Reservation10/10
Dead Horse Point Wingate Yurts permit
Heated yurts with Colorado River views....
Wingate Hike-In Tent Sites Permit
Dead Horse Point State Park · Utah
One date at a time
Tent-only sites requiring short walk from parking.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Wingate Hike-In were gone within 10 minutes.
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Wingate Hike-In Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodReservation
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Cost$45 per night in March, April, May, June, September and October; $40 all other months. $20 extra vehicle. Day-use entry $20 per private vehicle
Daily Quota11 permits
Wingate Hike-In Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Wingate Hike-In in Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah requires a permit issued via reservation.
- Wingate Hike-In is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Wingate Hike-In runs year-round.
- The Wingate Hike-In route covers 0.06 miles, rated easy.
- Cancelled Wingate Hike-In permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonYear-round - Year-round
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodReservation
Demand Level9/10
LocationCanyonlands / Colorado Plateau, UT
Pro Tips
- •Fill every water container before you leave Moab. There is no water for fillups anywhere in the park, and the nearest services are 35 miles back.
- •Set a reminder for exactly four months before your arrival date. The window is a four-month rolling basis and eleven tent sites go fast at peak rates.
- •July and August run the $40 off-peak rate rather than $45, and have better availability - if you can handle heat with no shade, the off-peak months are the easier target.
- •Dogs are welcome on the hiking trails but banned from the Intrepid mountain bike trails, so plan the day around which one you are doing.
- •There are no showers in the park at all. Budget for that or plan a night in Moab on either end.
- •The visitor center has WiFi and spotty cell service - if you need to check anything, do it there rather than at your site.
- •If you strike out on the tent sites, the Moenkopi yurts have five units versus Wingate's four, which is a marginally better cancellation target.
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
0.06 miles
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
1-3 nights
Difficulty
EasyHighlights
- •Eleven hike-in tent-only sites, with a walk of up to 300 feet from the parking area
- •A shade shelter, picnic table, fire ring and one 15 by 16-foot tent pad at each site
- •Bathrooms with running water and dishwashing sinks; two flush restrooms and one vault toilet in the campground
- •No showers anywhere in the park, and no water available for RV fillups
- •A four-month rolling reservation window through the Utah State Parks reservation system
- •Walk-in only inside the 48 hours before arrival - no advance or telephone reservations at the park
- •International Dark Sky Park skies at 5,900 feet, with the nearest town lights 32 miles away
Best Time to Visit
March through June and September through October are the park's own peak-rate months for a reason - that is when a high desert mesa at 5,900 feet is comfortable, and it is also when these eleven sites are hardest to get. July and August drop to the $40 rate and bring real heat with no shade. Winter is cold and quiet, with the best availability of the year and the sharpest night skies.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Unfenced rim edges with 2,000 feet of exposure below - stay back from the drop, particularly in wind
- !No water source in the park; running out is the most likely trouble you will have here
- !High desert heat with almost no natural shade on the mesa
- !Sudden temperature swings at 5,900 feet, with cold nights following hot days
- !Nearest services are 35 miles away in Moab, and cell service at the visitor center is spotty
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (5,000 ft)
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Backcountry Tips
- Windy conditions: Bring wind-resistant shelter if camping.
Today
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View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
How to Get This Permit
1
Create an account before permits drop
Find this permit on the managing agency's booking system and set up an account with your payment info ready.
2
Know the release schedule
Permits typically release on a rolling basis. Check the specific release time for your desired dates.
3
Be ready when permits drop
Log in a few minutes early. Have your dates, group size, and payment ready to go.
4
Monitor for cancellations
If your dates are sold out, people cancel all the time. Set up PermitSnag alerts to catch openings instantly.
Learn More
When to Go
Peak: March through June and September through OctoberShoulder: November through February
Conditions
Prime mesa weather, and one of the park's peak-rate periods at $45 a night.
Crowd Level
ExtremeAdvantages
- +Comfortable days for the rim trails and Intrepid system
- +Long light on the canyon
- +Cool nights for sleeping
Challenges
- !The hardest booking window of the year on eleven sites
- !Spring wind on an exposed mesa
- !Moab traffic at its heaviest
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand2/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment2/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Tent campers who want a car-camping trip without a car beside the tent. The walk is up to 300 feet, so the only real work is carrying all your water in from Moab.
Recommended Experience
None beyond normal tent camping. Desert self-sufficiency with water is the one habit that matters.
Not Recommended For
RV and trailer campers - these sites are tent-only. Also anyone counting on filling water in the park; there is none.
About This Permit
The Wingate Campground's eleven hike-in tent-only sites are the walk-in inventory at Dead Horse Point State Park. You park your vehicle by the restroom and hike in up to 300 feet to the site - short enough that it is not a backpacking trip, far enough that no vehicle is beside your tent.
Each site has a shade shelter, a picnic table, a fire ring and one 15 by 16-foot tent pad. All campsites have access to bathrooms with running water and dishwashing sinks, and the campground has two restrooms with flush toilets, one vault toilet and a dump station. There are no showers anywhere at Dead Horse Point, and there is no water available for RV fillups anywhere in the park - all campers must fill water storage tanks and containers before coming.
Rates are $45 a night in March, April, May, June, September and October, and $40 all other months. Day-use entry is $20 per private vehicle. All campsites and yurts can be reserved for up to four months prior to your arrival date, on a four-month rolling basis, through ReserveAmerica or by calling 1-800-322-3770. Inside the 48-hour window, campsites are walk-in only - you must appear in person at the park.
The park sits at 5,900 feet, is an International Dark Sky Park, and is 32 miles from Moab: nine miles northwest on US 191, then 23 miles southwest on Utah 313 to the end of the highway.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Dead Horse Point is the overlook Utah puts on its own posters, and the Wingate hike-in sites are the only tent-only inventory on that mesa. You leave the vehicle at the restroom and walk in, which is a small thing that changes the entire feel of the campground - no headlights, no engines, no RV next to your tent. In an International Dark Sky Park at 5,900 feet with almost no light pollution, that matters after sunset.
The Route
The Wingate Campground has 31 campsites: twenty with electrical hookups for RVs or tents, and eleven hike-in tent-only sites. For the hike-in sites you park at the restroom and walk in up to 300 feet - the reservation system describes it as less than 200 yards from the parking lot. Each site has a shade shelter, picnic table, fire ring and one 15 by 16-foot tent pad, and two of the campground's sites are ADA accessible. Bathrooms with running water and dishwashing sinks serve every site, along with two restrooms with flush toilets and one vault toilet. From camp, the park's eight miles of hiking trails run out along both rims, and the Intrepid Trail System puts nearly 30 miles of mountain biking at your door.
The Feeling
You are on a high desert mesa with a 30-yard-wide neck of land connecting it to everything else, and 2,000 feet of air below the rim. There is no water source, no shower, and the nearest services are 35 miles away in Moab - everything you drink came in your vehicle. What you get for that is a night sky that most people never see and a sunrise over Canyonlands that starts before anyone drives up from town.
Trailhead Information
Wingate Campground hike-in parking
5,900 ft elevationPark by the restroom and hike in up to 300 feet to the tent-only sites. The Utah State Parks reservation system describes the walk as less than 200 yards from the parking lot.
Restrooms
Water on site
Weak Signal
Parking
One vehicle per campsite; one extra vehicle allowed at $20 per night.
Getting There
Nine miles northwest of Moab on US 191, then 23 miles southwest on Utah 313 to the end of the highway.
Nearest Services
Moab, 35 miles away - the nearest services to the park.
Notes
Bathrooms have running water and dishwashing sinks, but there are no showers anywhere in the park and no water for RV fillups.
Rules & Regulations
- •All campers must fill water storage tanks and containers before coming to the park
- •Check-in is 3:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 p.m.
- •Quiet hours are 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. daily
- •Pets must be on a leash less than 6 feet long and attended at all times; dogs are allowed on hiking trails but not on the mountain bike trails
- •Reservations are on a four-month rolling basis; inside 48 hours, campsites are walk-in only and require appearing in person
- •Only one vehicle is allowed per campsite; an extra vehicle costs $20 per night and only one extra vehicle is allowed per site
- •Length of stay is generally limited to 14 days within any 30-day period
- •A camping unit is one tent, one trailer or one camper - not a combination or multiples
Gear Checklist
Required
- All the water for your stay - there is no water available for RV fillups anywhere at Dead Horse Point and the park tells campers to arrive with tanks and containers full
- Stakes that hold in packed mesa ground; the tent pad is 15 by 16 feet
- Sun protection and shade layers beyond the site's shade shelter
- Warm layers for 5,900-foot desert nights, in every season
- A headlamp for the walk between the parking area and the site
- Firewood bought in advance, plus a lighter, for the site fire ring
Plan Your Trip
🎒
Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Wingate Hike-In
🚐
Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
Dead Horse Point overlook
2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River, looking into Canyonlands National Park
The neck
The 30-yard-wide strip of land that connects the point to the mesa - the reason it worked as a natural corral for wild mustangs
Wingate Campground
31 sites: 20 with electrical hookups and 11 hike-in tent-only, plus four yurts at the campground edge
Intrepid Trail System
Nearly 30 miles of mountain bike trails leaving from the park
Visitor Center
Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with WiFi and spotty cell service
Wingate Hike-In FAQ
How many hike-in tent sites are at Dead Horse Point State Park?
Eleven. The Wingate Campground has 31 campsites - twenty with electrical hookups that support RV or tent campers, and eleven hike-in tent-only sites.
How far do you hike into the Wingate tent sites?
Guests park by the restroom and hike in up to 300 feet to the site, according to Utah State Parks. The reservation system describes the walk as less than 200 yards from the parking lot.
How much does a Wingate hike-in tent site cost?
$45 per night during March, April, May, June, September and October, and $40 all other months. An extra vehicle is $20 per night, and day-use entry is $20 per private vehicle.
How far in advance can I reserve a Dead Horse Point campsite?
Four months. All campsites and yurts can be reserved for up to four months prior to your arrival date, on a four-month rolling basis, through ReserveAmerica or by calling 1-800-322-3770.
Is there water at Dead Horse Point State Park?
There is no water available for RV fillups anywhere in the park, and all campers must fill water storage tanks and containers before coming. Campsites do have access to bathrooms with running water and dishwashing sinks, but there are no showers.
What is at each Wingate hike-in campsite?
A shade shelter, picnic table, fire ring and one 15 by 16-foot tent pad. Two of the campground's sites are ADA accessible.
Can I bring a dog to Dead Horse Point State Park?
Yes. Pets must be on a leash less than 6 feet long and attended at all times. Dogs are allowed on hiking trails but are not allowed on the mountain bike trails.
Can I get a Dead Horse Point campsite last minute?
Only in person. Campsites are walk-in only inside the 48-hour window - you must appear at the park to reserve a site the day of, and no advance or telephone reservations are taken there.
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Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Sunrise at the point, when first light hits the gooseneck 2,000 feet below and the canyon walls behind it come up in sequence.
Best Light
Late afternoon along the west rim, when the Colorado River catches light and the La Sal Mountains go blue behind the mesa.
Beat the Crowds
Day visitors drive up from Moab and are gone by dark. Camping puts you at the overlook for both sunrise and full dark, which is when the park is genuinely empty.
Classic Shots
- 📍The Colorado River gooseneck from Dead Horse Point, 2,000 feet down
- 📍Milky Way over the canyon rim - this is a certified International Dark Sky Park
- 📍The 30-yard-wide neck of land that made the point a natural corral
- 📍Canyonlands pinnacles and buttes stacking into the distance from the east rim
- 📍A tent under stars at a hike-in site with no vehicle in the frame
Can't Get a Wingate Hike-In Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Wingate Yurts
Same AreaFour yurts at the edge of the same campground, sleeping up to six with heating, air conditioning and a mini fridge.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Costs $150 a night instead of $45, and no pets are allowed - but you get walls, power and a bed.
Moenkopi Yurts
Same AreaFive yurts in a secluded cul-de-sac near the park entrance, with a private spur to the Intrepid mountain bike trails.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
More yurts means slightly better odds than Wingate, and dogs are allowed here for a fee - but it is the same $150 rate.
Fossil Flats Improved Primitive Campground
Similar ExperiencePrimitive campground at Utahraptor State Park, also near Moab, with red rock views and dark skies.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Newer and far easier to book, but no rim overlook and fewer facilities.
🏕️
Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Wingate Hike-In trip
Very HardIn Demand26 sitesCanyonlands National Park Needles District Campground
Canyonlands National Park
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Very HardIn Demand3 sitesCanyonlands National Park Needles District Group Campsites
Canyonlands National Park
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Very HardIn Demand57 sitesDevils Garden Campground
Arches National Park
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