Very High DemandReservation4 min read

Updated August 9, 2026

How to Get a Candlestick Permit

A single campsite at mile 55, seven hours out - the halfway-and-then-some camp, with nobody else in the area.

$36 non-refundable reservation fee per permit (includes the $6 Recreation.gov fee) plus $5 per person, per night. Park entrance fee is separate.

Permit Cost

2-4 days

Duration

100 miles

Distance

moderate

Difficulty

About Candlestick

Candlestick is a single campsite with a single toilet at mile 55 of the White Rim Road, about 7 hours of driving clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center. The road holds 20 campsites in 10 camping areas, and Candlestick is one of the four that are a party of one. It is the last camp on the bench before the road descends toward the Green River at Potato Bottom, which makes it a natural second or third night on a longer circuit. NPS puts the 100-mile loop at two to three days by four-wheel drive and three to four by mountain bike. High-clearance four-wheel drive with low range is required, campfires are not permitted, pets are not allowed even inside vehicles, and there is no potable water along the road. The site takes up to 15 people and 3 vehicles. Canyonlands releases White Rim permits four months before each season starts, at 8 a.m. Mountain time on Recreation.gov, and NPS says outright that demand for overnight permits frequently exceeds the number available in spring and fall. The fee is a $36 non-refundable reservation charge plus $5 per person per night. Anything still unreserved becomes a walk-up, marked "W" on Recreation.gov and issued in person at a visitor center until 2:30 p.m. Mountain time.

Candlestick is one of only three White Rim camping areas that hold a single campsite, along with White Crack, Shafer and Taylor. Seven hours of driving from the visitor center puts it past the point where anyone is doing this as a quick trip, and it is the last camp before the road drops to the Green River at Potato Bottom.

The Experience

Seven hours in, you stop noticing the driving and start noticing how far the horizon is. One site means no neighbours and no headlights. This is the stretch of the loop where the bench feels widest and the mesa rim furthest away.

Candlestick is at mile 55 clockwise from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, about 7 hours of driving, with one campsite and one toilet. Behind you, at mile 45, is the Murphy Hogback climb, one of the five steep and exposed sections NPS names on the loop. Ahead the road works down toward the Green River: Potato Bottom at mile 66, then Hardscrabble Hill - another of the five - and Labyrinth and Taylor before the Mineral Bottom switchbacks close the circuit.

What to Expect

One campsite for the whole Candlestick area, with one toilet

55 miles and about 7 hours of driving from the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, clockwise

The last bench camp before the road drops toward the Green River

No potable water, no shade, no campfires and no generators

A hard cap of 15 people and 3 vehicles on the site

Hardscrabble Hill, another of the five steep exposed sections, ahead on the west side

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Permit Requirements

Each campsite accommodates up to 15 people and 3 vehicles; motorbikes and trailers count as vehicles for that limit

Keep all camp activities within the posts that mark the campsite boundaries

Campfires are not permitted anywhere along the White Rim Road, and generators are not allowed

Pets are not permitted, even inside vehicles

Your vehicle must have high-clearance, four-wheel drive with low range

ATVs, UTVs and OHVs are not permitted even if street legal; drones and other unmanned aircraft are prohibited

All vehicles and bikes must remain on designated roads

You may stay a maximum of three consecutive nights at a camping area before having to relocate, and an overnight permit runs up to 14 consecutive nights

Climbing, scrambling, walking or standing upon, or rappelling off any arch is prohibited parkwide

Recreation.gov books Candlestick as a named campsite, not a zone - you are reserving this exact site for the night

Gear & Preparation

Required Gear

•All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor
•A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation
•Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs
•A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite
•Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench
•Printed maps. Cell service is unreliable below the mesa rim

Hazards & Safety

No potable water anywhere along the road - NPS asks for at least 1 gallon (4 L) per person per day, more if you will be active

Long rocky stretches, deep sand and little shade; NPS says to plan on a minimum of 10 to 12 hours of driving or cycling for the loop

The steep, exposed sections at Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks demand extreme caution in bad weather

High water on the Green River can flood sections of road on the west side and make a complete loop impossible

A disabled vehicle out here is expensive: NPS warns of towing fees in excess of $1,000

Summer heat on an unshaded sandstone bench, with no water and no quick way out

Best Time to Visit

Spring and fall for the road, and those are the seasons NPS says run short of permits. Check Green River levels before counting on Candlestick as a through-camp - high water can flood sections of road on the west side and make a complete loop impossible, which would leave you retracing 55 miles.

Pro Tips

Set an alarm for 8 a.m. Mountain time on the release date four months before your season opens. That first minute is when spring and fall dates go.

Candlestick is one of only 20 campsites on a 100-mile road, so a cancellation watch is doing real work here - there is no overflow.

Carry every drop of water you plan to drink. There is none on the road and no way to buy any.

Budget 7 hours from the visitor center just to reach camp, before you factor in stops.

If you are riding it, bring a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for water and gear. NPS recommends it directly.

Check current road conditions before you commit - high water on the Green River can close the west side and turn the loop into an out-and-back.

Cancel early if your plans change. The $5 per person per night fee is refunded for trips cancelled at least 3 days out, and someone else gets the night.

Written by

PermitSnag Team

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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a Candlestick permit?

Candlestick permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.

When is the best time to visit Candlestick?

How difficult is Candlestick?

Drivers with a genuine low-range four-wheel-drive vehicle, and cyclists who have a support vehicle carrying water. NPS highly recommends a four-wheel-drive support vehicle for mountain bike trips.

What gear do I need for Candlestick?

Essential gear includes: All your water. There is none on the road, and 1 gallon per person per day is the NPS floor, A high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle with low range - this is a requirement, not a recommendation, Full recovery kit and a spare: shovel, traction boards, air compressor, tire plugs, A camp stove. Fires are not permitted at any White Rim campsite, Shade you bring yourself - a tarp or awning; there is almost none on the bench. Additional specialized gear may be required based on conditions.