Temple Mountain Townsite Campground
Federal campground in San Rafael Swell Recreation Area
Location: Hanksville, UT, UT
Price: From $15 per night
Price range: $15–$50 per night
Rating: 3.8 out of 5 (4 reviews)
Season: May through October
Temple Mountain Townsite is a fee campground in the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. One of the most distinctive geologic features of central Utah, the Reef is a 75-mile-long rocky spine that reaches up to 1,000 feet high and forms the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell. The Temple Mountain area provides acces to many scenic slot canyons, hills, and spires cut from red and white rock.
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/temple-mountain-townsite-campground to be notified when sites open up.
Temple Mountain Townsite offers affordable camping at $15/night in the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area with access to historic uranium mines, pictograph panels, and scenic loop drives. Campers praise it as a well-maintained, first-come-first-served option near Goblin Valley State Park with good spacing between sites.
Wildlife alert: Midget Faded Rattlesnake present in area — exercise caution during hikes
Insider tips for Temple Mountain Townsite Campground: First-come-first-served only — arrive early, especially on weekends All 10 sites have fire rings and picnic tables No cell signal at campground — plan accordingly
Skip Temple Mountain Townsite Campground if: You need water hookups — no hookups available. You require trash service — bring out all waste. You need reliable cell service — not available at this location. You prefer visiting outside May-October — seasonal closures apply.
Best time to visit Temple Mountain Townsite Campground: May-October — Official operating season per verified campground data.
Nearby campgrounds: South Temple Wash (Ferron, UT), San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground (Price, UT), Buckhorn Draw (Price, UT), Capitol Reef Group Campground (Torrey, UT).
Cell Phone Coverage at Temple Mountain Townsite Campground
Cell signal at Temple Mountain Townsite Campground (Hanksville, UT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
Temple Mountain Townsite is a fee campground in the San Rafael Swell Recreation Area. One of the most distinctive geologic features of central Utah, the Reef is a 75-mile-long rocky spine that reaches up to 1,000 feet high and forms the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell. The Temple Mountain area provides acces to many scenic slot canyons, hills, and spires cut from red and white rock.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryFirst-come-first-served only
arrive early, especially on weekends
All 10 sites have fire rings and picnic tables
No cell signal at campground
plan accordingly
Official operating season per verified campground data
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
From Highway 24, turn west onto Temple Mountain Road (signed for Goblin Valley State Park). Continue straight on this road past the state park turnoff as it turns from pavement to gravel and enters a short canyon. Temple Mountain Townsite is located on the north (right) side of the road as the canyon opens up, seven miles from the highway turnoff.
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — San Rafael Swell Recreation Area fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at San Rafael Swell Recreation Area before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Temple Mountain Townsite Campground cost per night?+
What season is Temple Mountain Townsite Campground open?+
Does Temple Mountain Townsite Campground have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Temple Mountain Townsite Campground?+
How do I make reservations at Temple Mountain Townsite Campground?+
What is the cell service like at Temple Mountain Townsite Campground?+
What season is Temple Mountain Townsite Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
●Data sources on this page
CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.
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