This Epic Utah Camping Trip Is Perfect For First-timers, Park Lovers

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• Moab, Utah, offers stunning natural landscapes including arches, buttes, and towering pinnacles.
• Camping in Moab allows visitors to explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, plus other scenic areas like Fisher Towers.
• Wildland Trekking provides all-inclusive guided camping trips with amenities like gear, meals, and park entry.

I unzipped my tent just as the early morning sun hit the sandstone buttes of Big Bend Campground in Moab, Utah, illuminating their vivid umber and amber stratas. It was an incredible view to wake up to – and a first for a newbie camper like myself.

Like many others, I've seen images of the Colorado Plateau's ancient arches, buttes, fins and towering pinnacles before, but actually being in their presence is a different experience. From seeing their massive scale up close to how some rock formations seemingly defy gravity, the nature around Moab, Utah is captivating.

On a three-night Women's Best of Moab Basecamp Tour in Moab with Wildland Trekking, an Intrepid Travel Company, I had the chance to fully immerse myself in the stunning red rocks landscape of the Southwest. In just a few days, I learned that Moab makes for the perfect home base to explore the natural wonders of such an iconic landscape.

"(The landscapes are) incredible, awe-inspiring and wonder-inspiring. You feel like you're on another planet, right?" said my Wildland Trekking guide Michelle Beebe, who has been working in Moab for the last three years. "The energy here is spectacular and every time you come back here, it's just like something that comes over your body." (She attributes that to the iron oxide in the red rocks, for those drawn to spiritual energy.)

My brief camping stint with Wildland Trekking allowed me to fully appreciate Moab's nature while also giving me a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of daily life, a notion that many other campers can relate to. In Campspot's 2025 trend survey, 82% of the 2,594 respondents said they "seek solace" in camping when feeling "overwhelmed by modern life."

Camping continues to be a favorite escape for millions of Americans, even as inflation can make it seem like other types of travel are more costly, according to Dyrt's 2025 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks, which was conducted in late 2024. The report also found that 81.1 million Americans went camping last year, with 5.8 million doing it for the first time, slightly down from 84.3 million in 2023.

Here's what travelers should know about camping in Moab.

Moab is a visual treat, but this place has layers – literally. The geological story of time is told through the ancient rock formations, from when the landscape was underwater during the lower Triassic Period to many years of wind and rock erosion that shaped the striking formations and strata. Even today, the stunning rock formations that make Moab such an iconic landscape are still being eroded, so the arches and pinnacles won't always be here.

"It's a great place to start just to capture your imagination, right?" said Beebe. "Those arches, the formations, it really piques your interest (if) it's something that you haven't really experienced before. So it makes you want to come back for more." Traveling with a guide made it easier to navigate the park crowds and gave me a deeper insight of the history and geology of the area.

The two parks we went to were Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, just two of Utah's Mighty 5 national parks (the other include Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.) We also trekked Fisher Towers, the impressive dark red sandstone monuments beloved by rock climbers, which are considered public lands with the Bureau of Land Management.

My base camp was at Big Bend Bend Recreation Site, which belongs to the Bureau of Land Management. Perched along the Colorado River, the campsite is centrally located near trails, rivers, and routes perfect for mountain biking, whitewater rafting, off-roading, driving and hiking. By car, Arches National Park is a 15-minute drive, with Canyonlands National Park about an hour away, and the town of Moab is 30 minutes away. The campsite included pit latrines and a dumpster, but no running water. (We had a chance to shower at a recreation center halfway through the trip.)

You can also book a campsite within Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, but being in Big Bend made it easy to access both parks.

Wildland Trekking's camping trips are all-inclusive for an introductory taste of Moab, especially for first-time campers or visitors. Although we did plenty of outdoor exploring, the days never felt rushed. We could sip coffee and have breakfast in the morning, and after hitting the trails, got downtime back at basecamp in the evenings. Each day totaled six to eight miles of hiking, either from one long hike or hitting multiple highlights in the parks.

What's included with Wildland Trekking trips:

• Camping gear, including the sleeping pads, sleeping bags, blankets and tents.
• Meals up to lunch on the last day. At basecamp, Beebe had an impressive kitchen set-up, where she cooked meals like avocado toast topped with mint and mangoes, along with pesto pasta with sausage. The food was healthy and satisfying.
• On the trails, hiking poles and daypacks are supplied along with lunch that the guide brings in – we had cowboy caviar and caprese sandwiches.
• Entry into the national parks. (If you visit Arches in the summer, you need to book a timed entry reservation.)
• Transportation: The guide drives everyone in a van to the hikes and scenic lookouts. You also don't have to worry about feeling hungry, as snacks and chilled drinks are also brought in the van. They'll also pick you up and drop you off at your Moab hotel.

While all you have to do is essentially show up, it's still important to pack some items that'll make your camping experience easier. Here's what I recommend:

• A headlamp for when the sun sets
• A bladder or an extra refillable water bottle
• No-rinse body wipes
• Sunscreen, a sunshirt and a hat
• Pack layers as the temperature can swing vastly in a single day. I started off wearing a light insulated jacket and sweatpants but shed down to shorts and a tank top by the late afternoon.

Although Moab is stunning year-round, the spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures plus fewer crowds. In the summer, the arid high desert can get quite hot, reaching temperatures of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to Beebe, our visit in late May was perfect timing. Although we experienced chilly mornings and nights along with a bit of rain, we did have to wear sweaters and jackets, but it never felt too hot while we were on the trails. Once the sun came in, hiking felt pretty comfortable. The rain also brought the desert to life, with apparently rare swaths of green and wildflowers carpeting the landscape. Typically, Moab receives around 10 inches of rain a year.

My Moab basecamp trip costs between $1,985 and $2,045, depending on the trip dates. Wildland Trekking also offers other kinds of outdoors trips, from guided backpacking tours, guided llama hikes, show shoe hikes and ones where you stay in an inn or lodge.

The reporter on this story received access from Intrepid Travel. USA TODAY maintains editorial control of content.