Attn: BLM Free Campsite CLOSED

Wanted to post here that the popular free campground on the Virgin River outside Rockville, UT is now closed. The BLM has closed the campground indefinitely because of issues of human waste near the water.

Just trying to get the word out there to people travelling to Zion and planning on camping there. Zion camping is still available in the Watchman and South Campgrounds, run by Zion NPS. Spots are $16/night.

Of course, please respect Zion-area land owners and residents when planning to camp, the free campground was closed due to disrespect, including improper waste disposal and littering.

Too bad...there are many people who had their first nights in Zion there, guess we just couldn't keep it clean.

Wow, this blows. From what I saw, climbers were a definite minority of the users there.

A couple years ago I got off a wall in Zion fairly late on a Saturday night and headed over to the blm camp. When I got there I couldn't believe how loud the place was between a couple car stereos blasting and a bunch of drunks yelling. Despite my great exhaustion I still didn't think I'd be able to sleep through all that so I drove down the highway a little farther and parked off a random dirt road, threw my bag on the ground, and passed out. Well, I happened to pick a spot that was completely visible from the highway in the daylight and not surprisingly got woken up by a cop first thing in the morning. After running my plates, and asking a few questions he informed me,

"Be careful, it's pretty dangerous out here."

"Wow, really? I had no idea." I explained, wondering where the hell I had wandered into in my stupor the night before.

"Yea, there's, like, snakes and scorpions and stuff out here."

I laughed and told him that sleeping on the ground outside was probably the least scary thing I'd done all weekend.

I've spent quite a few nights at the blm camp and, aside from that one time, found it a pretty handy place to crash. I'm bummed it's gone.

Good.

I know most will think I'm lame for saying this, but this has been a long time comming. That place was getting trashed. TP everywhere and a whole bunch of people (mostly non climbers last time i was there) and I would venture to guess 0.1 percent of the users were packing out their waste. Its unfortunate that its getting harder and more expensive to experience the great outdoors. These things are going to become more and more common.

Any of us camping in the desert should bring our own portable toilet. More closures to come, but think about all the areas we camp - human waste will continue to accumulate.

Its all about carrying it out. Its not like there aren't a million products to help us with it...

Pretty sad to lose this place. I've spent many, many nights there over the years. I had "heard" for a few years that the BLM was going to start making it more of an "official" campground with sites and pit toilets. I think with the flooding of the Virgin River every spring there was some serious concerns about the human waste that was being exposed and washed into the river. It's definitely a great reminder of how we need to take care of these places better but I agree, the vast majority of people camped there have been non-climbers and often people with poor approaches to protecting the place. Not sure what could have been done because I'm sure the BLM is short on funds for building a pit toilet, etc.

Be prepared for more unregulated camp site closings around the US if there is a potential for human waste to impact drinking water quality. Drinking water systems are require per federal regulation to control cryptosporidium which results from fecal waste. Two ways to accomplish this mandated requirement is to upgrade treatment and/or control contaminant sources in the watershed. The Virgin River is designated as a drinking water supply. Since many small water systems do not have the funds to provide treatment upgrades, the next best thing is to control sources of contamination. As indicated in the post, the camp is subject to flooding resulting in human waste washing into the river and impacting drinking water quality. Drinking water managers are currently auditing their watersheds to identify such sources and implementing measures to control them. It would not surprise me that such a closure is related to this type of action. People have to manage human waste better if they expect unregulated camps to remain open.

Michael Schneiter wrote:Pretty sad to lose this place. I've spent many, many nights there over the years.

Bummer. But it wasn't jokingly called "fecal-cove" for nothing....much like most free camping places nowadays....loved to death, destined for closure.

When will people learn to clean up after themselves?

tenesmus wrote: I can tell you are conscientious about human waste. Where did you crap and pee when you camped there all those nights?

It wasn't a jab at all. You sound like you had a system and I wondered how you did it. Well, not how you actually DID it, just how you Managed it. I'm thinking about getting a portable chemical job or doing the old school groover thing. Sometimes taking a dump feels like a workout.

Is this the campground that some refer to as "Mosquito Flats"? I'm assuming it is, since that's the only free campground near Zion I was aware of.

If so, that sucks but I'm also not surprised. The place was a damn mess. I only stayed there two nights, and both nights we were the only ones. It was December, and snowy, so that's not a shock. But even though we were alone, there were ample signs of other use. Everything was torn up, there was trash everywhere and a lot of fire-rings and shit. Too bad though, still. That area is one of the hardest (in my limited experience) to find a decent place to camp for free.

I've camped there a lot, and always held it or dug catholes, which I regret. I never dig catholes anymore in the desert - since I started river running and seeing just how pristine heavily used camps can be if people conscientiously use groovers, fire pans, and tarps for microtrash, i've camped the same way for climbing that I do for running rivers.

If you camp heavily or camp in big groups, a groover is a good investment over a wag bag. Properly maintained, they are easy to use, don't smell bad, and aren't as hard or disgusting to clean out as it would seem. The eco safe in an ammo can is hard to beat - kayak.nrsweb.com/boating/Gr…

this is the beginning of the end for dirt baggers...truly disgusts me that people have such little respect for the enviroment...christ, who shits where they sleep?...since 95, i have watched that place slowly go from a quiet pull-off in the tamarisk, to a full blown rave scene...much like indian creek...people need to think of the long term ramifications of their actions and of what they choose to tell people...my question now is: who's going to clean it up? the BLM? the county? climbers? other user groups?...if you just take a little extra effort to clean-up after yourself and other people when you leave an area this would not have likely happened...i mean come on the closest public trash is what 10 miles away...what will be the ultimate cost of our collective laziness?

I was afraid to click on this knowing it might be the area by Coalpits Wash. Over the past 5 years it has been sad to see the devastation to the area; fewer trees and more waste and trash. I'm really so sad to see this place go. I've camped in the Park before too and I always went back to this area to escape the noise and almost always camped in the same spot. I was never comfortable sleeping in the park campsite. I hope this is an eye opener to people who do not clean up after themselves. If we don’t start self policing, closures like this will be a trend. Wow. I'm really, really bummed.

This is just and update...NOTHING MORE

Not saying you should (or shouldnt,) but people have taken the ziptie, yes ziptie, off the gate and are camping there again.