Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P)

We are open! And we have 25 sites available for reservations through recreation.gov.

Site Renovations
The recreation area has received many improvements including upgrades to electrical and water systems, repaving roads and parking areas, renovation of restroom facilities, demolishing condemned administrative use site, an updated water delivery system, sanded and stained picnic tables, new informational and fee kiosks, and accessibility improvements.

Fourteen-day stay limit
To increase recreation opportunities at the Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area, the BLM's Arizona Strip Field Office issued a news release January 6, 2022, announcing the finalization of a supplementary rule that reinstates a stay limit of 14 consecutive days at the site. The change, which went into effect February 5, 2022, is consistent with camping limits for other BLM public lands, will allow more members of the public to enjoy camping, hiking, fishing, scenic viewing and boating from the popular site.

Volunteers needed
The BLM is looking for volunteers with excellent public lands stewardship ethics to work as campground hosts If interested, please visit Volunteer.gov.

Directions

The Recreation Area is located off of Interstate 15 about 20 miles southwest of St. George Utah and about 20 miles northeast of Mesquite, Nevada. Take the Cedar Pocket exit, located halfway through the Virgin River Gorge.

Fees

$8 per night fee ; $2 day use fee

Stay Limit

14-day stay limit

Reviews

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is an affordable and well-maintained campground known for its beautiful river views, easy access to hiking trails, and paved, level sites suitable for RVs. Visitors appreciate the peaceful and quiet atmosphere, especially in the upper loop, and clean restrooms are generally noted despite some inconsistencies. The location's proximity to I-15 provides convenience but also brings highway noise to certain areas. The campground has limited shade, cell service, and water facilities, and payment via app can be challenging due to poor connectivity. Some issues exist with the reservation system, signage, and occasional restroom cleanliness problems.

Beautiful views and river access
Clean and well-maintained restrooms
Affordable pricing
Quiet and peaceful atmosphere
Paved, level sites suitable for RVs and trailers
Highway noise near some sites
Limited or no cell service impacting app payments
Reservation system problems and confusing signage
Limited shade at campsites
Inconsistent restroom cleanliness and supplies
308 reviews
5 stars
166
4 stars
92
3 stars
25
2 stars
15
1 stars
10
Julianna M
Loop:Lower Loop
Site:
Reviewed 8 days ago
No surprise here - it booked for a summer night & it was as hot as the devil’s armpit! It was dusk when i arrived so i couldn't get the entire view of the area, but it was clean and maintained. The bathroom (upper loop) was clean, working and running AC, well taken care of. I selected spot 111 in the lower loop - which in and of itself was a loop pull through. Nice view. Close to the freeway for best cell service (4-5 bars the entire time i was there). To be honest - i dipped out around midnight because IT WAS HOTTER THAN THE DEVIL’S ARMPIT! Ha ha my cooling system wasn't working how i’d hoped. Up until then the neighbors around were quiet. I did not find the consistent interstate traffic to be a nuisance but you could hear a little in the distance. Reminder: this is the wilderness! I looked out while adjusting in my rig & there was a fox 5 ft from my car.
Maureen G
Loop:Lower Loop
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Really enjoyed the two Lower loop sites I stayed in, each with very short hike to river beach access.
John M
Loop:Lower Loop
Site:
Reviewed a month ago
Campground was very nice for the amount of money. Bathrooms and sites were clean. Nice proximity to the river. Only complain was the signage that was 10+ years old showing the lower loop as a recreational area only and camping was only on the upper loop. Pulled in at night and drove around for a while looking for campsite. A sigh showing what campsites in what loop would be nice. Only portable hookup was at the camp host site which wasn't there. All other hookups were turned off.
Randal B
Loop:Upper Loop
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Very nice clean and safe place. Beautiful views with easy access.
Elsa A
Loop:Upper Loop
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Muy limpio fácil de encontrar el lugar, baños, limpios, muy económico, quedarse aquí, campamento, hermoso, rodeado de enormes montañas de piedra
Craig M
Loop:Lower Loop
Site:
Reviewed 2 months ago
Someone was in the spot we reserved on line.

Campgrounds

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P) has 1 campground, 109 campsites in total.

Nearby Parks