Boondocking Site Review – Comb Wash BLM, Trail Of The Ancients, Blanding, UT

April 20, 2013 by libertatemamo 14 Comments

A protected boondocking site amongst cottonwood trees ~18 miles west of Blanding in SE Utah, right next to excellent Anasazi Ruins.

Location: Comb Wash Road, around 14 miles west of US 191, on UT 95.
Coordinates: Approx. 37.509590, -109.654022. Link to map location HERE Cost: FREE (14-day stay limit)
How We Found It: We had heard about Comb Wash from other RV bloggers who stayed in the area and also found the site on freecampsites.net.
Nearest Dump/Water: On-site pit toilets, but no water or dump at Comb Wash. Nearest dumps at Blanding, UT.

1. Access – 3.5/5
   Very easy access here for any-sized rig with just a few dings. Comb Wash is a large dirt road ~14 miles West of US 191 on UT 95. Driving West you will see the area on your left after you crest Comb Ridge and drop to the very bottom. Comb Wash is a flat, dirt road in a cottonwood tree grove which is easy to drive, but can be very dusty and does look like it becomes muddy during rain. Campsites are located on either side of the dirt road within the first mile or so of UT95 and are basically just cleared-out dirt areas with home-made fire-pits. Biggest ding is the road/sites become rather soft as you drive further in so big/heavy rigs are probably best camping near the entrance, whereas smaller rigs can find more secluded sites further back. Also be aware of weather in this area since the road (and some of the sites) can become impassable when wet.
2. Nature – 5/5
   Lovely nature around here typical of SE Utah. The camp area is set in a grove of cottonwood trees with lovely sweeping views of Comb Ridge Mesa on the left and Lower Mule Canyon on the right. Lots of dirt roads to explore on-site (OHV, biking) plus you area right in the midst of the Trail Of The Ancients so there is easy access to TONS of hiking and fabulous Ancestral Puebloan ruins in the surrounding area.
3. Isolation – 2/5
   Medium-poor isolation here depending on when you come. This is a rather well-known boondocking spot plus it’s also an OHV location so it can get rather crowded (and noisy) during the week-ends. During the week however it can be very relaxed, mostly empty and quite lovely. During our 3-day mid-week stay in the area we saw 4-5 rigs, but otherwise had our (very large) campsite to ourselves.
4. Pet Friendliness – 5/5
   Another great location for the paws. Lots of open space around camp plus miles of dirt roads on-site to hike and explore with doggie. Nearby ruins are on BLM land and also dog-friendly. Surrounding area is brush desert and has the bonus of lots of interesting rabbits. This is red dust heaven though, so be prepared for some dusty paws!

Overall Rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT = Park in a protected cottonwood grove only a few miles from some of the best Anasazi ruins in Utah!

Summary: We chose this spot as a base to explore some of the amazing Anasazi Ruins in this area and for that purpose it was absolutely perfect. This is a super-easy boondocking site, accessed directly off UT95 ~14 miles west of US191. Sites are basic, cleared dirt with lovely views of cottonwood trees and surrounding mesas. Since you’re in a valley/wash you’re relatively protected from winds, but that also means the area can become wet/muddy during rain so you need to be aware of the weather. Big rigs are best camping near the entrance whereas smaller/lighter rigs could tackle the softer dirt areas further back. Only other negative is that this is a fairly well-known OHV site so during week-ends you may well get company and noise. During the week however it can be a delightful and very relaxed spot in an excellent location to explore the area. Lots and lots of dirt roads, interesting canyons, hikes and ruins all around. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and if coming through mid-week again we’d definitely stay again.

Extra Info: ZERO Verizon signal (even with antenna/amp), but you can grab a usable signal by driving a few miles up to the top of the Mesa on either side of Comb Wash. On-site pit toilet, but no other facilities (no garbage, no dump, no water).

Extra, Extra Info – OTHER BOONDOCKING: Although Comb Wash is the largest (most spacious) boondocking spot in this area there are actually tons of other BLM roads which allow camping all-around. We saw big rigs camping in the paved parking lots at the trailheads of Butler Wash & Mule Wash and spotted several other smaller campsites along lesser-used BLM roads in those areas. All I can say is explore and you will find!