How to Get a Butte East Permit
Thirty-two first-come sites with tables and metal fire rings on the road to Little Wild Horse Canyon, in a certified Dark Sky Park.
Check Butte East permit availabilityThe park says a $15 nightly fee per site is coming for Behind the Butte East, payable at the self-pay station or the visitor center, and that it does not replace the daily park entry fee.
Permit Cost
1-14 nights
Duration
easy
Difficulty
About Butte East
Behind the Butte East Campground is one of three Behind the Butte primitive campgrounds along Little Wildhorse Canyon Road at Goblin Valley State Park. These areas were added to the park in 2022, and the park says management changes will be implemented over the next several years to protect natural resources. Behind the Butte East is the largest and most developed of the three. The park lists 32 designated sites marked with numbers and tent symbols, with picnic tables and fire rings, and says fires are allowed in provided metal rings only. Vault toilets are described as coming soon. Site 5 is called out as good for equestrian camping - the Emery County Back Country Horsemen donated highlines there for horse tie-outs. The park has also announced that a $15 nightly fee per site will be implemented for this campground, payable at the self-pay station or the visitor center, and that it does not cover the daily park entry fee. The campground is reached off B7217/EM4030. A separate parking area serves it: no overnight camping there, but overnight parking is allowed, no day-use fee is required, and it works as a staging area for trailers. The rules are the same across all three. Camping is allowed only in sites marked with a tent symbol. All sites are first-come, first served. There is a 14-night camping limit. Site capacity is no more than 4 vehicles, and some small sites will only hold 2. Vehicles and bicycles must remain on designated roads and camping areas, and cross-country riding or driving is not permitted. The roads are primitive, high clearance is recommended, and they may be impassable when wet. Goblin Valley is a certified International Dark Sky Park, so the park asks campers to limit light use, favour red lights, and avoid shining spotlights on the rock walls. This is first-come camping, not a reservation system - Utah State Parks reservations through ReserveAmerica cover the developed campground and the yurts, not these sites.
Behind the Butte East is the practical answer to Goblin Valley's booking problem. The developed campground has 24 sites and two yurts and everything releases four months to the day in advance at 8 a.m. Mountain time, which is a race most people lose. This campground has 32 first-come sites, no reservation, tables, metal fire rings and equestrian highlines at site 5 - and the same night sky.
The Experience
You are out past the park boundary on a primitive road with the San Rafael Reef standing up in front of you. There is no shade and no water and no ambient light, which is the whole point: the park is a certified International Dark Sky Park and describes its skies as virtually free of light pollution from populated areas.
Behind the Butte East sits along Little Wildhorse Canyon Road off B7217/EM4030, in an area added to the park in 2022. There are 32 designated sites marked with numbers and tent symbols, each with a picnic table and fire ring, and fires are allowed in the provided metal rings only. Vault toilets are coming. Site 5 has highlines for horse tie-outs, donated by the Emery County Back Country Horsemen. A separate parking area nearby allows overnight parking and works as a trailer staging area, but no overnight camping.
What to Expect
32 designated sites marked with numbers and tent symbols
Picnic tables and metal fire rings, with fires allowed in the provided rings only
Vault toilets described by the park as coming soon
A first-come, first-served campground with no reservation system
Site 5 set up for equestrian camping, with donated highlines for horse tie-outs
An announced $15 nightly fee per site, separate from the daily park entry fee
A separate parking area with overnight parking and trailer staging, but no camping
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Permit Requirements
Camping is allowed only in sites marked with a tent symbol along Little Wildhorse Canyon Road, covering Behind the Butte east, west and north
All sites are first-come, first served
There is a 14-night camping limit
Site capacity is no more than 4 vehicles, and some small sites will only hold 2
Vehicles and bicycles must remain on designated roads and camping areas only; cross-country riding or driving is not permitted
Do not widen roads or drive on vegetation
No shooting is allowed in any camping site or area, and no fireworks
Goblin Valley is a dark sky park - limit your use of lights, favour red lights, and do not shine spotlights on the rock walls
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •All your water. These are primitive campgrounds with no supply of any kind
- •A high-clearance vehicle, which the park recommends for these roads
- •A stove, and firewood if you plan to use a ring - do not collect wood
- •Shade you bring yourself: the park describes this as an extreme desert landscape with little or no shade
- •A red-mode headlamp, because this is a certified International Dark Sky Park
Hazards & Safety
Primitive roads. High clearance is recommended and the roads may be impassable when wet
Flash flooding in the nearby washes and slot canyons, particularly in late summer
Extreme desert heat with little or no shade, in the park's own description of the area
No water anywhere in these campgrounds - everything comes in with you
Fragile cryptobiotic soil and endangered species habitat either side of the designated roads
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn, which are the seasons Goblin Valley itself recommends. Summer runs past 100 degrees with no shade and brings flash flooding to the washes and slot canyons. Winter nights drop below freezing but the campground is empty and the sky is at its best.
Pro Tips
These are first-come sites, so arrive with daylight to spare rather than trying to book anything.
Check the forecast before you commit. The roads are primitive and the park says they may be impassable when wet.
Carry all your water. There is none in any of the Behind the Butte campgrounds.
Use a red light after dark. This is a certified International Dark Sky Park and the park asks for it specifically.
Camp only in a site marked with a tent symbol. Everywhere else along these roads, camping requires an already-established site with a rock fire ring.
Little Wild Horse Canyon is the reason most people are out here, and it is a slot - do not go in when thunderstorms are forecast.
If you want facilities, the developed 24-site campground and the two yurts book four months to the day in advance at 8 a.m. Mountain time through ReserveAmerica.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Butte East permit?
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Butte East permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Butte East?
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Spring and autumn, which are the seasons Goblin Valley itself recommends. Summer runs past 100 degrees with no shade and brings flash flooding to the washes and slot canyons. Winter nights drop below freezing but the campground is empty and the sky is at its best.
How difficult is Butte East?
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Self-sufficient campers with a high-clearance vehicle who want dark skies and slot canyon access without a booking window.
What gear do I need for Butte East?
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Essential gear includes: All your water. These are primitive campgrounds with no supply of any kind, A high-clearance vehicle, which the park recommends for these roads, A stove, and firewood if you plan to use a ring - do not collect wood, Shade you bring yourself: the park describes this as an extreme desert landscape with little or no shade, A red-mode headlamp, because this is a certified International Dark Sky Park.
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