Looking for the best dispersed camping near Preston? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find peaceful dispersed camping near Preston. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your Idaho camping adventure.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest outside of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no toilets, no treated water, and no fire grates are provided.
Camping in dispersed areas on the Forest is allowed for fourteen (14) days in any thirty (30) day consecutive period. Campers must move off Forest after reaching the 14-day limit. The stay limit also applies to all camping equipment (tents, chairs, ATVs, ATV trailers, etc.), even if used by a different person or group. Camping equipment must be removed by the end of the fourteen (14) day stay limit or the equipment may be impounded. Stay limits are implemented to reduce impacts to vegetation and wildlife habitat, as well as provide access to popular campsite areas for other visitors.
Camping on public lands away from developed recreation facilities is referred to as dispersed camping. Most of the remainder of public lands are open to dispersed camping, as long as it does not conflict with other authorized uses or in areas posted "closed to camping," or in some way adversely affects wildlife species or natural resources. Dispersed camping is allowed on public land for a period not to exceed 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period. The 28 day period begins when a camper initially occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14 day limit may be reached either through a number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28 day period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25 mile radius of the previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation. The purpose of this special rule is to prevent damage to sensitive resources caused by continual use of any particular areas. In addition, campers must not leave any personal property unattended for more than 10 days (12 months in Alaska).
There are no fees for this campground under current conditions. There are no restroom facilities or services. This campground is located North of Logan Canyon.
Ranger
This canyon is within the Cache National Forest. Just outside of Logan, UT. Super easy access to a neat little canyon. My Honda Civic was able to navigate the gravel road far back into the canyon. There are two restrooms - one at the trailhead and one down into the canyon a bit. Several spots with picnic tables. Many pullouts / camping spots with stone fire rings on either side of the road. There were tons of mountain bikers around, as there is a mountain bike / trail running / hiking trail that goes through the canyon as well. Kinda crowded on the weekend. Lots of trucks, razors, and ATVs. BUT the canyon itself is cool and pretty. There is even a cave up on the left coming in and we saw some people bouldering up there. Overall not bad for a free place to stay! Met some super kind folks in there.
RangerThere are some pretty good spots with shade for dispersed camping up green canyon
Scout
After you've passed the Smithfield campground there are plenty of spots on both sides of the road where you can pull off and have dispersed camping. Most of the spots are pretty small and would only work for one or two tents or maybe a couple of hammocks.
It's a very pretty canyon with a creek running through it. Would recommend.
Scout
May 2024 - This is a good stopping point for those who are passing through. There is a Flying J truck stop on the opposite side of I-15. They have fuel, propane, dump station ($10) and water. The road into dispersed camping is full of pot holes so go slow with a Class A RV or if you have low clearance. The noise from the freeway is minimal. I would stay here again.
ScoutRoad to dispersed camping is closed Dec 1 - April 15. Permit fee is $10 for 3 days. We had a quiet ( only a couple of other campers further up) and enjoyable overnight visit but road was quite icy. So we did not explore far. Birds in caves in side of valley. Well loved trail starts a short distance up the road. Looks like a beloved student hang out in the area with picnic tables so you may want drive further in if visit in summer.
GuideNot a place we’d stay for long, but perfect for an overnight stop. Virtually no signage, but there is a BLM road marker just past the old brick pilings. Road is potholed, but drivable w/o 4x4. I believe there were 2 pull throughs and several fairly level dispersed sites. You’ll hear highway drone but not enough to keep you up. One spot down the turn around loop looked like a long time resident but didn’t have any issues.
ScoutGPS correct, no signage and just off highway West. Small 60x40 yard gravel/dirt lot a quarter mile up improved road with some potholes. Was traveling late from Idaho to SLC and was a good stopping point. Can hear the highway still but quiet enough and secluded. No amenities whatsoever but there are some weathered petroglyphs to see. As an option there is a formal rest area off the highway a few miles south.
ScoutEasy to access, and very beautiful. There are tons of great sites secluded from others
LegendThis area used to be a state park but the state abandoned it and removed all their facilities. It is now under BLM jurisdiction. It's got a good gravel road leading into it off Merrill road. Just take the exit for McCammon and turn right twice, entering the gravel road at the brown lava stone walls. The gravel covered road is in pretty good shape with minor potholes. The gravel section goes in about a mile and a half. We camped at the very end of that gravel section. Road continues - just dirt and mud and the potholes get really bad. Beautiful views easy access to the highway. We got three bars of Verizon out of five total bars. No freeway noise. There was only one other rig in the area when we visited November 24th the day before thanksgiving.
Scout
About 10 dispersed spots right next to the water/right off the road but holy shit it’s VERY ACTIVE TRAIN TRACKS about 50 yards from these spots. A train every 1-2 hours that blows its horn the whole night so not very peaceful
Scout
Tons of land, tons of campsites.. but most are "occupied" by empty trailers with no other vehicles or people around. There's empty cars parked on top of fire pits, no tents or any sort of life nearby. Felt strange.
This road is rough and very bumpy. Didn't feel comfortable "taking over" a campsite with things already parked there. Wouldn't recommend coming here.
ScoutGreat for a one-nighter. At least ten campsites that were no sweat to get to in my Forester. Highway noise, sage brush, and not much else.
GuideFairly well maintained and freeway close. 10-12 campsites that are pretty level. Beautiful view on both sides. A great place for a night on the road.
RangerStopped in Logan on our way through Utah. Logan has STUNNING and charming views of mountains and an vast valley. Green Canyon was recommended by a friend. Plenty great dispersed sites for car camping. Tons of little spots along a gravel road. Fire rings and multiple clean bathrooms are available. The sites has a bit of leftover trash and the occasional shard of broken beer bottles. Nothing horrible, but certainly a place where people like to party. Seems to be a highly trafficked location. Cool rock visuals above a majority of the sites. Also tons of trails and mountain bikers. Met some climbers working on a sketch little project on one of the many many boulders. Sounds like there’s some legit stuff farther down the canyon.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful location off highway 89. A popular place especially for ohv-ers. Lots of places to park but most of them seemed to be “claimed” (tents or trailers with no vehicles) for the upcoming weekend. That is the only reason for the loss of one star. We were there on a Thursday night just for and one night stop-and-go, so any of those claimed spots we could have used had they not been there.
There is a creek that flows back and forth around the area, we had that for our soundtrack as we slept.
At about mile 2 from the turn-off, there is a cattle guard and clear signs that the road is public but the land is not. It is possible that there is another cattle guard further up and more dispersed passed it as we saw more rvs head up and not turn around and come back, but we did not investigate that.
Well worth the trip in the search for a spot though. It was an amazing stay.
TravelerAbout 15 mins outside of Logan up a beautiful canyon. Headed up around 4pm on a Saturday during Memorial Day weekend so didn’t have high hopes but found a spot with a fire ring almost immediately! There was also another spot open down the road. Lots of people camping, hiking, mountain biking, and ATVs, so some traffic on the road, even after dark. Road ends a few miles in with a closed gate. There was a huge campsite back there with about 3 RVs parked.
Pit toilets and the entrance and a little bit up the road, very clean!
GuideAfter a long drive this place was perfect. This location is very close the freeway exit. We got lucky to find a pretty leveled pull through site. It looked liked there were only about 10 sites in total. The road in was unpaved but not too rough. Some cars drove past during our stay faster than that we thought was correct. The views to the mountain were awesome. We had some cows come and visit our site early the morning we were leaving. Not sure about why they are free roaming but we liked having them visit.
Scout
Easy access from Lava with about 10 designated spots, most with room for two vehicles and one(?) pull through spot that fit my truck/30foot TT. Most had either a metal fire ring or picnic table or both. Pretty enough area, but right off the road and even closer to a train that passed through multiple times at night.
Pulled in at 10:30 pm Saturday night July Fourth weekend and was able to snag the last spot so very clutch!
NOTE - Google satellite photos are NOT accurate, the area is fenced off and sites are limited, no longer the free for all it appears to have been
GuideEnded up driving this road up to Idaho to find a bigger spot and some solitude. Took the dirt road for about 30 minutes and got the most perfect spot. Nobody was near us and the view was amazing. We went at the beginning of June, it was a bit chilly some mornings and at night, so come prepared.
GuideGreen Canyon is one of Logan Utahs underrated and overused gems. The canyon itself is open for recreation of various kinds year-round.
During the summer months when most of us like to go camping, there are between 15 and 25 sites available on a first-come first-serve basis. Some of these are groups sites that can accommodate large gatherings. Most sites have established fire rings, however the overall site condition as well as the condition of the fire ring is sometimes questionable. This is usually due to high volume. This Canyon is also notorious for high school Gatherings, so there is usually a lot of pallet wood burned. You will find on almost every trip Nails screws Staples and broken glass. Beer bottles beer cans and cigarette butts are also pretty common unfortunately. (Wear good shoes!) Aside from questionable condition of the campgrounds, it is easy to get to and free. And relatively close to Logan. So it's easy to see why I get so much use.
Green Canyon is better known and more happily known for its trail that runs alongside the road. Local residents love this Trail for trail runs, or mountain biking. There are Vault toilets in the parking lot at the bottom, as well as at the very top where Green Canyon meets water shed Canyon.
In the winter months the road is closed, and is groomed by a local group named Nordic United. They groom it for cross country skiing several times a week and after every good storm. Trail is also used during the winter for snowshoeing, as well as Fat Tire snow biking.
To top it off in the winter at the top Powder Ridge ski touring also has a yurt you can rent if you are willing to cross country ski or Snowshoe to it. (See separate review).
Overall Green Canyon only gets 3 out of 5 stars because of its high traffic and high litter volume. Remember to leave no trace and always leave it better than you found it!
Legend
This was a very amazing experience. The hot springs were absolutely amazing.
There were a few visitors but only us and one other stayed. Our stay was a couple of nights.
It’s worth the drive if you have 4WD or very good shocks and suspension
ScoutStayed here for two nights, at the end of a dead end road, close to the creek. Real easy place to be.
ScoutI have grown up camping in the Franklin Basin area. It is the perfect location for anyone looking for places to hike or ride. There are many different places to visit throughout the area such as the "Plane Crash" site, Beaver Creek, old logging trails, and more. If your looking for a place to just get out in the dirt and relax, this is the place.
TravelerLots of spaces here. Big pull-in spots for camper rigs. And some small side pull outs for sedans who don’t mind walk-in tent spots.
TravelerSites were perfect for our overnight needs, but there were a ton of vehicles, dirt bikes, runners and we were woken up at midnight by explosions. I'm assuming they were kids down the road drinking and having fun, but they were setting off mortars at midnight on a Wednesday. Great location, but the locals use the heck out of it.
ScoutEasy to find by putting the coordinates provided in Google Maps. Came in after dark and easily found a site about 1/4 mile or so up the road. Road is a bit bumpy but nothing major. Our truck handled it with ease, but even a sedan would probably be fine.
The site we chose had a fire pit and plenty of flat ground to set up. A tent, van/truck, or small trailer would work well. There are some larger more open areas that could accommodate an RV.
Great views of the canyon! It was raining most is the the time we were there, so I can only imagine what it is like on a nice summer day.
There are a couple outhouses. Did not see any sinks.
Overall highly recommend.
ScoutWe didn’t have a problem finding a spot but it was very busy with lots of road traffic even until late. We woke up to our car being drive-by paintballed. It cleaned off easy, but not fabulous. Another camper left their fire ring with smoldering coals and didn’t extinguish it. Good for a quick place to sleep on your way through town, but not a super relaxing experience.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Preston, Idaho, where nature meets tranquility. With a variety of locations to choose from, outdoor enthusiasts can find the perfect spot to unwind and explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Preston, ID?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Preston, ID is Green Canyon Dispersed Campground with a 4-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Preston, ID?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 dispersed camping locations near Preston, ID, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
