Lodging And Camping At Dinosaur National Monument

If brick-and-mortar lodging is your preference for overnighting near Dinosaur National Monument, located at the border between Utah and Colorado, the nearby communities of Vernal, Utah, and Dinosaur, Craig, and Rangely, Colorado offer options, with Vernal, Utah (population 10,557 as of 2023) providing the most options.  Dinosaurland Travel Board (435-789-6932), and www.VisitMoffatCounty.com (970-824-2335) are two helpful resources for finding a place to sleep near the national monument.

If, however, you feel like pitching a tent beneath the stars within this national monument, there are six campgrounds (three on the Utah side and three on the Colorado side) from which to choose, including a group campground. Some campgrounds are first-come, first-served only, while other campgrounds are first-come, first-served seasonally, with advance reservations recommended during the peak season. Below is a quick rundown of each campground. For more detailed information, click on the campground name. 

Each link to recreation.gov is specific to that campground. First-come, first-served sites are paid using recreation.gov's Scan and Pay mobile app. It's a good idea to download this app prior to arriving at the campground.

If you notice informational discrepancies between the park's webpage for a campground and recreation.gov's page, it's best to stick with recreation.gov since that is where you'll make your campsite reservation. For any site you are interested in, click on the View Details link to learn more about that particular campsite.

Campgrounds On The Utah Side

Green River Campground is the largest of the six campgrounds, offering 83 sites, including one ADA-accessible site (#41). Maximum RV/trailer lengths are 30 feet/20 feet. There are no hookups, and drinking water, flush toilets, trash collection, and cell service are seasonal. Sites are $24 per night and advanced reservations through recreation.gov are advised during peak season (May 15, 2026 – October 1, 2026). Sites are first-come, first-served before and after those dates. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount.

Split Mountain Group Campground is open year-round and offers four sites, each of which will accommodate 8 - 25 people and six vehicles. While there is no designated ADA-accessible site, the campground is mostly flat. Wheelchair users may require some assistance moving around the sites. During peak season (May 1 - September 30, 2026) sites are available for groups only at $40 per night and reservations are advised through recreation.gov. During the off season, when the Green River Campground is closed, sites are open to both individuals as well as groups and are first-come, first-served. Individual sites are $12 per night. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount on standard sites. Maximum RV/car-trailer length is 60 feet. There are no RV hookups. Trash collection, vault toilets, and cell service are available year-round. Flush toilets and drinking water are seasonal.

Located along a rugged dirt road that is inaccessible when wet, Rainbow Park Campground is open year-round and offers four first-come, first-served sites. Each site is $12 per night. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount on campsites. Although there are no designated ADA-accessible sites, most sites are level with relatively easy access from the gravel road and parking area. Maximum RV length is 15 feet. Trailers are not permitted. There are no RV hookups. Trash collection, food storage lockers, and vault toilets are available year-round. If you are looking for a great close-up view of the Mitten Park Fault, this campground is where you will find it.

Campgrounds On The Colorado Side

Echo Park Campground is open year-round and offers 21 sites, first-come, first served, and one group site reservable through recreation.gov, accommodating 8 - 25 people. The park's page for this campground indicates there is one ADA-accessible site, but recreation.gov shows no accessible sites. RVs/vehicle-trailers are not permitted. Tents, vans, and trucks with camper tops are allowed. During May 15, 2026 – September 15, 2026, sites are $14 per night for a standard site and $25 for a group site. Before and after this season, standard sites are $12 per night while group sites remain the same cost at $25 per night. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount on the non-group sites. Sites are paid for using recreation.gov's Scan and Pay app. There are no hookups. Vault toilets and food storage lockers are available year-round. Drinking water is available seasonally.

Note: the entire 13-mile (21 km) Echo Park Road is unpaved and impassable when wet. Winter access is often impossible due to snow on the Yampa Bench Road and the winter closure of the Harpers Corner Road.

Located on the Green River at the boat ramp at the head of Lodore Canyon and popular with river rafters who often stay here before launching on the Green River, Gates of Lodore Campground is open year-round and offers 19 first-come, first-served sites for $14 per night during the peak summer season and $12 per night during all other times of the year. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. This campground uses recreation.gov's Scan and Pay app to receive payment for a site. The park's webpage for this campground indicates one ADA-accessible, but recreation.gov does not list any accessible sites. RVs/trailers are permitted and all sites are pull-through and can easily accommodate a 25-foot RV. Some sites might accommodate larger RVs. There are no hookups. Drinking water is available seasonally. Vault toilets and food storage lockers are available year-round.

Deerlodge Park Campground offers seven walk-in campsites available on a first-come, first-served basis only. There are no designated ADA-accessible sites. There are no designated RV or trailer parking areas separate from the main campground parking area. During the summer, sites are $14 per night and in the winter, sites are $12 per night. Senior/Access passholders receive a 50 percent discount. This campground uses recreation.gov's Scan and Pay app to receive payment for a site. This campground is open year-round, but winter snows may make it difficult due to snow. There are no hookups. Drinking water is seasonal. Vault toilets are available year-round.

Note: When the Yampa River exceeds an 18,000 cfs (cubic feet per second) flow rate, the campground will flood. Click on the links to check the current and predicted Yampa River flow rates.

Backcountry Camping

If you really want to get away from it all, you will need a free backcountry permit for stays outside the established frontcountry campgrounds at Dinosaur National Monument.

There is only one designated backcountry campsite – Ely Creek – which is also is one of only two places along Jones Hole Trail where backcountry camping is allowed. Ely Creek offers two sites and is so popular, it must be reserved in advance.

For more information about this campsite, click here.