2 locations in Arches, Capitol Reef are difficult to book

Nowadays, those who plan ahead are lucky.

At least 84 million people camped in America last year, including 5.5 million who camped for the first time, according to a recent report by camping app Dyrt.

This means that campsites are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. According to the report, around 45% of campers are already booked up when they try to book a site.

Some campgrounds are more competitive than others because of their location, amenities or stunning views. According to Dyrt data, Nevada Beach Campground near Lake Tahoe and Twelvemile Beach Campground near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan are tied for the No. 1 spot in the country. The coveted sites are booked 99.4% of the time.

However, Utah is one of the few states that is home to two of the most difficult campgrounds in the country to book. These are:

• Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park near Moab – booked 99.2% of the time, making it number 3 on Dyrt’s list.

• Fruita Campground in Capitol Reef National Park – 95.9% full, #8 spot.

Devils Garden Campground (Arches)

Devils Garden is the only campground in Arches National Park and offers 51 sites in the shadow of Skyline Arch.

The park itself is relatively small, with one main road running through it that stretches for 18 miles. With well over 1.5 million visitors a year, “it’s understandable that camping is difficult to book,” said Karen Garthwait, spokeswoman for the Southeast Utah Group of National Parks and Monuments.

During peak season, March to October, the campground is by reservation only. Devils Garden can be booked up to six months in advance. Two large party campgrounds, which can accommodate up to 25 people, can be booked a full year in advance – and that’s often the case, according to Garthwait.

Campers come from all over to the small red-rock park. “Utah license plates are not in the vast majority,” she said.

For those willing to brave the cold nights of winter camping, Devils Garden is much more accessible. From November to February, it’s first come, first served. During this time, campground availability is usually dependent on the weather. Garthwait recommends visitors camp out of season because “it’s a totally different way to experience the park.”

Devils Campground will likely remain the only camping option in the park for the foreseeable future.

“We all know the song about paving over paradise and building a parking lot, right?” Garthwait said, referring to Joni Mitchell’s song “Big Yellow Taxi.” “So one of the challenges of managing public spaces is finding a balance between preserving the place that people want to experience and providing infrastructure that meets those needs.”

Reservations for Devils Garden Campground can be made through recreation.gov. Fees vary, but standard individual sites are $25 per night.

If the popular campground is already booked, visitors can also stay at campgrounds outside the park. Many of these options are on a first-come, first-served basis, Garthwait said.

Fruita Campground (Capitol Reef)

Fruita Campground is Capitol Reef’s only developed campground with 71 individual sites. Reservations are accepted six months in advance and are recommended.

“There has been a steady increase in overnight stays at Fruita over the past few years,” said Gloria Kann, who oversees the campground’s fee program, noting that the number of visitors has increased by more than 10,000 in the past decade.

Visitors typically stay about two nights in the lush river valley, enjoying green grass and red cliffs, she said. It costs $25 a night.

The campground has picnic tables, fire pits, grills, and restrooms with running water and flush toilets. Of all the amenities, the campground’s nearby orchards are probably its biggest draw.

“Capitol Reef has heirloom varieties of cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, apples and pears growing in orchards,” Kann said. While visitors must pay to take fruit home, it’s free to enjoy in the orchard – fresh from the grower.

“There’s nothing better than eating a perfectly ripe, sun-warmed apricot or peach that practically falls from the tree into your hand,” Kann said.

Unlike shopping at the supermarket, consumers in Fruita’s orchards can tell when the fruit is perfectly ripe. Kann offers a helpful tip: “If you have to pull on the fruit, it’s not ripe yet.”

Campsites can be reserved on recreation.gov from March 1 through October 31. From November 1 through February 28, all campgrounds are first come, first served.

Visitors are encouraged to use recreation.gov’s free notification system, which will notify them when a site is available for their desired date.

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