The Best Camping in Utah (Ogden, St. George: crime, hotel, theater)

[markg91359]

I thought I would start a thread about camping in Utah. Perhaps, others who camp here can share there favorite spots with me. Here are some of mine:

Northern Utah:

Logan Canyon. I would particularly recommend the Tony Grove Campground near Beaver Mountain. Another good choice is the Guinavah Malibu Campground. This has a fine stone amphitheater and during the summer there are various speakers who talk about nature topics and tell stories as part of a summer program.

High Uintas. This is on the road that takes you from Kamas to Evanston, Wyoming. The best campground is undoubtedly the Mirror Lake Campground. This is also the beginning of the Highline Trail which can be hiked into the High Uintas Primitive area for lengthy backpacking trips. Many campsites are right on the lakefront. Hiking trails allow you to walk all around this beautiful lake and fish if you have a license. Another excellent campground a little further north up the highway is the Butterfly Lake Campground. This lake is smaller than Mirror Lake, but very picturesque. A third campground on this road worth considering is further north and over the summit. The Bear River Campground is very nice. It has old fashioned handcrank water pumps for those needing water.

Flaming Gorge. This is one you probably won't use unless you boat. However, the campground at the Lucerne Marina is a great facility. It has picnic tables with windbreaks.

Monte Cristo Summit. State Road 39 from Ogden takes one up a gradual ascent until you reach a summit of about 10,000 feet. At the very top is the Monte Cristo Campground. Its a nice cool place to go to get some relief in the dead of summer.

Southern Utah: There are really too many to name, but I'll name my favorites:

The Fruita Campground inside Capitol Reef National Park. Fruit trees are all around. You are surrounded by red rock hills. In the morning you can get up and have an early morning hike in just about any direction. The campground is all covered with lawn, so its perfect for those camping in tents. If you leave the park and travel from Torrey to Escalante on the way to Escalante you'll run into the Calf Creek Falls Campground. This is managed by the BLM and is a small campground with only a couple of dozen sites. It is the beginning point of a 3 mile long trail that takes one to Calf Creek Falls. This is a small, but but beautiful waterfall that makes for a great picture during the daylight hours.

Up the road a bit from Calf Creek Campground is the Escalante State Park Campground. This is located in a nice redrock setting. Not my first choice, but a good choice. If you continue up the road you'll eventually reach Bryce Canyon National Park. Inside the park is a campground with many sites right on the rim of the breathtaking Canyon. This is the Sunrise Campground and one that I strongly recommend. Lots of squirrels though, so put your food away. A little further south is Kodachrome Basin State Park. This has some really neat hiking trails and there are a couple of natural arches within easy driving distance.

The Campground inside Zion National Park is Watchman Campground. This is a good campground, but it can get crowded. You can also make reservations to stay here through the National Park Service.

I can also recommend Snow Canyon State Park near St. George. This is one of just a couple of campgrounds in Utah that is actually usable during the spring and fall. This park is very popular and I recommend making reservations through the Utah State Parks Department.

I have never stayed at the Goblin Valley State Park near Hanksville, but I have been there. I think it would be really fun to take some young people there and let them run around the weird stone formations.

A word to the wise: Crime is a very minor concern I've found when camping in Utah. However, a very real concern is a medical emergency. Many of these campgrounds are long distances from hospitals if someone had an accident or other medical emergency. Its wise to remember that and be in good health when you go and be careful!

Anyone else want to share their favorites?

[sp2007]

Thanks for starting this thread. To me, camping and the outdoors is what really makes Utah stand out from the other places I have lived.

My small list of good places to camp is narrowed to the north Utah area. I really enjoyed camping at Moon lake in the High Uintas this past summer.

As for southern Utah, is it really that great? I love hiking and all when I camp, but the idea of desert and sand doesn't sound very enjoyable. I am a trees/water/grass kinda of camper, will I really like the south Utah camping?

[kaytidid]

For me...any place with a hotel. No kidding.

[sp2007]

LOL geez kaytidid, why even post in this thread then?

[kaytidid]

Eh, just in a silly mood. Back to your regularly scheduled camping discussion. After all, MAYBE someday I will get an urge to try it out! All these years in Utah and never once have I camped. Mark's post was full of great information (like usual, Mark!!).

[Chango]

The best camping spots in Utah? Sorry, can't tell ya. I've gotta keep 'em pristine!

There are plenty of KOA campgrounds next to the freeways should the mood strike ya.

[ChrisC]

King's Canyon. In spring/fall, not summer.

They don't call the access highway "Loneliest Road in America" for nothing. Hike a mile or two off the highway and it's like you're the only person on the planet. Watch for rattlers, though.

[InSandy]

I don't know if they are the best, but these are my favorite established campgrounds:

Sunrise Campground near Garden City

Haven't had a bad one yet in the Uintas, though I particularly enjoyed Christmas Meadows

Simpson Springs in the West Desert

Tanner Flat and Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood

Mt Timpanogoes on the Alpine Loop

Payson Lakes on the Nebo Loop

Sunglow outside Bicknell

Fruita in Capitol Reef

North Campground in Bryce

Devil's Garden in ARches

Dead Horse Point Camp

Red Cliffs near Leeds

Anywhere on Lake Powell,,,,though of course not established camps

And I know it isn't Utah, but I absolutely love the North Rim Campground at Grand Canyon.

[PGKangrui]

Little Sahara has a nice campground with plenty of sand to explore. It's separated by a nice fence from the four-wheeling area, so it's plenty safe. It's fun for kids, but not pristine! Currant Creek has a nice campground too.

[MAtheBanker]

I'm partial to Hobble Creek Canyon. I went camping there soooooooooo many times as a kid

I took a week off work and drove 11 hours last year just to go camping there again!