Moab National Parks Lodging/Camping
 

I will be spending 2 nights in Lake Powell in August and then heading into the Moab area for 2.5 days (3 nights) to explore Canyonlands and Arches with my kids. I wish I could camp out all 5 nights but I think we will need a hotel night in there somewhere or my kids will rebel. Can people offer some suggestions about when/where we should camp vs. when/where we should hit the hotel?

The information you need about camping in the Devil's Garden:http://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/camping.htm Make sure the kid get to the Moab Diner at least once.

With kids, I would camp @ Goblin Valley at least one of those nights.

Arches doesn't have electric or showers, but Devil's Garden would be a great place to camp.

Can't speak to the camping options but there are hotels of all sorts in Moab - less in Page. I believe we were at a Best Western there - all the basics and just fine.
We have stayed at the marine in the Lake Powell/Page area - lots of bus tours and older adults when we were there but the pool was nice and it is on the lake whereas the town of Page is not.
You are smart to schedule in a hotel as I am sure that you realize it will be very hot there in Aug and the AC/pool will probably be welcomed by all!
Arches is one of my favorite parks - be sure to hike up to Delicate Arch to be there for sunset and check out the Ranger tour into Fiery Furnace area.

If you have difficulty in finding lodging in Moab, look in Green River. There are lots there, some with pools and if you camp in Goblin Valley, just to north on 24 to i 70 Green River is a short way east and it is about a half hour to the turn south on 191 to Moab. Might be an ok stop between the camping for the kids.

While Goblin Valley is a good place to camp, it is hardly on your way between Page and Moab.
With it being August, it will be hot and a good chance of afternoon rain. It would sure be nice if you could time the hotel stays with the worst of either the heat or the thunderstorms. That might be hard though.

Wahweap Campground is the best place at Lake Powell. Kind of barren, but a decent enough place.

One of my favorite campgrounds is Devil's Garden in Arches. I'd definitely make reservations for there. It is however at the end of the long drive into the park, so a night at the end of your stay in a hotel in Moab might be appreciated.

Moab to Green river is 50 miles. Moab has more motels and is a much nicer town.

In the town of Green River there is Green River State Park which has camping available. They have modern restrooms and hot showers. http://www.utah.com/stateparks/green_river.htm
DW and I stayed at the Robbers Roost motel while we were in SE Utah.

There are some beautiful campsites along the Colorado River all along Route 128 just outside Moab. They are all run by the Bureau of Land Management. Just google "camping on Colorado along 128" and you'll find the info. We stopped to check out a few of these small campgrounds and they were great!

There are also some larger campgrounds with more amenities like campstore, pool, etc. in Moab that accomodate RV's and tents. I don't know much about them but if you do a search on Moab, I'm sure there is plenty of info. Moab also has plenty of lodging options - we've stayed in River Canyon Lodge and Rustic Inn to name a few. Both were just fine.

I wouldn't camp out in August in Moab if you paid me--and I love, love, love camping. Way too hot. You can get reservations in Page and Moab--no need to stay elsewhere. Just make reservations ASAP.

SO many great insights -- thank you!!!