Kodachrome Basin site #12 was supposed to be one of the highlights of our camping road trip. Site #12 is tucked way in the back with your own private little circle and a gorgeous rock formation behind it. You could not get a more private and beautiful campsite. The picnic table and fire pit are tucked behind the trees in the middle of the circle and the tent site is HUGE! We could’ve easily fit another smaller tent next to our 11 foot dome tent. Everything about it looked awesome!

Looks can be deceiving though. The first morning we woke up to the sound of sand “raining” on the rainfly of the tent. Thankfully I had decided to use the rainfly! Not that it mattered much. By the time we left, it had rained enough sand into the tent that I could’ve filled at least a sandwhich baggie.

We camped two nights and upon returning to our tent on the second day, we found our tarp pulled out from under the tent, a broken tent pole section, and a rainfly clip on the ground. Several of the tent stakes had been pulled out. We asked the ranger about it the next day and he told us that every night between about 8-9pm the wind comes up and forms a 35mph cyclone around the curve of the basin wall. Site 12 is at the outside of the cyclone where the wind is highest. Not exactly ideal for a tent camper!

This campsite might be better for someone with a low tent. Our tent is 7ft tall in the middle and tends to catch the wind at lower speeds, much less 35 mph winds. It migh also work for an rv as long as you don’t open any awnings. The rest of the campground appeared to be unscathed so other sites might be a better option also. It really was a great location if it hadn’t been for the wind and sand.

One more item to note: this campground is close enough to Bryce Canyon for a commute there, but at the end of a day in Bryce, it feels like a long drive back. It is a fantastic campground if you are planning a drive on Scenic Highway 12, which is right down the road a bit.