrival is advisable to snag a good spot.