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Shafer Trail

Shamwedge

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We just came back from Moab on Saturday, and I already want to go back. Hell, I didn't even want to leave.

During our first night, we camped on Shafer Trail at the Shafer campground.

Jeep Wrangler JL Shafer Trail 1654048287258


Upon setting up our camp - we encountered a few groups who used the restroom there, which we thought, no biggie. If you got to go, you got to go. However, a little bit later, there was a group of elderly women being toured by Navient Expedition Tours. They also stopped to use the bathroom and again, no big deal. Except, this time, the tour guide took the group into our campsite and began to sit down and have lunch.

At this point we were very confused. We thought, "were we even at the right place?" Did we reserve a public meeting area? Or is the tour guide just intruding? Judging by google pictures and seeing the boundary stakes, I think it was safe to assume we were at the right place.

Before expressing judgment, I'm very curious to see if we should have said something to the tour guide, or is that fairly normal behavior? No hard feelings toward the ladies who just wanted to have a good time or the people who needed to use the bathroom. It's more to the fact that tour guide kinda just took over what we thought was our paid campsite.

Would love to hear everyone's opinions.
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IntrepidXJ

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Stopping to use the bathrooms along the White Rim Trail is normal, but intruding into a campsite that is obviously occupied and in use is not. I would have said something, especially since I know some of the guides from Navtec.
 

dragoneggs

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If they were truly intruding into 'your' campsite, I definitely would have struck up a conversation with the guide!
 

Reinen

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For the record, "Shafer Campground" is a single campsite within Canyonlands NP.
It accommodates up to 15 people and 3 vehicles, and requires a reservation/overnight permit.

The bathroom at the campsite is public (if you gotta go you gotta go and they want you to use the pit toilets). However the staked out campsite requires a reservation.

This is really sketchy. First of all a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is required for them to operate in the park. A CUA does not permit entry on White Rim Road. I don't know if they have some kind of special permit or obtained a day use pass but as far as I know they should never have been there.

Since you said they had lunch and you stayed one night they may be taking advantage of a grey area. I wasn't able to find any specific check in/check out time for the White Rim campsites. Just date. IDK if there is one or not. They may have been counting on it being empty around lunch. But since it wasn't, sketchy and very rude to just move in without asking.

I'll tell ya one thing though. If my wife was camping there she would have told them to GTFO without hesitation. Those poor old ladies would have been mortified if the tour guide resisted even slightly.
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