When we went to Factory Butte and Moonscape Overlook, it felt like we had landed on another planet. We left San Diego after work on Friday night and made the long overnight drive straight through to catch sunrise at the overlook — exhausting, but totally worth it. The area is filled with free dispersed camping, and we found a spot right near the edge with a front-row view of the surreal landscape.
Just a few miles east of Capitol Reef National Park, this 3,600-foot plateau is managed by the BLM and feels wildly remote and unregulated — in the best way. While Factory Butte itself is visible from the highway, Moonscape Overlook is tucked deeper inside the area and completely out of sight unless you drive in. This place is seriously underrated, and is so freeing to explore. Just remember to pack out everything you pack in.
- Factory Butte
- Moonscape Overlook
- Photography
- Directions and Camping
- Summary
Factory Butte
In the small town of Hanksville, Utah you can find some of the most unique geological wonders in the continental U.S. Erected over 90 million years ago, this clay and sandstone monument shows us a history of what was once an inland sea. This sea covered most of the state of Utah. Today, we see this enormous monolith that expands over 6,000 feet. Held together by Mancos rock and sandstone, Factory butte historically homed coal miners, various bird species, wildflowers, and runaway cows. Today, you can hike, drive, and camp in the surrounding badlands with 360 views of the butte.
Moonscape Overlook
As you drive past Factory Butte, you come upon one of most beautiful lunar landscapes we have ever experienced. This blue valley is a result of thick layers of salt deposited over 300 million years ago. The lunar texture and color of Moonscape overlook come from the Late Cretaceous Mancos shale. Similar to the Mancos silt rock that makes up the base of Factory Butte, the blue valley’s shale is sandy and chalk-like. From the overlook you’ll see miles of lunar blue landscape. During our visit, several people were camping along the cliff-side viewpoint. We arrived about 30 minutes before sunrise and were blown away by the dramatic lighting that added enormous depth to the lunar canyons and grooves.
Photography
The best times to photograph Factory Butte and Moonscape overlook are sunrise and sunset. The massive rock formations and vast blue valleys make for stunning photographs. During our visit we used our Sony A7IV and DJI Mini 3 Pro. When we were there for sunset, several other visitors had drones flying around. We had to be careful to not crash ours.
Directions and Camping
Moonscape Overlook and Factory Butte is a remote destination off Utah State Route 24. To access the view point you’ll need to follow Factory Butte road for about 5.5 miles before turning onto Coal Mine Road. Take Coal Mine Road for another 2 miles out to Skyline Rim before completing the drive on Moon Overlook Rd. Exact coordinates are 38°27’07.7″N 110°50’16.3″W, we recommend downloading the map ahead of time as cell service gets spotty along Factory Butte road and throughout the park.
Since this park is BLM operated, you can camp anywhere in the park for free. If you’re visiting during the dry season, you can make it to the overlook without AWD OR 4WD. The roads are not paved or gravel, so you’re likely to get stuck or slide around in the rain. We recommend AWD or 4WD due to the bumpy dirt roads, we were glad to have some clearance and traction when we visited.
This park is highly unregulated which is freeing but there are also no restrooms or accommodations. When camping at Moonscape you must camp 100% self sufficient. Main things to consider before camping off grid include water, food, and waste.
- We recommend packing in at least 5 gallons of water for a three day trip. We typically use water for cooking, cleaning, showering, and drinking.
- Food is totally up to your preference, we typically bring light breakfast items like granola bars, oatmeal, or pancake mix. For lunch and dinner, we brought high protein dehydrated foods such as couscous, soy curls, and vegan mac and cheese.
- Proper waste management is extremely important when camping off grid. Of course, you always need to pack out what you pack in. We always recommend packing several garbage bags you can fill throughout your trips off and on-grid. If you don’t have a toilet in your car or camper, you can always bring a trowel to dig a hole for number twos. Unless you bring decomposing toilet paper make sure to dispose of used paper in a garbage bag.
Recap
A must see location in Southern Utah is Factory Butte and Moonscape Overlook. Whether you’re passing through on your way to one of Utah’s many national and state parks or looking to camp, we highly recommend fitting Moonscape overlook into your next trip. Only 25 miles from Capitol Reef National Park and 150 miles from Bryce Canyon, you can fit this stop and others in a long day. If you’re interested in camping, there are a plethora of free spots available at first come first serve. You won’t find any amenities at this park so make sure to plan ahead with enough food, water, and waste disposal items. We loved our first trip to Factory Butte and Moonscape Overlook, we hope this guide helps you experience the unique beauty of this park.
A must see location in Southern Utah is Factory Butte and Moonscape Overlook. Whether you’re passing through on your way to one of Utah’s many national and state parks or looking to camp, we highly recommend fitting Moonscape overlook into your next trip. Only 25 miles from Capitol Reef National Park and 150 miles from…