Can you reserve a site at Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area?

No. Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area

Facility · Utah ·

Managed by the Bureau of Land Management

Moab Field Office (Bureau of Land Management UT) · Open Access

5,542 ft
Elevation

Big Mesa Recreation Area encompasses the public lands surrounding State Route 313 as it heads west of Highway 191 to Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park. The area provides visitors with overnight campgrounds, group camp sites, and world-class mountain bike and OHV trail access. Popular trail systems in the area include Monitor & Merrimac Buttes, Navajo Rocks, Wipe-Out Hill, Gemini Bridges, Magnificent 7, and Hell Roaring Rim.

Getting there

Drive north of Moab, Utah for approximately 11 miles on Highway 191. Turn left onto State Route 313. Big Mesa Recreation Area can be accessed for the next 20 miles.

38.62008, -109.81124 · 38°37'12.3"N 109°48'40.5"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 96°F in Jul, down to 39°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	39	47	59	67	78	90	96	93	83	68	52	39
Low °F	17	25	32	39	48	58	66	63	53	40	27	17
Precip in	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.5	0.6	0.3	0.5	0.6	0.9	0.8	0.4	0.5

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 9.8 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Member photos

Add a photo

Common questions about Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area

Can you reserve a site at Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area?: No. Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Camping near Big Mesa (State Route 313) Recreation Area

Lone Mesa Group Sites 1.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Horsethief Group Sites 2.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Courthouse Rock Campground 8.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Jewel Tibbetts Arch Trailhead 1.5 mi · Facility
Horsethief Campground 2.5 mi · Campground
Gemini Bridges Trailhead 3.4 mi · Facility
Cowboy Camp Campground 4.2 mi · Campground
Metal Masher Trailhead 6.1 mi · Facility
Bartlett Slickrock Jedi Trailhead 7.2 mi · Facility
Sevenmile Rim Trailhead 7.8 mi · Facility
Moab Brands Trailhead 8 mi · Facility
Monitor and Merrimac Trailhead 8.4 mi · Facility

Comments

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.