Oliver Travel Trailers

Outdoor Wonders: Utah’s Best Camping Spots

Delicate Arch During Sunrise Devils Garden
By: Oliver
Updated: November 5, 2024

From the unusually salty waters of the Great Salt Lake to the sky-kissing 13,500-ft-high top of Kings Peak, Utah is one of the states that offers extraordinary landscapes, beautiful scenery, and spectacular views of nature. People who live in Utah and have their own travel trailers and truck campers are lucky to have such diverse landscapes and topography for the perfect camping experience. Now, if you have packed your bags and got your fifth wheel ready, here are the best spots in Utah for camping.

Camping in Utah is one the best ways to experience this beautiful state.

1. Devil’s Garden Campground

Stargazing Devils Garden Utah Staircase Park
For thousands of years, observing the night sky has been fundamental to human life and survival.

Located in the southeast part of Utah, this campground gives you a closer look at the sky and its beautiful adornments – the stars and galaxies. It is more than 5,000 feet high, and many call it the most desired camping spot in the country. It is nearly 18 miles from Arches National Park. You might not get a boondocking experience here, but they have tried to keep it a bit secluded from the rush of the cities. When you go to this campground, remember that you will likely not have a shower facility or electric hookups. There are over 60 camping sites here, with some for groups of 11 people.

Plan your trip: Devils Garden Campground

2. Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park
Journey to this strange and colorful valley, unlike any other in Utah. The landscape, covered with sandstone goblins and formations, is often compared to Mars. Explore the geology and camp among the nooks and gnomes.

If you have always loved eerie and mysterious places, Goblin Valley’s landscapes are the thing for you. You might want to ask why they call it the Goblin Valley. The sandstones in this region look like goblins, even when you are standing way close to them. There are designated hiking trails, too, but wandering in the Valley of Goblins is the favorite for most. There are nearly 25 sites for camping with hot showers, drinking water, and dumping stations. If you are a mountain biking adventurer, here’s your chance to show some skills.

Plant your trip: Goblin Valley State Park

3. Rendezvous Beach Bear Lake

Upper view of the Bear Lake Utah State Park
Brilliantly blue waters and sandy beaches attract park visitors to Bear Lake State Park, where they can play, fish, boat, and camp. Minerals (calcium carbonate) suspended in the lake’s waters help create its spectacular aqua-blue color.

Do you often crave being in the Caribbean waters but never get the chance to go that far? This is your chance to have that experience while being in Utah. The beautiful blue waters of this lake give you an experience nothing less than that of Caribbean waters. This lake is nearly 6,000ft high on the ground, and at its deepest spots, it can get as deep as 210ft. Things you would love to do here include fishing, swimming, scuba diving, waterskiing, etc.

Plant your trip: Beach Bear Lake Camping

4. Granite Flats Campground

Utah Granite Flats Camping
Granite Flat Campground is surrounded by aspen, Douglas fir, spruce, and pine trees and is close to Lone Peak Wilderness. Tibble Fork and Silver Flat Reservoirs are close recreation areas for hiking, fishing, rafting, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.

Do you ever want to go to a place where you could feel like you have come to a different planet? This place might give you that exact experience. Enjoy the beauties of American Fork Canyon here and be startled by the scenic views of Tibble Fork Reservoir. It is nearly 7,000 ft high on the ground, and there are over 50 camping sites where you can enjoy a secluded yet joyful time with your family or life partner. Fire rings, picnic tables, and freshwater are available on these campsites. You can also erect your own tents and enjoy the majestic Milky Way.

Plant your trip: Granite Flats Camping

5. Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes Utah
Formed by the erosion of pink-colored Navajo Sandstone. Shredded by four-wheelers all year long.

As the name says, this is a place with dunes that appear pink or they are pink. Step out of your travel trailers and truck campers to enjoy off-road riding. The sand dunes seem like a sea of sand with small ripples – a perfect scene to take your cameras out. There are over 15 sites for camping here, with only a handful for groups. Picnic tables, showers, drinking water, dumping stations, and modern restrooms are available there. While there is a lot of opportunity for hiking, the best way to enjoy this place is by riding vehicles on the dunes.

Plant your trip: Coral Pink Sand Dunes

6. Zion National Park

Hike in Zion National Park Utah Trip Ideas
Zion National Park is in southern Utah near Springdale, not far from Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, or St. George. Here’s how we recommend getting to Zion.

Zion National Park is heaven for campers because it offers fully equipped camping sites with all the needed amenities and backcountry camping opportunities that take you as close to boondocking as you would want. You can camp at multiple campgrounds, such as Watchman Campground, South Campground, and Lava Point Campground. Things to do here include some electrifying experiences of ATV riding, hiking, horse riding, canyoneering, and a lot of family fun.

Plant your trip: Zion National Park

7. Antelope Island

Views Of Great Salt Lake At Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island is another place with more than enough camping sites. There are four campgrounds with over 50 sites in total. While there is a lot of land available for camping here, you must come with the best travel trailer equipped with many items of use. Almost all the sites are primitive, with no water and electricity hookups available. Saltwater bathing, swimming, photography, bird watching, picnicking, and sailing are the best activities for campers here.

Plant your trip: Antelope State Park

8. Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Summer months are busy here, but the ponderosa pines provide ample shade during the day. You can bring your recreational vehicles here and enjoy tenting, too. You have a north campground and a sunset campground to choose from. If you want to be close to Bryce Amphitheater, you would like to camp at Sunset Campground. Also, remember that group camping sites are only available at sunset campgrounds.

Plant your trip: Bryce Canyon National Park

9. Dead Horse Point State Park

Tourist Woman Sited At Dead Horse Point State Park
From the prominence of Dead Horse Point, 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River, an ever-changing landscape unfurls. Immense vertical cliffs meet with canyons carved by ice, water, and wind, creating a visual masterpiece.

This place provides a spellbinding experience of the tall standing cliffs forming a landscape that will stay in your head forever. It’s a desert at a high altitude, the highest point being the Dead Horse Point. There are nearly 20 sites here for camping, but you would want to be on top of the Dead Horse Point to enjoy the breathtaking views of steep cliffs in this region. Hiking and mountain biking are the favorites for most visitors here. Take out your cameras to get some snapshots of unique wildlife here.

Plant your trip: Dead Horse Point State Park

10. Mount Timpanogos

Mount Timpanogos Utah
Mount Timpanogos is one of Utah’s most recognizable mountains and perhaps Utah’s most famous mountain hiking destination. At 11,749 feet, it is the second-highest summit of the Wasatch Mountains (only Mt Nebo is higher).

Also known as Timp, this unique masterpiece of nature stands more than 11,500 ft high on the ground. You can bring your RVs here and enjoy quality family time in the tents. Mount Timpanogos campgrounds offer activities such as rafting, ATV riding, boating, ziplining, horseback riding, and fishing for passionate anglers. It’s a beautiful gift of nature, and you will find yourself lost in the freshness of green when you are here.

Plant your trip: Mount Timpanogos

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