You
can disperse camp just about anywhere in Utah, but your best bets are in the
Wasatch mountain range, which runs down from the north to the center of the
state, and the southern area where the Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon are
located.
Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
To
get lost in the desert landscapes of southern Utah, you have to visit the Grand
Staircase. Nearly all of the one million-acre monument is open to campers. If
you can find a flat patch of ground that suits you, that’s your campsite.
Camping permits are required for dispersed camping, but they’re free and
available from the monument’s ranger stations.
Bryce Canyon
If
you’re in the mood for an otherworldly adventure, nothing beats Bryce Canyon National Park.
Known for its hoodoos, or massive ‘rock fingers’ jutting up from the canyon floor.
Inside the park, you’re limited to two developed campgrounds, the North
Campground and the Sunset Campground. Options are more numerous outside the
park, where dispersed camping is plentiful.
Dutchman Flat
This
high-elevation dispersed campsite is ideal for those hoping to stay close to
the Salt Lake City-Provo region. Dutchman Flat is also just outside the ghost
town of Forest City, where you can still see the remains of the late
19th-century community, specifically its cemetery and smelter. There are no
facilities at the campground, but, for many, that’s one of its draws.
Lava Point Campground
Zion National Park is one of the most popular
parks in the country. Unfortunately, it only has two campgrounds inside: the
South Campground and the Watchman Campground. The park’s third campground is
about an hour and a half north of the area at Lava Point. Campsites have pit toilets
and trash cans, but there’s no drinking water and certainly no showers. Unlike
most national park campgrounds, Lava Point is free, though it’s open only from
May through October.
To see where you could visit Utah as part of a longer trip, please see our fantastic Tourbook with 33 suggested itineraries
here. For more information and how to book, contact your tour operator or travel agent.
Posted by: Cruise America & Canada RV Rentals Inc
Posted on: 07/01/2026