BLM Notom Road — Waterpocket Fold East Bench Dispersed Camp

Pull off Notom Road anywhere along the BLM-managed stretch south of Capitol Reef’s boundary and you’re camping in some of the most dramatic fold geology in the Colorado Plateau. The terrain is open desert — slickrock benches, sandy flats, and scattered desert scrub. No facilities whatsoever. Nights are dead quiet and the Milky Way is exceptional. Traffic on Notom Road is light outside of peak spring and fall weekends.

The road is maintained dirt and gravel — high-clearance 2WD handles it dry, but wet conditions turn it to gumbo fast. Pull well off the road and set up on hardened surfaces. Fire restrictions are common spring through fall — check with the Richfield BLM field office before you light anything. Water is nonexistent; bring everything you need.

Raw fold country with zero crowds.