RV Park Review – Gouldings Campground, Monument Valley, UT

April 13, 2013 by libertatemamo 11 Comments

A very friendly  and scenic full hookup campground just ~6 miles from Monument Valley visitor center.

Link to park here: Gouldings Campground, Monument Valley, UT
Link to map location here: Gouldings Campground, Monument Valley, UT

1. Site quality = 3/5
   Very decent sites with just a few dings. There is a selection of full hookup back-in, pull-through and dry-camping/tent sites all basic, cleared, flat dirt with small “sitting area” containing picnic table and grill. Not a lot of separation or privacy, plus some sites are somewhat difficult to get into (our first site had a tree that made it impossible to get our rig in). On positive side you have very nice all-round views of red rocks plus there is a “slot” view of Monument Valley especially from the upper sites.
2. Facilities = 3.5/5
   Decent facilities. Clean toilets and bathrooms with good water-pressure and temperature. Slight ding is that showers were a tad older and somewhat small/tight leaving not a lot of room for changing.
3. Amenities = 3.5/5
   Good amenities. There is decent on-site store, pool (although it was closed while we were there) and laundry which was modern, but somewhat pricey ($3 per wash). On-site dump station and workable WiFi. The Campground also offers tours of the Valley and nearby Lodge has additional amenities incl, car-wash, gas station, propane and market.
4. Location = 5/5
   Location is what you come here for. Gouldings is the only hookup campground next to Monument Valley, and for visiting the area it’s a perfect place to stay. As an additional bonus there’s an on-site short hike to a lovely arch (nice surprise) and lovely views all-around.
5. Pet friendliness = 5/5 
   Great area for doggie. There’s limited space at camp, but good space to walk right next to the campground and on the trail to the nearby arch.

Overall rating =  4.0
BONUS ALERT: Red Rocks and distant views of Monument Valley from your campsite!

Summary: If you’re coming to Monument Valley and you want full hookups Gouldings is the only deal in town. Considering it’s a monopoly we were pleasantly surprised. The sites are basic dirt with not a lot of privacy or separation, but the views are lovely (red rocks all around and slot view of Monument Valley in the back-ground) and the owners super-friendly and responsive. As an additional bonus there’s a lovely little hike to an arch right by camp, perfect for both humans and paws, on-site WiFi (a bonus where there’s almost zero Verizon signal), plus the nearby Lodge has lots of additional amenities incl. movies of the area. The campground also offers tours of the Valley and is conveniently located only ~6 miles from the visitor center. Given our preferences we’d prefer to stay at the tribal campground which is dry-camping, cheaper ($10/night) and closer to the park (unfortunately it was closed while we were there…it’s opening up again Dec 2013), but if you want full hookups I’d certainly recommend this park.

Extra Info: Very, very poor Verizon signal (1X only). On-site WiFi is workable. Dry-camping sites cost $26/night. Full hookups cost $45/night. Good Sam’s and AAA discounts. On-site dump station.