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

Bureau of Land Management campground

Swasey's Beach Campground

Bureau of Land Management campground in Desolation Canyon, Grand County, Utah. 4,098 feet. 9.1 miles from Green River.

Managed by
Bureau of Land Management Desolation Canyon
Elevation
4,098 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
12 9 standard non-electric, 3 group standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Grand County

Overview

The Swaseys Beach campground and day use area allow for camping and picnicking opportunities on the Green River across from Swaseys Boat Ramp. The beach and many campsites are shaded with large cottonwoods. Both areas are often full on summer weekends with recreationists floating the Green River Daily, swimming, enjoying the beach, and camping.

Recreation

Thousands of visitors float the Green River Daily each year, putting in at Nefertiti Boat Ramp eight miles north of Swaseys Beach. Many more day users find relaxation on the beach, picnicking, fishing, and swimming during the warm summer months. While BLM rangers maintain the campground and patrol the river, there are no lifeguards, and visitors are responsible for their safety. Campfires are only allowed in fire rings. Please do not build fires on the beach .

Facilities

Accessible vault toilets

Picnic tables

Campfire rings

Boat ramp

Natural Features

This recreation site is located beside Swaseys Rapid near the takeout for river runners floating the Green River Daily and Desolation-Gray canyons. It is framed by steep canyon walls, and cottonwoods provide a reprieve from summer heat. Hastings Road continues north paralleling the river, providing a scenic drive through the canyon and opportunities to appreciate the lush riparian ecosystem, rock art, sounds of the Green River, and outstanding canyon scenery including views of Desolation Canyon Wilderness across the river. This segment of the Green River is designated as a Wild and Scenic River Recreational Segment.

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

What people do here

  • boating
  • camping
  • day use area
  • non-motorized boating
  • photography
  • picnicking
  • rafting
  • swimming
  • water access
  • water activities
  • water sports
  • whitewater rafting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Swasey's Beach 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 June 30, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.