Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area

Off-highway vehicle riders and campers seeking access to Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park find a convenient base along Forest Road 117, where dispersed sites spread through ponderosa pine stands just off Highway 12. The main dirt road maintains good condition for most RVs, with Bethany W. confirming her 26-foot Class C motorhome towing a car navigated the route without difficulty.

Sites scatter along the main road and several spur roads, offering varying degrees of privacy and tree cover. skoerber@moscow.com notes the area is "lightly forested with ponderosa pine" with "views through the trees." Some spots accommodate multiple rigs, while others suit single units. Cattle from adjacent grazing areas occasionally wander through the camping zones, adding an element of rural character to the experience.

The location serves as a staging area for day trips, sitting roughly 20 minutes from Bryce Canyon National Park and close to Red Canyon's hiking trails. OHV enthusiasts access numerous trails from the area, though engine noise remains intermittent rather than constant. Cell service reaches most sites, and the open canopy allows for solar panel and satellite internet functionality.

No facilities exist here—no water, restrooms, or designated fire rings. Campers must come prepared for primitive conditions and pack out all waste. Wind can stir up dust from the dry ground, particularly problematic for those in sandals. Sites fill during peak seasons and holidays, but weekday arrivals typically find available spots. For those wanting more developed amenities, campgrounds near Tropic provide additional options with facilities.

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RV Road Trip Guides

Map & DirectionsDixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area is located in Utah near Fern Ridge Lake

Detail location of campground
Dispersed Camping

Coordinates

37.722849259050676 N
112.25143814732066 W

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Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 53 users
    Last on 5/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Good Coverage
    Verified by 125 users
    Last on 5/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 45 users
    Last on 5/19/26

Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 53 users
    Last on 5/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Good Coverage
    Verified by 125 users
    Last on 5/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 45 users
    Last on 5/19/26

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Site Types

  • Dispersed

Features

For Campers

  • Phone Service
  • Alcohol
  • Pets

For Vehicles

  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

DISPERSED CAMPING

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area needs a permit.

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General Info

Drive Time


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Reviews12 Camper Reviews - Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area

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4.5

out of 5

12 Reviews

Many campers appreciated the spacious, level sites and peaceful setting near Bryce Canyon, with ponderosa pine trees providing shade. Several guests observed this is true dispersed camping with no facilities, requiring self-sufficiency.

Reviewed Mar. 10, 2026

Beautiful Site Near Bryce Canyon

The main road (dirt) is in great condition. Big spot for multiple vehicles (we are traveling together). Plenty of sky for solar and Starlink.

Month of VisitMarch
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Tracy M., March 10, 2026
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Tracy M., March 10, 2026
Reviewed Mar. 4, 2026

Quiet and Nice

The campground was quiet, we were with an 23ft RV and the road was easy accessible. It is more difficult to level your rv

Month of VisitMarch
Reviewed Oct. 29, 2025

Great Spot Near Bryce

This spot was awesome, it's free and there isn't anything here, but the roads are decent, it's near Bryce, the spots are spread out, and it's near Bryce.

Reviewed Jul. 6, 2025

Great view from our campsite

THIS REVIEW IS FOR “TOM’S BEST SPRING ROAD #117 — DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST RD #117 DISPERSED CAMPING AREA”

It’s a beautiful drive coming up here from Flagstaff and especially through Kanab, a sweet little town with such amazing people. For anyone wondering if your rig will clear the Red Canyon Arches on the 12, you probably won’t need to worry about it like we did before we decided to stop here for sure, since according to all available info online, the clearance is between 13’ 6” and 20’, so I called the Red Canyon Visitor Center and the sweet girl I spoke to said it would definitely fit. Camping spots are not marked in this section of the Dixie National Forest Rd #117 (Tom’s Best Spring Road) dispersed camping area, but we found what I would call a premium spot for the view alone… of the prairie through the tree. As we entered the campgrounds off of the 12 and drove through, it looked like all the spots available were taken, though not surprising considering it was on July 4th, but then became discouraged when we were driving into a wide open prairie where lots of cows were grazing. Having never been here before, we had no idea if there would be more camping allowed past the prairie, so we found a spot to back our 44’ rig into so we could turn around. On our way back from the prairie we noticed the first camping spot to the left and saw there was plenty of room to pull through it, so we proceeded left and came to that spot which actually includes space for 3 rigs, depending on their size. This camping spot is a nice combination of tall trees and open space for rigs, but we did experience a lot of uncomfortable heat from the sun (80 to 85 degrees)… so more trees would definitely have helped… just not sure our rig would be able to drive through it or not.🤷🏻‍♀️ Other than the sun ☀️, the worst thing about it is the dryness of the dirt, making it a bit of a dust bowl when the wind kicks up… oh, and if you’re wearing sandals like me, they, along with your feet will get full of dusty dirt! Cows🐄 do wander into the campgrounds from the prairie… so be prepared if you have animals that might “have a cow” like ours did.🐄 🤣 We did not see any restroom facilities as we drove through to our spot, but they do have fire🔥pits, though we just used our propane fire pit. There’s a lot of OHV trails in the area which is great for those of us who love to ride, so you will hear the engines from time to time, but not constantly… and we were here over the holiday weekend! We would definitely return, but when it’s cooler, although it did get pretty cold early in the mornings.

SiteNot numbered
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Kathy H., July 6, 2025
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Kathy H., July 6, 2025
  • Entire camping area with ample space for 3 rigs
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  • (7) View All
Reviewed Jul. 3, 2025

Beautiful view

Stunning view and a nice spot. About a 20 min drive to Bryce Canyon.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Jahro M., July 3, 2025
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Jahro M., July 3, 2025
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Jahro M., July 3, 2025
  • (4) View All
Reviewed May. 16, 2025

FR 3626

We absolutely LOVED this campsite. The road was accessible for our 26ft Class C motorhome towing a Nissan Altima on a dolly. My Nissan drove the road to our campsite quite a few times as we took the car into Bryce and left our motorhome behind. All of the sites are pretty spaced out which made that amazing with having our pups at our campsite. We loved having the pines around us, but still giving us beautiful views of sunset. We set up camp just passed the Butch Cassidy Hut.

Month of VisitMay
  • campsite at sunset
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  • road conditions
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  • road conditions
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  • (5) View All
Reviewed Apr. 23, 2025

Convenient to Bryce

Found a spot mid week, mid afternoon, but more people are showing up. Easy access from Hwy 12. There are sites right along FR 117 and there are several spur roads with sites. Some of the spur roads have rough spots. I was towing a 15' camper, able to get around ok. Lightly forested with ponderosa pine. Views through the trees. No facilities at all. Depending on where you are, there can be a little noise from the highway. Pleasant location.

Sitespur road
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Feb. 18, 2025

Easy access and quiet

Quiet spot just off highway 12. Easy access, decent views. Windy. Surrounded by ponderosa pines. Cold in February!

Month of VisitFebruary
Reviewed Oct. 28, 2024

Great Dispersed Camping Area

This area is great for dispersed camping near Red Canyon and before you get to Bryce Canyon NP. Plenty of dispersed camping spots. There are no restrooms, water or electricity. Ponderosa Pine trees. Have stayed here several times.

Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Reid , October 28, 2024
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Reid , October 28, 2024
Reviewed Oct. 11, 2024

Such a beautiful spot

This has been an amazing spot to stay at. Prefect for day trips into Bryce and Red Canyon!! All the others staying were so nice.

Site2726
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Imerie T., October 11, 2024
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Imerie T., October 11, 2024
  • Review photo of Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area by Imerie T., October 11, 2024
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jun. 20, 2023

Great spot!!

Easy drive into Bryce Canyon Nat’l Park! Highly recommend this camping area!!

Site??
Month of VisitJune

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area have wifi?

No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area does not have wifi.

Is there cell phone reception at Dixie National Forest Dispersed Camping Area?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, there is excellent coverage for AT&T, excellent coverage for T-Mobile, and good coverage for Verizon.