One of the most important rules of RV camping is to empty your vehicle’s waste tanks only at designated RV dump stations. It’s not the most pleasant task, but consider it a fair trade-off for the luxury of having your own private bathroom on the road. In Utah, a prime destination for RV camping, finding convenient dump stations is usually quite straightforward. While visiting popular tourist destinations and traveling on major highways, there are usually numerous dump stations within easy reach. Going off the beaten path takes a bit more preparation to find and schedule visits to dump stations in Utah, but doing so is a very achievable task.
Things to Know About Dump Stations in Utah
Learning proper waste tank management is essential for newbies, and all RV travelers should have a plan for where and approximately when they will visit dump stations while on the road. This is true of RV travel anywhere in the world, but it’s helpful to have an overview of the options for dump stations in Utah.
Utah’s water quality laws make it mandatory to use designated dump stations when emptying an RV’s wastewater tanks. The state enforces significant fines for violation of those laws, up to $10,000 per day.
RV dump stations in Utah are generally located at RV campgrounds, both public and private, truck stops and larger gas stations along major highways, urban water treatment facilities, and a handful of RV supercenters. The GottaGoUtah.org organization has created a map of dump stations across the state. It includes close to 200 locations statewide, and most of them are open year-round. Download or bookmark the map or a similar directory to keep handy as you travel.
Know that cell phone service can be unreliable outside of major towns and cities in Utah. It’s a good idea to research dump stations along your route and destinations in advance. A printed list of stations along with your itinerary can be handy. It can often make sense to coordinate a visit to a dump station with other tasks like refueling and stocking up on supplies.
Some dump stations in Utah are free to use for everyone. Some are free to paying or registered guests, with a small fee charged otherwise, and some charge a fee to everyone. When a fee is charged to use a dump station in Utah, it is typically in the $5 to $10 range and might include potable water fill-ups.
National Park Dump Stations in Utah
Utah’s five national parks are its most famous tourist destinations, and are especially popular for tent and RV campers. All five national parks have at least one RV campground, but only three have dump stations available for RVs. These services are available at no charge to day visitors as well as overnight RV campers, but all visitors do need to pay an entrance fee.
- At Capitol Reef National Park, a year-round dump station with potable water refills available is at the entrance to Fruita Campground.
- Zion National Park has two RV dump stations available: a year-round station at Watchman Campground and a summer-only station at South Campground.
- Bryce Canyon National Park’s seasonal North Campground has a summer-only dump station with potable water available.
Neither Arches nor Canyonland national parks have dump stations available. However, both parks are within a short drive of the city of Moab, where a variety of options are available to RVers.
Utah State Parks with Dump Stations
Of Utah’s 43 state parks, 23 have dump stations available at one or more campgrounds. They’re available to registered overnight campers as well as day visitors. Expect to pay day-use fees of $10-15 per vehicle, or $5-10 for seniors. Dump stations are available at the following Utah State Parks; they are open year-round unless noted:
- Antelope Island State Park
- Bear Lake State Park – Rendezvous Beach (seasonal)
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Deer Creek State Park
- East Canyon Lake State Park
- Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
- Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation
- Goblin Valley State Park
- Green River State Park
- Huntington State Park
- Kodachrome Basin State Park
- Millsite State Park
- Otter Creek State Park
- Palisade State Park
- Red Fleet State Park
- Scofield State Park (seasonal)
- Snow Canyon State Park
- Steinaker State Park
- Utah Lake State Park (seasonal)
- Wasatch Mountain State Park
- Willard Bay State Park – North Marina Campground
- Yuba State Park
Utah Dump Stations in National Forests and Other Public Lands
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages about 42% of Utah and operates a variety of campgrounds on these public lands. BLM-managed campgrounds tend to have limited amenities, and only a few have dump stations. Reservation and permit policies vary, so research individual campgrounds if you plan to use their dump stations. The following BLM-managed lands offer dump stations in Utah:
- Ashley National Forest: Firefighters Memorial, Lucerne Valley, and Yellow Pine campgrounds (all seasonal)
- Dixie National Forest: Duck Creek, Kings Creek, Panguitch Lake North, Te-ah, White Bridge, and Red Canyon campgrounds (all seasonal)
- Fishlake National Forest: Doctor Creek Campground (seasonal)
- Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest: Currant Creek, Lodgepole, Soldier Creek, Strawberry Bay, and Anderson Cove campgrounds (all seasonal)
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area – Hite Campground
Private RV Resorts and Campgrounds
Private RV resorts and campgrounds across Utah invariably have dump stations available for registered guests. Use of these facilities is typically free for guests. Some, but certainly not all, RV campgrounds will allow non-guests to use their facilities for a small fee. Policies vary by location, so call ahead.
Gas Stations and Travel Plazas
Major gas stations, truck stops, and travel plazas are reliable options for finding dump stations in Utah. They come with the added convenience of stocking up on gas, propane, and other supplies during a single visit, and many are open 24 hours. These types of facilities are concentrated along I-15, the major north-south route through the heart of Utah. A few company names to look for include Pilot Flying J Travel Plazas, with 15 locations in Utah, Maverik, Holiday Oil, and Sinclair. Some larger locations of Chevron, Mobil, and Texaco gas stations also offer dump stations in Utah.
Water Treatment Plants
Municipal water treatment plants in Utah often have dump stations available for RVs, and they are typically available free of charge. They tend to be located in the outskirts of urban areas. A drawback is limited opening hours. Some are only open to RVs seasonally, and others are only open on weekdays or certain days of the week.
RV Supercenters
RV Supercenters – which sell, rent, and service RVs and also offer parts and supplies – are another type of business that offers dump stations in Utah. A few examples are Nielson RV in Hurricane and St. George and State Trailer RV and Outdoor Supply in Salt Lake City and Ogden.
