Sand Island Group Sites
Sand Island Campground’s two group campsites are ideal for groups wishing to be close to the town of Bluff and the San Juan River. The area offers outdoor enthusiasts many options for river floating, scenic driving and rock art viewing.
More like this: reservable in Utah · pets allowed in Utah · group sites in Utah · dark sky in Utah
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗



Site mix
| group shelter nonelectric | 2 |
Site guide
2 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Entry | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Site A | Pull-through | Gravel | None | 20 / – | Yes | |
| Group Site B | Pull-through | Gravel | None | 40 / – | Yes | Yes |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | $65 per night |
| Dark sky | 4 miles from Bluff, Utah, a certified International Dark Sky Community |
| Accessibility | Site Group Site B is listed accessible |
Group Site A is located near the boat ramp and features picnic tables, a fire grate, a shade structure and has water nearby. The site may be reserved in advance for groups of 10 to 20 people for a maximum of fourteen days. Group Site B can accommodate group sizes from 15 to 40 people and is located in Loop B of the campground and features picnic tables, a large fire grate, a shade structure, water on site and a single vault toilet. The group sites do not have dump stations or electric hook ups. There are dumpsters located at the campground entrance.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Sand Island Campground is located on the north bank of the San Juan River about 3 miles west of Bluff, Utah, on the south side of Highway 191.
| Nearest town | Monticello, Utah |
| Coordinates | 37.2631° N, 109.6122° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Public land it sits in
Manti-La Sal National Forest begins about 9.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 9.2 miManti-La Sal National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,414,386 acres
- 14.4 miBears Ears National Monument ↗National Monument · Bureau of Land Management · 120,760 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- James Bean Decker HouseBuilding · Bluff · 3.3 mi
- Lemuel H. Redd Jr., HouseBuilding · Bluff · 3.5 mi
- Joseph Frederick Adams HouseBuilding · Bluff · 3.7 mi
Natural features
Sand Island Campground is beside the San Juan River.
Recreation
Sand Island is the main put-in for the 102-mile section of the San Juan River between Montezuma Creek and Clay Hills Crossing that provides boaters with access to spectacular canyons rich in scenery, geology, archeology, history and wildlife. Within the campground there are numerous petroglyphs and pictographs on the ledges above and it is a popular destination for both sightseeing and bird watching.
Nearby
Sand Island is close to Goosenecks State Park, Bears Ears National Monument (Shash Jaa Unit), and Cedar Mesa.
Guidebooks for Utah
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Sand Island Group Sites?
Sites at Sand Island Group Sites are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Sand Island Group Sites?
$65 per night
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Sand Island Group Sites?
Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Sand Island Group Sites have?
2 sites, including 2 group shelter nonelectric.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there showers or a dump station at Sand Island Group Sites?
The group sites do not have dump stations or electric hook ups.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are pets allowed at Sand Island Group Sites?
Yes, pets are allowed at Sand Island Group Sites. Leash rules apply.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Sand Island Group Sites?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.
Source: Recreation.gov
Are there accessible sites at Sand Island Group Sites?
Site Group Site B is listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is Sand Island Group Sites good for stargazing?
Bluff, Utah, a certified International Dark Sky Community, is 4 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.
Source: DarkSky International
Is there cell service at Sand Island Group Sites?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Sand Island Group Sites?
Sand Island is the main put-in for the 102-mile section of the San Juan River between Montezuma Creek and Clay Hills Crossing that provides boaters with access to spectacular canyons rich in scenery, geology, archeology, history and wildlife. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Sand Island Group Sites?
Monticello, Utah. Sand Island is close to Goosenecks State Park, Bears Ears National Monument (Shash Jaa Unit), and Cedar Mesa.
Source: Getting there



