If you’re planning a hike in Utah, here’s a list of the 10 best places to camp. Most of these campgrounds have a variety of activities including hiking, swimming, fishing, boating, and more. Sites vary, so if you need to use a family tent or want space for a privacy shelter, make sure you have enough room to accommodate it. Quite a few campsites these days have enough space for the largest 5-6 person tent or even a couple of smaller 2-4 person tents or single tents.
Jordanelle State Park Campground:
Hailstone Recreation Area is the main development of Jordanelle State Park. Hailstone is a large developed campsite and day use area located on the west side of the reservoir. Hailstone caters to thousands of visitors each year, from boaters and campers to anglers and special events. Hailstone offers scenic campgrounds with 223 sites for RVs, tents, picnics and more. The park is open from May to October and has several fun activities for friends and families; These include camping, biking, fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, playground equipment, and more. The park also has amenities available for visitor convenience, including concessions, cabins, pro shops, RV dump stations, modern restrooms, grills, hot showers, and boat rentals. Camping fees range from $16-$20 per night. It is also open for reservations.
Mill Hollow Camp:
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 campsites, 11 non-electric tents only, and 17 non-electric RVs. 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 for visiting families and groups. These activities include fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and hiking. Camping fees can be obtained at the self-service payment station. Some sites are on a first-come, first-served basis, while others can be reserved online. Rates are $16 per night with additional fee for early booking.
Goblin Valley State Park Campground:
Goblin Valley State Park Campground is located in Hanksville, Utah, 48 miles southwest of Green River, Utah via SR24. It is named after the strange and colorful landscape filled with strange 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 watching to name a few. The park has various amenities available such as dump stations, fire rings, vault toilets, grills, picnic tables, modern restrooms, and hot showers that make life easier and more fun for campers. Reservations are allowed and the park is open year-round. Caution: extreme desert landscape with little to no shade. Camping fees are $16 per night.
Devil’s Garden Camp:
Devils Garden Campground is located in Arches National Park in southeastern Utah. Devils Garden offers 51 campsites that are available for reservation, giving visitors the opportunity to stay overnight and enjoy the scenic surroundings. There are two campsites for groups, for 35 and 55 people. Both sites are $3 per person with a minimum fee of $33. Trailers and RVs are not allowed at these two sites and reservations are required. The park has several facilities for the comfort of visitors; these include toilets, amphitheater for ranger talks, drinking water, and picnic areas. This camp has stunning scenery, abundant hiking trails, guided hikes, and more. Camping fees are $20 per night, plus $9 per booking reservation between March 1 and November 1. From November 1 through the end of February, sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No hookups, dump stations, electricity or showers.
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 the facilities available for the use of visitors are modern bathrooms, hot showers, a pavilion for group use, an amphitheater and boat ramps. There are two group camp sites available by reservation. Some of the camp activities include fishing, boating, swimming, numerous species of birds for bird watchers, and a nine-hole golf course. Campground amenities include potable water, dump stations and hookups for RV users, showers, picnic tables, grills, and more. The reservation is subject to availability. The campsite is open all year. Camping fees are $18 and $25 for hookup sites per night.
Snow Canyon State Park Campground:
Snow Canyon State Park campground is located on the 62,000-acre Red Cliffs Wilderness 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 electricity hookups and 17 multi-use campsites. The park is open year-round and reservations are recommended. The park has made several amenities available including modern restrooms, electricity, hot showers, group use pavilion, hiking, biking and horseback riding trails and a dump station. There are various activities that take place in the park including horseback riding, biking, hiking, rock climbing, and junior ranger programs. This picturesque park allows people to enjoy nature studies, wildlife viewing, and abundant photographic opportunities. Camp fees range from $16-$20 per night.
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 panoramic views in the world. Rising 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, the overlook offers a breathtaking panorama of the 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. Various fun activities are also held at the camp; these include summer evening programs, hiking, mountain biking, nature study, wildlife viewing, and photography. The park is open year-round and camping fees are $25 per night. Group rates $25-$75 per night.
Fire Camp:
The fire camp is located just 3 miles from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This campground serves as a memorial to the three firefighters who lost their lives in the 1977 Cart Creek fire. It has a total of 60 campsites, of which six are wheelchair accessible family sites and each has a table picnic area and campfire ring, some sites have grills. The park has several amenities available to visitors; these include 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 visitor enjoyment are bird watching, biking, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, water skiing, and swimming. Also within 10 miles you will find a general store, restaurant, marina, and boat ramp. Camping fees range from $18-$20 per night and the reservation fee is $9. This park is open May through September.
Warden’s Camp:
Camp Watchman is located in Zion National Park, which has a total of three campgrounds. Watchman is near the south entrance in Springdale. Some campgrounds have shade for part of the day, but many have no shade and summer temperatures top 95 degrees so staying cool can be a challenge. The Virgin River runs along the edge of the campsite and there are a few campsites along the river. There are 162 regular sites, 2 wheelchair accessible sites and 7 group sites available. All sites are accessible by car with a maximum of two vehicles, but only one RV or trailer, additional parking is available. Not all campgrounds have electrical hookups, so if you need power, you’ll want to make a reservation ahead of time. The park area offers many recreational opportunities, including backpacking, biking, hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and more. Comfort stations provide flushing toilets, cold drinking water, and trash receptacles, but no showers or electrical outlets. Each campground has a picnic table and fire pit with a grill. Springdale is adjacent to Zion Canyon; paid showers, a small market, firewood, laundries and restaurants are available. Springdale can be reached from the campgrounds by car, on foot, by bike, or by free shuttle (April-October). Reservations are highly recommended if you want to guarantee a spot at this camp. Tents and electric campsites are available year-round, but group sites run from March to early November and are by reserve only. Camping rates range from $16-$20 per night.
Bryce Canyon North Camp:
The north camp is located very close to the visitor center at 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 a first-come, first-serve basis. There are no hookups at the campground, but a pay-as-you-go dump station is available at the south end of the campground. Amenities include bathrooms with flush toilets and running water. During the summer months, coin-operated laundry and shower facilities are available at the nearby general store. Hiking, backpacking, and photography are some of 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. Camping fees are $15 per night.