The name was enough to lure me to this desert campground. That, and its remote red rock location.
Although visitation is increasing, this campground—about 35 miles south of over-crowded Moab—is still worth a visit. The Bureau of Land Management administers this land, which includes a picnic area at the overlook into the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, and another primitive campground and overlook at the end of an unimproved dirt road.
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| Our tent is nestled in the Junipers at Windwhistle Campground. |
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| Evening shadows in our campsite. |
On our fall trip Tim and I took advantage of cool morning and evening temperatures. Our first evening in camp we walked a half mile nature trail in the shadows of towering rock alcoves.
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| Towering sandstone cliffs. |
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| Along the nature trail in Windwhistle campground. |
The following morning we rode our tandem bicycle from the campground to the Needles Overlook, a 32 mile round-trip ride on a paved road.
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| Needles Overlook at the end of the road. |
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Standing at the edge. It's a 1000 foot drop-off into the canyon
on the other side of this fence. |
That evening our treats included s'mores around the campfire and a creamy white milky way spilling from horizon to horizon. After crawling into the tent a Great-Horned Owl serenaded us to sleep with his soothing deep-toned hoots.
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| Ready for s'mores as darkness falls. |
Did we hear the wind whistling through the Juniper trees surrounding our site during this visit? No. Our calm clear days and nights prevented us from experiencing the reason for this campground's alluring name.
That discovery will have to wait for the next visit.
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The campground is located on Needles Outpost road, about half-way down this map.
The first blue arrow shows the approximate location of Windwhistle CG. |
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| The only thing missing from this open campsite in Windwhistle campground is you! |
