Adventures in RVing: Boondocking on the Edge!

It’s a rarity these days to find a state park that doesn’t charge a day use fee and even rarer to find one that allows free camping, so to find a state park that offers both is like winning the jackpot! Goosenecks State Park near Mexican Hat, Utah is such a rarity. The park has a stunning viewpoint of the San Juan River as it bends back and forth through the canyon a thousand feet below. The bends or “goosenecks” are recognized as one of the best examples of entrenched river meanders in the world. In the area encompassed by the park, the river snakes through five miles of canyon while progressing only one mile to the west. Beyond the park, the river continues to twist and the canyon deepens as it travels about another 35 miles before joining Lake Powell. The park offers little in the way of services, hence the free admission and camping.  Dispersed camping (aka Boondocking) is allowed anywhere along the rim of the canyon. RVers can park just a few feet away from the edge of the cliff gazing down onto the river far below. The canyon is a series of stepped cliffs and terraces, denying any safe and sane pedestrian access to the river from your campsite. The park is reached by (UT 316) a 4 mile paved side road that branches off Utah Hwy 261 a little way north of the town of Mexican Hat.

A free state park with priceless views on the edge of a thousand foot precipice, just another adventure in RVing!

Learn more about the park here.

Dave Helgeson

Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.