Set up your tent and settle into a quieter side of canyon country. Desert Moon Campground offers a simple, welcoming place to stay before and after exploring the red rock desert, with the Book Cliffs rising nearby and Moab, Arches, and Sego Canyon all within reach.
This is not a huge resort campground. It is a small, unique place to land: a little wild, a little historic, and full of character.
Camping with Character
What’s Included
Campground guests have access to:
2 single shower/bathrooms
potable water
picnic tables
on-site wifi
covered seating area near the hotel
trash bin
pet-friendly camping
firepit access
The wifi signal is limited out at the campsites, but it works much better near covered seating area.
Showers are available in spring, summer, and fall.
Good to Know Before You Book
Desert Moon is best for guests who appreciate a more unique, historical, and artistic place to stay.
A few things to keep in mind:
The campsites are relatively close together, so you will likely see and hear other campers during your stay.
There is not a lot of shade on the property, so come prepared for sun and heat.
Quiet hours are 10pm to 8am.
Camping area is selected or assigned upon arrival.
Maximum 5 guests per site.
Thompson Springs is a ghost town, so services nearby are very limited.
For many guests, that is part of the appeal: more open space, fewer crowds, and a setting that feels distinct from a standard highway stop.
Our staff is available to answer phone calls between 9:00 AM and 11:00 PM. For late arrivals after 11:00 we will not be available to assist if guests run into issues.
Thompson Springs is a very small ghost town with no restaurants in town. Guests should plan to pick up food in Moab, Grand Junction, or Green River before arriving. There is a 7-Eleven about a mile away that offers pizza and a few basic food items.
One of the things that makes camping at Desert Moon feel different is the spirit of the Wild West.
Thompson Springs began as a railroad stop in the late 1800s and later became connected to the mining activity in nearby Sego Canyon. Today it remains a tiny desert outpost with a ghost town feel, surrounded by rail history, and wide open land.
Desert Moon itself carries that history forward. The property has been serving travelers in this area since the 1930s, and once served as the town’s bar and brothel. These days, the property is in a new chapter, with ongoing restoration and a creative spirit that still honors the wild history of the place.
A Historic Desert Stop with a Wild Western Past
Explore the Area
One of the best parts of staying at Desert Moon is the setting itself. The property sits at the base of the Book Cliffs, surrounded by open desert, shifting light, and ancient pictographs. Sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful here. Desert Moon offers a beautiful setting to experience this part of Utah.
Just up the road, Sego Canyon adds another layer to that experience, with ancient Archaic and Fremont pictographs and petroglyphs, dramatic canyon walls, and traces of the area’s old mining history. It is one of the most remarkable nearby places to explore, and a reminder that this landscape has held meaning for a very long time.
Stay Somewhere with a Story
Camping at Desert Moon is about enjoying the setting: open sky, desert light, starry nights, and a slower pace just outside the busier tourist zones. Whether you are here for a night on the road or using Thompson Springs as a base for a few days of exploring, the campground gives you access to one of the most distinctive corners of eastern Utah.
It is a convenient place to explore; but it is also a place with texture, history, and a setting that feels unmistakably like eastern Utah.
If that sounds like your kind of stop, we’d love to host you.
Desert Views
Accommodations at Desert Moon
Historic Hotel
Stay upstairs in the historic Desert Moon Inn, where each room has its own artistic personality. The inn is more like a boutique boarding house, with private rooms, shared bathrooms, and a shared kitchenette.
RV Park
Settle in under the shade trees with full hookup RV sites offering water, electricity, and sewer.
A desert basecamp with easy access to Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, and the surrounding region.
Campgrounds
Pitch a tent and enjoy the quiet, open desert atmosphere. Campers have access to restrooms, showers, and water spigots, with plenty of room to take in the landscape.
Arches Access
Most visitors head to the main entrance. Guests at Desert Moon have access to a lesser known north side entrance to Arches.
Find Us in Thompson Springs
Located just off I-70 at Exit 187, Desert Moon is an easy stop on the way to Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, and the surrounding desert. Close enough for adventure, but far enough out to feel like its own experience.