Sand Island Campground and Boat Launch is where many people begin their San Juan River trips. Organize your gear at your campsite the day before, enjoy a leisurely night underneath the stars, rig your boat the next morning, and hit the river! Bluff, Utah is a few miles away where you can check out the Bluff Fort Historic Site and Twin Rocks Trading Post. Comb Ridge, a 120-mile-long sandstone uplift, also offers incredible hiking opportunities.
The campground has 25 sites, including two reservable group sites that can accommodate 15-20 people. Otherwise, campsites are first-come, first-served, so arrive early in the day to secure your spot.
Take a moment to check out a petroglyph panel that you can reach by following the gravel road to the cliffs on the northwest side of the campground. Hundreds of carved images are scattered along the cliff wall. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this rock art site is a significant place for Native Americans, so please be respectful.
From Bluff, Utah, head west on Hwy 191 for about 3.5 miles. At the BLM Sand Island sign, turn left onto Sand Island Road and continue another half mile to the campground/boat launch.
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Some of our favorite places to camp beneath the stars in and around Grand Canyon National Park.
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