Buckhorn Draw
Campground · Utah · 32 bookable sites ·
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management
Price Field Office (Bureau of Land Management UT) · Open Access
- 32
- Bookable sites
- up to 50
- People per site
- 1
- Accessible site
- 5,560 ft
- Elevation
Overview
Buckhorn Draw has multiple vault toilets and information stations along the main road. Individual campsites have picnic tables and fires rings.
Recreation
Buckhorn Draw Road is the main artery for the northern half of the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. There are thousands of miles of roads and off-highway vehicle trails; from Buckhorn Draw visitors can readily access Cane Wash Road, which leads to some of the Swell's most technical OHV trails, as well as dispersed camping along Mexican Mountain Road. Much of the area outside of the draw is designated wilderness. Motorized vehicles, bicycles, and power tools are prohibited in these areas.
Hiking: Calf Canyon and Furniture Draw are popular day hikes from Buckhorn Draw. Those seeking longer, challenging backcountry adventures will find opportunities for backpacking, with trailheads located at the Johansen Corral (west from Swinging Bridge along the San Rafael River) and at the east end of Mexican Mountain Road.
Off-roading: Non-county trails are infrequently maintained. Please choose trails appropriate to your vehicle and skill level and bring an emergency kit to self-rescue.
Rock climbing: There are many climbing routes along Buckhorn Draw. Please utilize day use areas and general parking lots when climbing or observing. Do not stop or park in blind turns, and do not park in fee campsite if you are not camping there.
Facilities
Vault toilets are located at:
- Campsites 1-7
- Campsites 18-21
- The Buckhorn Pictograph Panel (halfway between sites 23-24 and 25-27)
- Swinging Bridge Campground
Different sites are appropriate for different vehicles:
- RVs: all group sites; 1, 3, 8-11, 14, 17, 27, 30-32
- Small trailers: all of the above plus 18, 19, 22-25, 28
- Sites 20-21 are down a rough, narrow road with deep sand. High clearance and AWD/4WD required.
Natural Features
Buckhorn Draw is the San Rafael River's longest tributary canyon. Along the nine-mile drive from the top of the canyon to its confluence with the river at the Swinging Bridge, visitors will pass below towering sandstone cliffs. The canyon is mixed sagebrush and riparian, and there are many opportunities to see mule deer within the draw and bighorn sheep in the side canyons. Designated wilderness frames either side of Buckhorn Draw: Sids Mountain Wilderness to the west and Mexican Mountain Wilderness to the east. Wilderness protects outstanding habitat and ecosystems and provides many opportunities for non-motorized recreation.
The facts
- 32 bookable sites
- 33 sites in total, including non-bookable
- 1 accessible site
- Up to 50 people per site
- Loops: Buckhorn Draw
Site types
- 25 Standard Nonelectric
- 7 Group Standard Nonelectric
- 1 Management
Amenities
- Campfires allowed
- Pets allowed
Not recorded upstream: electric hookups, water hookups, sewer hookups, fire pits, picnic tables, grills, shade.
33 campsites at Buckhorn Draw
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Surface | Max rig | People | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site 01 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 02 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 03 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 04 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | 50 | ♿ 🐾 |
| Site 05 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 06 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | 50 | 🐾 |
| Site 07 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 08 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 09 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 10 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Parallel | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 11 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 12 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 13 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 14 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 15 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 16 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 17 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 17 closed | Buckhorn Draw | Management | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 18 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 19 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 20 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 21 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 22 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 23 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 24 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 25 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 26 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 27 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 28 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Back In | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 29 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 30 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 31 | Buckhorn Draw | Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — | |
| Site 32 (group) | Buckhorn Draw | Group Standard Nonelectric | Pull Through | Gravel | — | — |
Getting there
This campground is located 15 miles from the nearest paved road. County roads in the San Rafael Swell are generally well-maintained but may be impassible for two-wheel drive vehicles in wet or icy conditions. Please travel safely and responsibly. Contact the BLM for route conditions.
From Huntingdon: Take Center Street east out of Huntingdon. Turn left onto Emery County Rd. 332 after approximately three miles, following signs for San Rafael Swell access. Continue straight on this road for 12 miles as it turns into gravel, traveling east and then south until it intersects with the Green River Cutoff Road (Emery Co. Rd 401) at the Buckhorn Information Center, which has multiple kiosks, vault toilets, and a large staging area. Turn left and continue straight for another 2.4 miles, and then turn right at the sign for Buckhorn Draw. The north information station at Campsite 1 is in approximately 1 mile.
From Castledale: Go north out of Castle Dale on Highway 10 and turn right on the Green River Cutoff Road, about 1 mile out and signed for San Rafael Swell access. Continue straight for 13 miles to the Buckhorn Information Center and then 2.4 more miles to the signed intersection with Buckhorn Draw.
From Highway 191: Turn west onto the Green River Cutoff Road midway between mile markers 283 and 284. Stay straight for 28 miles until the signed intersection with Buckhorn Draw is reached.
From I-70: From Exit 131 (signed for Temple Mountain Rd. and Sinbad Rd.), go north and follow Buckhorn Draw Road (Emery Co. Rd. 332) as it turns east and then north. You will reach the San Rafael River (Swinging Bridge Campground) in 20 miles. The south information station at Campsite 30 is reached in 1.5 miles.
39.16610, -110.74475 · 39°9'58.0"N 110°44'41.1"W
Typical weather
Typically 91°F in Jul, down to 40°F in Jan.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 40 | 47 | 58 | 66 | 75 | 85 | 91 | 89 | 81 | 68 | 53 | 41 |
| Low °F | 10 | 16 | 25 | 31 | 40 | 47 | 54 | 52 | 43 | 32 | 20 | 11 |
| Precip in | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 14.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.
Map
Fees and stay limits
The 26 individual sites fit two to three vehicles and are $15/night. There are 7 large group sites that are $50/night and fit eight to ten standard sized vehicles or multiple RVs and trailers. High clearance is advised for sites 20 and 21. Not all individual sites are accessible to oversized vehicles; please contact the BLM for more information. Self-pay stations are located near campsites 18, 30, and 1. This campground is open, and generally accessible, year-round.
From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.
More photos
Member photos
Common questions about Buckhorn Draw
- Can you reserve a site at Buckhorn Draw?
- Yes, Buckhorn Draw is reservable through Recreation.gov.
- How many campsites does Buckhorn Draw have?
- 33 sites in total, of which 32 can be booked.
- Are pets allowed at Buckhorn Draw?
- Yes, pets are allowed at Buckhorn Draw.
- Are campfires allowed at Buckhorn Draw?
- Campfires are allowed at Buckhorn Draw. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.
Camping near Buckhorn Draw
- San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground 7.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
- Furniture Draw TH 0.8 mi · Facility
- Buckhorn Dino Track 0.9 mi · Facility
- Emery Country Visitor Center 2.5 mi · Facility
- Buckhorn Panel 4 mi · Facility
- The Wedge 4.9 mi · Facility
- Cedar Mountain Day Use Site 6.3 mi · Facility
- Little Grand Canyon Trailhead 6.5 mi · Facility
- Fullers Bottom Trailhead 6.8 mi · Facility
- Swinging Bridge Trailhead 6.9 mi · Facility
- San Rafael CG North 7.2 mi · Facility
- Swinging Bridge 7.3 mi · Facility
Contact
- Book Recreation.gov
Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-11.
Facility information and photographs from Recreation.gov (RIDB). SpotOpened is not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.
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