SALT LAKE CITY — Utah is home to two of the nation’s most sought-after campgrounds: Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park and Devil’s Garden Campground in Arches National Park. According to The Dyrt’s recent report on the most challenging campgrounds to book in the country, these two Utah locations rank among the top ten.
Fruita Campground is listed as the eighth hardest-to-book campground, with reservations filling up for nearly 96% of the season. Devil’s Garden ranks even higher at number three, with a staggering 99.2% booking rate throughout the season.
The top spot for the hardest-to-book campground goes to Nevada Beach Campground at Lake Tahoe.
Popularity and Limited Availability
Karen Garthwait, Public Affairs Specialist with the Southeast Utah Group of National Parks, emphasizes that this trend is not unique to Fruita and Devil’s Garden but is seen nationwide.
“If you are a last-minute traveler, the best thing you can do is give yourself flexibility and patience, and maybe be willing to stay your first night a little farther outside of town,” Garthwait advises.
Arches National Park, home to the Devil’s Garden Campground, is a major tourist destination with limited camping spots. “We only have about 50 sites, and it is fully reservable for eight months out of the year,” Garthwait explains. “We’ve become kind of famous, but the road’s only 18 miles long. We just have the one campground.”
Planning Your Visit
For those looking to secure a spot at these coveted campgrounds, early planning is essential. Reservations and waitlists for Fruita, Devil’s Garden, and other federal campgrounds can be managed through Recreation.gov, the federal government’s centralized reservation platform.
With such high demand and limited availability, prospective campers should plan well in advance and be prepared for alternative arrangements if needed.