10 Best Places to Camp in Utah
If you are planning an outing in Utah, here is a list of the best 10 places to go camping. Most of these campgrounds have a variety of activities including hiking, swimming, fishing, boating and more.
The sites vary so if you need to use a family cabin tent or want room for a privacy shelter be sure to allow yourself enough space to accommodate for that. Quite a few campsites these days have enough room for the larger 5-6 person tent or even a couple smaller 2-4 person tents or solo tents.
1. Jordanelle State Park Campground
The Hailstone Recreation Area is the premier development of Jordanelle State Park. Hailstone is a large developed campground and day-use area located on the west side of the reservoir. Hailstone serves thousands of visitors each year from boaters and campers, to fishermen and special events.
Hailstone offers picturesque camping with 223 sites for RV’s, camping tents, picnicking and more. The park is open May-October and has several fun activities for friends and families; these include camping, biking, fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, playground and more.
The park also has amenities available for the comfort of the visitors, which include concessions, cabins, pro shops, dump stations for RV users, modern restrooms, grills, hot showers and boat rentals. The camping fees range from $16 to $20 per night. It is also open for reservation.
2. Mill Hollow Campground
Mill Hollow campground is located next to the Mill Hollow Reservoir in the Uinta National forest at an elevation of 8,800 feet. The park has a total of 28 camping sites, camping tents only non-electric 11 and RV non-electric 17. Pets are welcome at all sites. The park has several amenities including vault toilets, drinking water, campfire rings, grills and firewood.
The park also offers many activities to the families and groups that visit. These activities include fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing and hiking. The camping fees can be obtained from the self-service pay station. Some sites are first-come, first served while others can be reserved on line. Fees are $16 per night with additional fee for reservation in advance.
3. Goblin Valley State Park Campground
Goblin Valley State Park campground is located in Hanksville Utah, 48 miles SW of Green River, Utah via SR24. It gets the name from the strange and colorful landscape filled with bizarre sandstone rock formations called goblins. The park has 24 camping sites, 1 group site and 2 yurts. The activities offered in this park are camping, hiking, wildlife viewing to name a few.
The park has several amenities available such as dump stations, fire rings, vault toilets, grills, picnic tables, modern restrooms and hot showers which make life easier and fun for the campers. Reservations are allowed and the park is open year-round. Caution: Extreme desert landscape with little or no shade. The camping fees are $16 per night.
4. Devils Garden Campground
Devils Garden campground is located in the Arches National Park in Southeastern Utah. Devils Garden offers 51 camping sites which are available for reservation, this gives the visitors the opportunity to stay overnight and enjoy the scenic environment. There are two group campsites, 35-person and 55-person. Both of these sites are $3 per person with a minimum fee of $33.
No trailers or RV’s are allowed at these two sites and reservations are required. The park has several facilities for the visitors comfort; these include flush toilets, amphitheater for ranger talks, drinking water and picnic areas. This campground has breathtaking scenery, abundant hiking trails, guided hiking tours and more.
The camping fees are $20 per night, plus $9 for booking reservation between March 1 and Nov 1. Nov 1 through end of Feb sites are available on first-come, first-served basis. No hook-ups, dump stations, electricity or showers.
5. Green River State Park Campground
Green River State Park is located on the banks of the green river. It has a total of 42 camping sites and facilities available for the usage of the visitors are modern restrooms, hot showers, group use pavilion, an amphitheater and boat ramps.
There are two group campground sites available by reservation. Some of the campground activities include fishing, boating, swimming, numerous species of birds for the bird watchers and nine-hole golf course.
Campground amenities include drinking water, dump stations and hook-ups for RV users, showers, picnic tables, grills and more. Reservation is subject to availability. The campground is open year-round. The camping fees are $18 and $25 for hook-ups sites per night.
6. Snow Canyon State Park Campground
The Snow Canyon State Park campground is located in the 62,000 acre Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. It is located near St George, in southwestern Utah about 310 miles south of Salt Lake City. It has a total of 14 RV sites with water and electrical hook-ups and 17 multi-use camping sites.
The park is open year-round and reservations are encouraged. The park has made available several amenities which include modern restrooms, electricity, hot showers, group use pavilion, hiking/biking/equestrian trails and a dump station.
There are several activities that take place in the park such as horseback riding, biking, hiking, rock climbing and junior ranger programs. This scenic park allows people to enjoy nature studies, wildlife viewing and photographic opportunities in abundance. The campground fees range from $16 to $20 per night.
7. Dead Horse Point State Park Campground
Dead Horse Point State Park campground is located 25 miles from the city of Moab. The view from Dead Horse Point is one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world. Towering 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, the overlook provides a breathtaking panorama of Canyonlands’ sculpted pinnacles and buttes.
The 21 site Kayenta campground features electrical hookups, tent pads, sheltered tables and charcoal grills at each site. It has several amenities available to the visitor; they include comfort stations, concessions, dump stations, restrooms, drinking water, visitor center and more.
Also several fun activities take place in the campground; these include summer evening programs, hiking, mountain biking, nature study, wildlife viewing and photography. The park is open year-round and the camping fees are $25 per night. Group rates $25-$75 per night.
8. Firefighters Campground
Firefighters campground is located just 3 miles from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This campground serves as a memorial to three firefighters who lost their lives in the 1977 Cart Creek Fire. It has a total of 60 camping sites of which six are wheelchair accessible family sites with each having a picnic table and a campfire ring, some sites have grills.
The park has several amenities available to the visitors; these include flush toilets, dump station, amphitheater, grills, and showers 2.5 miles away at Deer Run campground. Some of the other interesting activities that take place in and around the park (within 10 miles) for the enjoyment of the visitors, are birding, biking, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, water skiing and swimming.
Also within 10 miles you will find a general store, restaurant, marina and boat ramp. The camping fees range from $18-$20 per night and reservation fee is $9. This park is open May-September.
9. Watchman Campground
Watchman campground is located in the Zion National Park which has a total of three campgrounds. Watchman is near the south entrance at Springdale. Some campsites get shade for part of the day, but many get no shade at all and summer temperatures exceed 95 degrees so staying cool can be a challenge. The Virgin River runs along the edge of the campground and there are a few riverside campsites. There are 162 regular sites, 2 wheelchair accessible sites and 7 group sites available.
All sites are drive-up with a maximum of two vehicles but only one RV or trailer, overflow parking is available. Not all campsites have electrical hook-ups so if you need power, you will want to make a reservation in advance. The park area offers many recreational opportunities, including, backpacking, biking, hiking, climbing, horseback riding and more. Comfort stations provide flush toilets, cold running drinkable water and trash containers, but no showers or electrical outlets. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit with grill.
Springdale is adjacent to Zion Canyon; pay showers, a small market, firewood, Laundromats and restaurants are available. Springdale can be reached from the campgrounds by car, foot, bike, or free shuttle (April through October). Reservations are highly recommended if you want to guarantee a spot at this campground. Tent and electric campsites are available year-round but group sites March through early November and are by reservation only. The camping fees range from $16-$20 per night.
10. Bryce Canyon North Campground
North campground is located in close proximity to the visitor center in Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce Canyon is really famous for its beautiful rock features. This campground has 13 RV sites available by reservation and 86 RV and tent sites available on first-come, first-served basis.
There are no hook-ups in the campground but a fee-for-use dump station is available at the south end of the campground. Amenities include restrooms with flush toilets and drinking water. During summer months coin-operated laundry and shower facilities are available at the general store nearby.
Hiking, backpacking, and photography are among the many things to do here. Activities vary during the time of year. The park is open year-round but is subject to temporary road closures during winter snow storms. The camping fees are $15 per night.