RV travel in Utah
Utah is the densest concentration of national parks in the country. Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands -- the Mighty 5 -- all sit within a long week's loop, and Glen Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Natural Bridges, and Grand Staircase fill in the gaps. The roads are mostly excellent, fuel is reasonable, and BLM dispersed camping is widespread. The complications are specific: the Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel imposes hard size limits on every RV passing east-west through Zion; Arches now requires a timed-entry reservation in peak season; and I-70 between Salina and Green River is the longest stretch of interstate without services in the lower 48. Plan for those three constraints and Utah is straightforward.
Last verified: 14 May 2026
Free RV PDF guide to Utah
Driving rules, RV-friendly and RV-restricted highways, NPS reservation rules, BLM and NF boondocking, propane, dump stations, weather, and emergency contacts. Save it to your phone for offline use on the road.
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Driving rules
Interstate (cars + RVs)75-80 mph (some I-15 + I-70 segments posted 80)
Interstate (towing)70 mph on 80 mph segments, otherwise posted
US/State highway (cars)65 mph (posted)
US/State highway (towing)65 mph (matching posted)
Built-up areas25-35 mph (posted)
Drive onRight
Cell phone use while drivingHands-free only; texting prohibited statewide
SeatbeltsRequired for all occupants
RV-friendly and RV-restricted highways
RV-friendly
I-15Spine of populated Utah from St George to Idaho. Big rigs, dense services, occasional canyon-wind warnings near Cedar City.
I-70East-west across the middle of the state. Salina to Green River is 110 miles with NO fuel, food, or rest stops -- top up before either entry. Spectacular scenery through the San Rafael Swell.
I-80Salt Lake City to Wyoming via Park City and Echo Canyon. Easy grades, dense services.
US-191Moab corridor -- I-70 to the Arizona line. Big rigs fine, but Moab is busy Mar-Oct and parking can be tight.
US-89 / US-89AScenic alternative south of I-15 from Kanab through to Page AZ. Easy drive, lots of access to Glen Canyon NRA.
UT-95Hanksville to Blanding via Natural Bridges. Remote, scenic, fuel gaps -- carry extra.
RV-restricted
UT-9 / Zion-Mt Carmel TunnelHard size limits: vehicles over 7 ft 10 in wide or 11 ft 4 in tall require a $15 NPS escort permit and travel in the centre of the tunnel (most RVs need this). Vehicles over 13 ft 1 in tall, 50 ft long, or with bicycles or trailers wider than 7 ft 10 in CANNOT use the tunnel and must reroute via Hurricane on UT-59.
UT-12 (Boulder to Torrey)9600 ft summit on Boulder Mountain; tight ridge sections at the Hogback. RVs OK to about 35 ft but slow; not for nervous drivers in any rig.
UT-261 / Moki DugwayUnpaved 1100 ft descent at 10% with switchbacks. Rigs and trailers prohibited; signage says so.
Burr Trail (Boulder to Bullfrog)Mostly paved but Burr Switchbacks at the east end are unpaved 11% gravel. Not for any RV.
UT-128 (Moab to I-70 along the Colorado River)Paved and beautiful but narrow with cliff drop-offs. Big rigs over 35 ft will struggle in spots.
National parks and monuments
Zion NP$35/vehicle (7 days), $80 America the Beautiful annual. Watchman Campground reservable up to 6 months ahead via recreation.gov; rigs to 50 ft. South Campground reservable Mar-Oct. Tunnel escort permit required for most RVs east-west (see highways above). Shuttle-only into the canyon Mar-Nov; no private vehicles past Canyon Junction.
Bryce Canyon NP$35/vehicle (7 days). North + Sunset Campgrounds. Sunset reservable May-Sep; rigs to 30 ft in Loop A. North Loop A first-come, rigs to 30 ft. 8000-9000 ft elevation -- expect cold nights even in summer.
Capitol Reef NP$20/vehicle (7 days). Fruita Campground reservable Mar-Oct via recreation.gov; rigs to 35 ft. Quiet, shaded, the easiest of the Mighty 5 for RVs.
Arches NP$30/vehicle (7 days). Timed-entry reservation required Apr-Oct (check current rules at recreation.gov; system has changed annually). Devils Garden Campground reservable; rigs to 40 ft. Many secondary roads inside the park have tight RV-restricted sections.
Canyonlands NP (Island in the Sky)$30/vehicle (7 days). Willow Flat Campground first-come, rigs to 28 ft. The Maze + Needles districts are remote 4WD country -- not for RVs.
Glen Canyon NRA (Lake Powell)$30/vehicle (7 days). Wahweap Campground reservable; Lone Rock Beach is dry-camp on sand. Bullfrog + Halls Crossing remote but RV-accessible.
Cedar Breaks NM$10/vehicle (7 days). Point Supreme Campground first-come Jun-Sep only (10350 ft elevation -- closed by snow rest of year). Rigs to 30 ft.
Natural Bridges NM$20/vehicle (7 days). 13-site campground first-come; 26 ft length limit. Remote -- bring water and fuel.
Dinosaur NM$25/vehicle (7 days). Green River + Split Mountain campgrounds reservable; rigs to 35 ft. Quarry Visitor Center on the Utah side is the headline draw.
Boondocking and dispersed camping
BLM: Utah has some of the best BLM dispersed camping in the country. The headline areas: around Moab (Klondike Bluffs, Cotter Mine Road; note that Sand Flats Recreation Area is a fee zone, not free dispersed), Hanksville (Lone Mesa near Goblin Valley), House Rock Valley Road between Kanab and Page, and the San Rafael Swell off I-70 (Wedge Overlook, Buckhorn Wash). Standard 14-day stay limit; some districts post 7-day or 30-day exceptions -- read the kiosk on arrival. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument permits dispersed camping but with seasonal restrictions in some zones.
National Forests: Manti-La Sal, Dixie, Fishlake, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, and Ashley National Forests all permit dispersed camping along forest roads. Fire restrictions are common Jun-Oct; check the specific forest's current order before lighting. Manti-La Sal NF roads above Moab (La Sal Loop) are popular but at 8000-9500 ft elevation -- cool even in July.
Stay limit: typically 14 days per location.
Service stops
Propane: Plentiful in St George, Cedar City, Salt Lake City, Provo, Logan, Vernal, and Moab. Sparse along US-191 south of Moab and along UT-95 / UT-12. U-Haul and Tractor Supply locations are reliable. Most state and national park campgrounds do not refill on-site.
Dump stations: Dense in metro Salt Lake City, along I-15 and I-70, and at all state parks. Most NPS campgrounds in Utah have dump stations for registered guests. Flying J / Pilot stations on I-15 and I-70 charge $10-15. Notable gap: UT-12 between Boulder and Torrey has none for 60 miles.
Fuel: Diesel and gas widely available along I-15, I-70, I-80, and US-191. Notable fuel gaps: I-70 Salina-to-Green River (110 miles), UT-95 Hanksville-to-Blanding (110 miles, single station midway often closed), and US-89 between Kanab and Page if heading via the back roads. Carry extra in eastern Utah south of Moab. Fuel prices are usually lowest in St George and Salt Lake; highest in Moab and the Hanksville area.
Weather windows
Best monthsMid-April through May and mid-September through October. Daytime highs 65-85 F in the southern parks; cooler at Bryce/Cedar Breaks elevation. Late spring and early autumn give the best balance of open passes and tolerable desert temperatures.
Avoid monthsJuly and August in the southern desert parks (Zion + Arches + Canyonlands routinely hit 100-110 F; Lake Powell pavement burns barefoot). November-April for the high passes (UT-12, Boulder Mountain, Cedar Breaks closed). Monsoon thunderstorms Jul-Sep can flash-flood slot canyons and unpaved BLM roads within minutes -- never camp in or cross a wash with a storm anywhere upstream.
Slot canyon flash-flood deaths happen every monsoon season. Check the National Weather Service forecast for the entire upstream watershed, not just your immediate location, before any wash camping or canyon hike.
Emergency and road conditions
State patrolDial 9-1-1 for emergencies; (801) 887-3800 for UHP non-emergency