Sand Island Recreation Area

BLM Monticello Field Office, 365 N Main St
Monticello, UT 84535

Notice

Beginning 6/26/2026, Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in effect on all BLM-managed lands in Utah. Burning of wood or charcoal is prohibited. Fireworks are prohibited. Gas and propane stoves are permitted at least 3 feet from any flammable vegetation. For questions, please contact the Monticello Field Office: 435-587-1500

Jun 26, 2026 – Oct 1, 2026

Overview

Sand Island Recreation Area is a good camping option for visitors launching San Juan River float trips, or wishing to camp close to the town of Bluff or the Cedar Mesa area of Bears Ears National Monument. The campground provides 21 campsites that each feature a tent/trailer space, a picnic table, a fire ring, and vault toilets. Drinking water is available seasonally (typically March through October). Each campsite can hold 8 people and 2 vehicles. Reservations are not available for camping at this location. Individual campsites are available on a first come, first served basis upon arrival at the self-register kiosk at the site. The Sand Island Group Sites are available for larger groups, and may be reserved here.

Recreation

Sand Island is the primary launch point for multi-day San Juan River float trips. San Juan River trips provide boaters with access to spectacular canyons rich in scenery, geology, archeology, history and wildlife. A river permit is required in advance. The Sand Island Petroglyph Panel site is located on the sandstone walls on the north side of the recreation area. There are many nearby hiking and scenic driving opportuites in the Cedar Mesa area of Bears Ears National Monument.

Natural Features

Sand Island is located along the San Juan River. Cottonwood trees line the banks of the river and are scattered throughout the campground, providing shade at many of the sites. The north side of the campground is lined with red sandstone walls.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (435) 587-1500.

Nearby Attractions

Bears Ears National Monument
San Juan River
Cedar Mesa
Valley of the Gods
Goosenecks State Park

Charges & Cancellations

No refunds are available.

Camp site features

Across 23 camp sites:

Pets allowed: all 23 sites
Largest party: 8 people

Fees

The campground at Sand Island Recreation Area is first come, first served and payment must be made upon arrival at the self-register kiosk at the campground using cash, check, or the Scan & Pay feature on the Recreation.gov mobile app. You must have the Recreation.gov app installed on your mobile device to use the Scan & Pay payment method. There is no fee for day use.

Directions

The recreation area is located off U.S. Route 191 approximately three miles west of Bluff, UT and approximately one mile east of the junction of U.S. Routes 163 and 191. It is accessible by all passenger vehicles.

Stay Limit

Check in from 12 PM, check out by 11 AM.

Reviews

15 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

Rebecca M

Site:

Reviewed 4 months ago

Loved it there. Campsites clean. The train is very clean. They will train door at the entry to the campground will not lock. So great to see the petroglyphs and they walk down a along the river is great

Eric M

Site:

Reviewed 4 months ago

A clean, well-maintained campsite. The best part is it’s first-come, first-serve, so i was able to get a spot without reserving 6 months in advance. We need more campsites like this.

Jason N

Site:

Reviewed 4 months ago

Great stop for the night with some interesting sites to view. Very quiet.

john c

Site:

Reviewed 5 months ago

So it was tricky to pay for the campsite, on the app it would not go thru, so I paid cash, then later I got charged again for the site, when I had better coverage, after I paid I saw the sign explaining this would happen. Tough for seniors!

Joe M

Site:

Reviewed 5 months ago

Nice location but a bit of highway noise. What’s the deal with the 1.50$ service fee to use recreation.gov?

georgia h

Site:

Reviewed 10 months ago

We only stayed for a quick overnight stay. I loved the petroglyphs which were very accessible. They were a very easy walk from our campsite.

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve Watch

Camp Sites

Camping