Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P) — riverside, hiking

Location: St George, UT, UT

Price: From $8 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (288 reviews)

Season: May through October

The Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is located along Interstate 15 approximately 20 miles southwest of St. George, Utah and approximately 20 miles northeast of Mesquite, Nevada. It’s accessed from the Cedar Pocket Exit (mile post 18).

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/virgin-river-canyon-recreation-area to be notified when sites open up.

Budget-friendly federal campground at $8/night located conveniently off Interstate 15 between St. George and Mesquite with 108 sites, flush toilets, drinking water, and fire rings. Google reviews rate it 4.5/5 stars, with campers noting it's quieter than expected for freeway proximity and well-maintained.

Wildlife alert: Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake and Gila Monster present in area; also Rock Squirrel, Kit Fox, Mallard, American Dipper, and Common Side-blotched Lizard.

Insider tips for Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area: Book early through recreation.gov — 25 of the best sites are reservation-only Water is available at the camp host site Access via Cedar Pocket Exit at mile post 18 off Interstate 15 14-night maximum stay limit Day-use fee is $2 per vehicle if not camping

Skip Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area if: You need electrical hookups — no hookups available at most sites. You require shower facilities — bathrooms have running water but no showers. You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only. You want spontaneous visits — book early as a federal campground with high demand.

Best time to visit Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area: May through October — Campground operates seasonally during these months only.

Nearby campgrounds: Red Cliffs Campground (St. George, UT), Baker Dam Campground (Veyo, UT), Pine Valley Recreation Area (CEDAR CITY, UT), Watchman Campground (Springdale, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area

Cell signal at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (St George, 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›UT›Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area
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Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P) — riverside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area

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St George, UT, UT★ 4.3 (288 reviews)From $8/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

The Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is located along Interstate 15 approximately 20 miles southwest of St. George, Utah and approximately 20 miles northeast of Mesquite, Nevada. It’s accessed from the Cedar Pocket Exit (mile post 18).

Best for:HikersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV130 ft
HookupsNo hookups.
ADA sites8 sites
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric Hookups
Family & Pets
Flush Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electrical hookups — no hookups available at most sites✕ You require shower facilities — bathrooms have running water but no showers✕ You prefer year-round camping — seasonal operations May through October only✕ You want spontaneous visits — book early as a federal campground with high demand

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early through recreation.gov

25 of the best sites are reservation-only

Water is available at the camp host site

Access via Cedar Pocket Exit at mile post 18 off Interstate 15

14-night maximum stay limit

Day-use fee is $2 per vehicle if not camping

Best: May through October

Campground operates seasonally during these months only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake and Gila Monster present in area; also Rock Squirrel, Kit Fox, Mallard, American Dipper, and Common Side-blotched Lizard.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
435-688-3200· Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P)
Getting there →

Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is located along Interstate 15 approximately 20 miles southwest of St. George, Utah and approximately 20 miles northeast of Mesquite, Nevada. The recreation area is at the Cedar Pocket Exit (Mile Post 18).

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P) fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area (P) before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area cost per night?+
Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area costs $8 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area open?+
Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area?+
Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area can accommodate RVs up to 130 feet.
How do I make reservations at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area?+
Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area open, and what are check-in times?+
Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

1994 Federal Registry Notice for Supplemental Rules2022 Federal Registry Notice for 14-Day Stay Limit2021 Spending and Accomplishment Plan2022 Spending and Accomplishment Plan2023 Spending and Accomplishment Plan2024 Spending and Accomplishment PlanTrailsDetailed Map of the Upper LoopDetailed Map of the Lower Loop2014 Visitor Survey2025 Visitor SurveyDraft Business Plan
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$8 /night★ 4.3 (288)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area cost per night?+
What season is Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area open?+
Does Virgin River Canyon Recreation Area have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Red Cliffs Campground

St. George, UT

From $5/night

Baker Dam Campground

Veyo, UT

From $5/night

Pine Valley Recreation Area

CEDAR CITY, UT

From $23/night

Towering red sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park at sunrise

Watchman Campground

Springdale, UT

From $35/night

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