A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Bureau of Land Management campground

Ken's Lake Campground

Bureau of Land Management campground, San Juan County, Utah. 5,079 feet. 9.3 miles from Moab.

Elevation
5,079 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
48 48 standard non-electric
Longest rig
60 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov

Overview

ATTENTION:

Loop A campsites are available by reservation only through Recreation.gov. Reservations can be made the day of, up to 6 months in advance from anywhere service is available. This is the only option, cash and check payments are NOT available onsite. There is cell service for most providers at the campground entrance.

Loop B campsites are available first-come, first serve only . Payments can be made by cash, check, or scan and pay through the Recreation.gov mobile app.

Please contact the BLM Moab Field Office with questions by email: [email protected] or phone: 435-259-2100.

Ken's Lake Campground is a part of the Ken's Lake Recreation Area. The area includes Ken's Lake, a man made reservoir (electric motors only - gas powered engines are prohibited), day use area with a gravel boat ramp, campground, and hiking/equestrian trails. Construction of the reservoir was part of the Mill Creek Project, completed in 1981, which also included a pressurized irrigation water delivery system. In 2000, the site was constructed into a campground and day use area for visitors to enjoy the surrounding recreational activities and scenic vistas.

Located 10 miles south of Moab, Ken's Lake is surrounded by red rock fins to the east, sage brush flats to the south and west, and a reservoir to the north. Distant views from the campground also include the La Sal Mountains and red rock Moab Rim. This site is located at 5,085 feet elevation, similar to Moab. Be prepared October to March for lows below freezing and from June to August highs from 95 to above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

This campground is comprised of loops A and B. Loop A has no vegetation providing shade and is closed during low use season (summer and winter; exact dates vary each year). Loop B stays open year round and has a variety of sites with juniper and cottonwood trees providing shade and privacy.

Loop A is popular with visitors that have large motorhomes and trailers. Loop B has smaller sites and it is difficult for large motorhomes and trailers to turn-around.

The south end of the Steel Bender Jeep Safari Route runs next to the campground, so Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) users are also drawn to this area. Other popular activities originating from the campground or day use area include: hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and non-motorized boating. There are over 3 miles of trails in the lake vicinity with views of the Moab Valley, Faux Falls, La Sal Mountains, and Ken's Lake.

Recreation

The town of Moab is a hub for recreation. Tour operators offer guided hikes, rentals and evening entertainment. The area abounds with trails, dirt roads and canyons waiting to be explored.

Facilities

Each campsite has a gravel parking pad for two vehicles (vehicle pulling a trailer = two vehicles), picnic table, fire ring, and close proximity to a vault toilet and trash receptacles.

There is no drinking water or electricity hook ups at this campground.

During Spring and Fall a campground host is stationed at this campground. Campground hosts assist visitors with acquiring a campsite, trip planning, and campground etiquette education.

Natural Features

A few miles east of the campground, Mill Creek flows out of the La Sal Mountains. Water from this creek has been diverted to flow along a creek on the north side of the campground and is captured at Ken's Lake Reservoir. Along the diverted creek's path is Faux Falls. From the campground, visitors can hike or ride horseback on a trail to the falls or directly to the lake.

Nearby Attractions

Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and Hovenweep and Natural Bridges National Monuments are nearby. Also in the area are the Manti-La Sal National Forest and the La Sal Mountain Loop Road, which provide interesting exploration opportunities and cooler temperatures during the summer months.

The description, directions and fees are the Bureau of Land Management’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • auto touring
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horse camping
  • horseback riding
  • kayaking
  • non-motorized boating
  • off highway vehicle trails
  • photography
  • picnicking
  • recreational vehicles
  • swimming

The land around Ken's Lake Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated August 1, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.