Another baker’s dozen – favorite campsites

In 2017, I wrote about a “Baker’s Dozen” of the top campsites I had visited while hiking and backpacking over the years.

As I am home sick again this weekend (sometimes a good work ethic is counterproductive, ’nuff said), I think of the better times outdoors.

Since I wrote this article in 2017, I’ve been with an amazing person. We get to spend nearly 100 nights a year in the backcountry together.

Unlike in 2017, it’s hard to think of some specific places overall, but rather, I think of particular areas that make up our world.

It goes well with the “structured rambling” that’s our goal.

So here’s a “Baker’s Dozen” of some favorite campsites, be it while car camping, backpacking, or along the rivers that make our life here in Moab and beyond.

The Abajos (also called “The Blue Mountains” locally)

In the Abajos (also called locally “The Blue Mountains”), we have a favorite spot to take in the panorama of what we consider the world that makes our home.

It takes in views of the Dine’ lands, Cedar Mesa, Comb Ridge, Canyonlands, The La Sal Mountain, the San Juans, and many other places we cherish.

Alamo Campground, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

I can’t say enough good things about our Chaos 3 tent, many bag nights later. There is no affiliate marketing incentive from ALPS; we just like the tent.

The Alamo Campground in Organ Pipe Cactus Natl Monument made for a scenic base camp for a few days one fine December.

Alas, you must go through rec DOT gov to reserve this site now. Joan and I managed to be some of the last people to get this site without needing a reservation.

Somewhere in Big Bend National Park

We have backpacked twice to this remote spot in Big Bend National Park, and the sunset is among my favorites.

Over the border

Just over the Colorado/Utah border is a place that offers one of the best sunsets we’ve experienced in camp. A good topo is your guide to this place.

Walking along a canyon bottom

In another area, instead of a specific place, we often find ourselves backpacking in this area’s canyons. And never cease to find something new for us.

Sometimes, we have friends join us for these trips.

Same place, but truck camping.

You can read more about our Tacoma setup here. We prefer to sleep in a tent most nights due to space reasons. Still, it comes in handy at times.

And ditto for our winter camping trips to this area.

La Sal Mountains

The La Sal Mountains are an early summer oasis for Joan and me as the temperatures rise in Moab.

West of Moab

And here’s a specific place during a particularly snowy winter. It’s not where we’d typically backpack, but because the roads were a muddy and snowy mess that year for vehicle traffic, we would walk them by ourselves and find ourselves in quiet and stunning winter solitude.

In Nevada

Complete with 4000+ year old Bristlecone pines.

One summer, we spent 10 days traveling, usually a 10-hour drive, from Moab to Reno, NV, about the correct pace.

And we need to get back to Nevada again.

A river camp

We’ve spent many quiet sunsets along the river since we took up packrafting.

Somewhere in the San Juans

The San Juans are only 3-5 hrs away (depending on the specific spot) from Moab and are our go-to spot for backpacking during the hot months. Arguably the most scenic range in Colorado.

(And, if you forget your backpacking tent rainfly at home, you can schlep in your car camping tent!)

Some camp somewhere in Southeast Utah

A typical Thurs or Friday night for us means camping somewhere in Southeast Utah before going backpacking for the weekend.

Camping on a canyon bottom

I finally bought a true inverted canister stove last year for cold weather backpacking as I don’t want to futz with white gas outside of snow melting. Review coming. At some point.

Similarly, a typical scene somewhere while backpacking on a canyon floor. It doesn’t matter where or when; it is why we live here.

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