How to Get a Butte North Permit
Four sites at the end of a wash road the park says needs 4x4 - the quietest primitive camping at Goblin Valley, and the first to become a bad idea in rain.
Check Butte North permit availabilityNo nightly fee is published for this campground. The park's announced $15 per-site fee applies to the Behind the Butte East campground. A daily park entry fee is charged separately.
Permit Cost
1-14 nights
Duration
easy
Difficulty
About Butte North
Behind the Butte North 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 North is the smallest of the three by a long way: four designated sites with rock fire rings. The park recommends 4x4 and high clearance for access, and says it is not recommended when rain is forecast because of the wash. 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.
Four sites is the entire campground. That makes Behind the Butte North the most solitary option in the Behind the Butte system and the one most likely to still have space when East and West are full on a holiday weekend. The trade is access: the park recommends 4x4 and high clearance, and advises against the road when rain is forecast because of the wash.
The Experience
Four rock rings in open desert with the reef behind them and no one else likely to arrive. This is the campground where the dark sky designation stops being a marketing line and becomes the actual experience.
Behind the Butte North sits off Little Wildhorse Canyon Road with four designated sites and rock fire rings. Access is the constraint: the park recommends 4x4 and high clearance, and specifically says the road is not recommended when rain is forecast because of the wash. Everything else follows the shared Behind the Butte rules - marked sites only, first-come, a 14-night limit, and no more than four vehicles per site.
What to Expect
Four designated sites, the smallest of the three Behind the Butte campgrounds
Rock fire rings, and no other facilities
4x4 and high clearance recommended by the park for access
A road the park says is not recommended when rain is forecast, because of the wash
A first-come, first-served campground with no reservation system
The best odds of an empty campground of the three
Get Butte North Alerts
Be first to know when cancellations happen.
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 on dry roads. This is the campground where the weather forecast decides whether you go at all - the park specifically advises against the access road when rain is forecast. Summer heat and winter freezing nights both apply here as everywhere in the Behind the Butte system.
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 North permit?
+
Butte North permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Butte North?
+
Spring and autumn on dry roads. This is the campground where the weather forecast decides whether you go at all - the park specifically advises against the access road when rain is forecast. Summer heat and winter freezing nights both apply here as everywhere in the Behind the Butte system.
How difficult is Butte North?
+
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 North?
+
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.
Don't Miss Your Butte North Permit
Cancellations happen every day. PermitSnag monitors Butte North availability 24/7 and alerts you the moment a spot opens up.
Get Permit Alerts