Autocamp Plans First 'Field Station' Hotel Outside Moab for 2023

Luxury camping company AutoCamp will launch a new—and more affordable—hotel outside Moab, Utah, in the spring of 2023. Field Station is the name of the new brand owned by AutoCamp and will "upcycle" and renovate existing hotels in outdoorsy hotspots. According to a press release, after Moab, Field Station plans to open locations in Joshua Tree later in 2023 and Lake Tahoe, California, in 2024.

AutoCamp currently offers Airstreams and luxury tents in Cape Cod, the Catskills, Joshua Tree, Sonoma and Yosemite. It plans to open locations in Asheville, North Carolina, Texas's Hill Country, and outside Sequoia and Zion National Parks in 2023. High-end and Insta-worthy Airstreams and luxury camping sites currently go from around $250 a night to $1,000. Field Stream rooms will start at just $159.

"We believe the world would be a better place if more people could experience the outdoors, so we are on a mission to empower all people to get outside," Julie Saunders, AutoCamp and Field Station's Chief Marketing Officer, says. "Through our Field Station locations, we hope to provide greater comfort, ease, knowledge, and support to all people."

Launched in 2013, AutoCamp has boosted the glamping craze by marrying traditional camping with the boutique hotel experience. But as the name suggests, "glamping" doesn't exactly equate to affordability. That's where Saunders says Field Station comes into play.

"At the core of Field Station, we wanted to create a space that was accessible in terms of offering affordable accommodations, educational resources and expert guides, and rental equipment at the ready," Saunders explains. "We know that not everyone has the necessary gear at home or seasoned knowledge of exploring new terrain; through Field Station, we aim to remove any barriers to getting outside safely."

The Field Station locations will focus on function and adventure and adopt what the brand calls a "ScanDustrial" design, inspired by Scandinavian industrial design. Rooms have extra space for gear storage and some feature hanging portaledges from Black Diamond. The Moab location will also feature a pool and deck, group meeting spaces for events, a gear and beer area where guests can drop off or pick up rented gear (and grab some cold suds), and van hookups. Field Station says its sites will also offer clinics for guests and the local community.

Field Station's Saunders says sustainability is another focus of the brand.

"We know that travel and outdoor recreation have a big impact on the environment," she says. "We stand for an approach where caring for the places we choose to play is inseparable from the playing itself, and we impart this ethos to our guests."

Saunders explains the approach of upcycling and renovating existing lodges and motels—instead of creating new ones—reduces landfill waste. Field Station also says it plans on utilizing sustainability best practices in the maintenance, services, products, and supplies used at its properties.

At its base, Saunders maintains, this is another way to get people outside.

"Our team has always been wildly passionate about getting people outdoors together and helping them inspire a love for the environment," Saunders says. "The success of AutoCamp inspired us to create Field Station, a more affordable offering with the same outdoor soul that makes it even easier for everyone to get outside—more often."

Saunders says Field Station plans to grow nationwide in locations near national parks and other popular outdoor hubs. "There are many locations around the country that cater to adventurous travelers yet fall short in the hospitality category," Saunders says. "We believe there is significant opportunity in river towns, mountain towns with or without ski areas, road biking meccas, surf locations, mountain bike locations, adventure race venues, fishing locations, national parks, top-tier state parks, and national forests. We have identified a robust growth pipeline of more than 150 locations nationwide."