Best Dispersed Camping near Alton, UT

Several free dispersed camping areas exist around Alton, Utah, primarily on public lands managed by Dixie National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The region features notable dispersed camping zones including Tom Best Spring Road (FR117), Harris Rim and Stout Canyon, Uinta Flat, and Forest Road 090. These primitive sites are situated at higher elevations with many located in pine forests, providing natural shade and seclusion while offering convenient access points between Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks.

Most access routes consist of dirt and gravel roads with varying conditions, though many are accessible to standard vehicles. Sites like Tom Best Spring Road and Uinta Flat accommodate larger vehicles including RVs, while others may require high-clearance vehicles. No amenities are available at these locations—campers must pack in all water and supplies and pack out all waste. Fire restrictions apply seasonally, with many areas allowing campfires when conditions permit. Camping duration is typically limited to 14 days in any 30-day period, following standard public land regulations.

The area attracts visitors seeking quiet, forested settings away from developed campgrounds. "There are many different RV and tent sites dispersed throughout this area," noted one visitor about Uinta Flat, while another described it as having "remote and spacious dispersed sites with mature trees." Some campers mention moderate ATV traffic in certain areas, particularly Uinta Flat, where one camper observed "groups of 4-wheelers revving and riding up and down the campgrounds" after dark. Wildlife sightings are common, with several reviews mentioning deer in the Harris Rim area. Cell service is generally available at most sites, making these locations suitable for remote workers seeking natural settings.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Alton, Utah (130)

    1. Tom Best Spring Road FR117 Dispersed - Dixie National Forest

    71 Reviews
    Tropic, UT
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3700

    "October 15, 2020

    We wanted to be close to Bryce Canyon but not in all of the hub and chaos of people. This location is about a 10 minute drive away from Bryce. "

    "Plenty of free camping opportunities as you drive down the dirt road. Space between sites is ideal so noise isn’t a problem."

    2. BLM Road #71 Gravel Pit Dispersed - BLM

    28 Reviews
    Mount Carmel Junction, UT
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 688-3200

    "This area is up BLM Road #71 and was the old hwy. The actual main camping area is an old gravel pit area but views are great, solar is plentiful."

    "You could easily use this as a base to explore Zion if you dont mind no facilities. The view was spectacular, and our spot had an already made fire pit."

    3. Uinta Flat Dispersed

    9 Reviews
    Duck Creek Village, UT
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3200

    "There are many different RV and tent sites that you can find dispersed throughout this area."

    "We arrived just before sunset and found a great spot surrounded by big pines and aspen trees. Our spot was closely connected with a few other great spots but we were all alone."

    4. Mt Carmel Old 89 Dispersed Camping

    23 Reviews
    Mount Carmel Junction, UT
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 644-1200

    "The road is rough I would recommend a high clearance vehicle to be able to drive farther. We don't have that so we were limited on how far we were willing to drive down the rough dirt road."

    "Take the exit from 89 and cross the remnants of the old 89 road. You will find several spots with previously used fire rings."

    5. Uinta Flat Dispersed

    7 Reviews
    Duck Creek Village, UT
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3200

    "Remote and spacious dispersed sites with mature trees. The dirt roads throughout the area are decent, although there are some dead-ends so be prepared to turn around."

    "But it’s great dispersed/boondocking whatever you want to call it. Great area. Lots of options. Got there late in the evening so couldn’t really explore. 4x4 isn’t a must but can help a lot."

    6. Harris Rim & Stout Canyon Dispersed

    5 Reviews
    Alton, UT
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3200

    "We were driving through looking for a quick place to pull off the highway for the night. It's a few tarred miles off the road, but wauper esy to find, even at 11:30 pm when we stopped."

    7. FR 090 - dispersed camping

    34 Reviews
    Fern Ridge Lake, UT
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3700

    "We rented a van from Escape camper vans and this spot of easy to find and get to! We saw a lot of people with campers and vans."

    "The road is a bit bumpy, but we were fine taking our time in our camper van. Lots of space between sites. The trees are gorgeous. & it’s super close to the entrance of Bryce Canyon National Park."

    8. Toms Best Spring Road - Dispersed Camping

    32 Reviews
    Fern Ridge Lake, UT
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3700

    "Dispersed camping in the beautiful Ponderosa pines of Dixie National Forest. The Forest Service road is easy to navigate. There are many dirt roads branching off of it with sites to choose from."

    "Tom's Best Spring Rd  aka FR117

    16 day limit - posted

    No campfires -  posted 

    No cutting wood without permit - posted

    Visible 3-4 on 4g

    ATT 3 on 4g

    GPS: 37.7301,-112.2523

    Main road in is good."

    9. Lava Flat Dispersed Camping Area

    6 Reviews
    Duck Creek Village, UT
    11 miles
    Website

    "This was a wonderful location but the ATVs start up early and run most of the day. If you don’t mind that then this may be a good spot to stop."

    "Even more secluded spots if you want to park and carry your gear in farther. I was the only camper there."

    10. Mammoth Dispersed

    12 Reviews
    Duck Creek Village, UT
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 865-3200

    "Right next to Mammoth Creek surrounded by Dixie National Forest. Lots of sites and pull offs. No hookups or water but there are pit toilets. New favorite campsite!!"

    "Mammoth Dispersed Campground offers a beautiful setting among tall pines, with plenty of shade, cool temperatures, and easy access to a peaceful stream (both day use area and overnight campsites with access"

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Alton, UT

790 Reviews of 130 Alton Campgrounds


  • Susan L.
    Jun. 25, 2022

    Toms Best Spring Road - Dispersed Camping

    Great location in a piney woods!

    Dispersed camping in the beautiful Ponderosa pines of Dixie National Forest. The Forest Service road is easy to navigate. There are many dirt roads branching off of it with sites to choose from. Chose a site relatively close to the forest service road. If you're sensitive to dust may want to choose a site further off the access road as there is lots of dust kicked up every time someone drove in or out on the gravel. Convenient location to Bryce (about 15 minutes). Cell service for Verizon.

    When the rigs pulling in and out stopped, the only sounds were the braying of cows (the herd wandered into the site) and the wind blowing.

    Views! Peaceful! Free!

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 6, 2021

    Cabin Hollow FS #121 Dispersed Camping

    Primitive road access dispersed

    This dispersed camping area is to the west of the more well known Tom Best Road Dispersed area. Still on Dixie NF but access road is native dirt one lane and no gravel or graded...so if very wet or rain could be sketchy access ( hence 3 stars). Sites are along the road upland side in flat spots and alcoves for about first mile or so. There are TT spots and also good overlander sites up higher. I would recon first before pulling a TT up there to make sure you can get a turnaround. No designated sites, no trash, tables, water or toilets. 14d limit. However cell signal is good if a clear line to Wilson peak antennas. Posted map screenshot shows my recon of campsites...trailer icon are sits with trailers, tent icon is more suited to overlander type setups with high clearance vehicles or smaller rigs.

  • K
    May. 30, 2021

    Kitchen Corral Wash

    Easy spot

    Great camping spot and so easy to get to. Nice dirt road. Don’t pay attention to the 4WD warning sign. You can get to many spots right off the road without it. We went maybe 1/4 mile off the highway and found a wide open field. Camper vans and RVs and 2 WD would be able to camp this

  • LThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 2, 2025

    Tom's Best Spring Road Dixie National Forest

    Lots of spots off this road!

    Plenty of spots (though we were here on a weekday) and SO CLOSE to Bryce NP! The stars were beautiful at night - even got some photos with my phone. There were some cows but they mostly stayed clear of the road. Road was pretty level and easy for cars to get back (and there were spots right off the road). I already want to come back!

    There was a fire ban in July so bring your camp stove and leave no trace!

  • Greg L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 15, 2021

    Leeds Canyon Dispersed #2

    Overlander site only

    Leeds Canyon Dispersed camp sites are on the Dixie NF. Lower dispersed sites 1-6 are easiest to get into with a TT. Camp in designated spots, camping free for 16 days. No water, no trash, no toilets. Sites are along a well maintained FS gravel road so dust may be a concern. Only a few miles outside of Leeds and Interstate 15.

    Leeds Canyon #2 is behind #1 a hundred yards but requires high clearance and 4wd to access....no TT or RVs. Nice big open area with views for the overlander types

  • Dave S.
    Oct. 3, 2020

    Parowan Gap Petroglyphs

    Wonderful place but please leave no trace

    We stayed here for a week while waiting for a package to arrive in Cedar City. The gap is a beautiful place and the petroglyphs would be as well were it not for the vandalism on them. On some camping apps people are saying just camp anywhere out here. I wanted to clarify that. While there are lots of places to camp please don't make new campsites or drive off roads and in the desert/grass. We stayed in a lovely spot on Jackrabbit Road, but had to drive over a mile to find what I consider an established site. All along the road there is damage from people driving and camping wherever they want. This is tragic and violates leave no trace. So does the many bullet shell casings, broken glass, dog turds, old gun targets, shotgun shells, etc, out here. This is how public lands get closed. It's a nice place and we saw respectful campers, OHV'rs, and bicyclists. Just use existing campsites and roads.

  • K
    Jun. 13, 2022

    Old Highway 89 Dispersed BLM Site

    Quiet camping spot close to Kanab and east entrance of Zion

    We loved this free camping area! 

    There aren't tons of spots(most of it is an open area), but we never had an issue getting one, even during spring break. 

    It's close to Kanab and the east entrance of Zion.

    Please Leave No Trace! Take care of this place so it can be enjoyed by many for as long as possible!

  • Brett T.
    Jul. 19, 2024

    Dave’s Hollow Designated Dispersed Camping

    Nice USFS Dispersed Camping Right outside Bryce Canyon NP Entrance

    When our original dispersed camping spot didn’t work out we drove down the road and found this little gem, right outside the entrance to Bruce Canyon National Park. There are a bunch of designated USFS camping spots. They’re level-ish, fire rings, and pretty easy to get to. We have a 1992 (renovated!) motorhome and we got to spot 17 no problem. We could have gone to 17-19, but then the road got to rough for our old girl. Lots of quads and sideXsides riding on the dirt road, kicking up dust till about 8:30PM but was not a big deal. Solid free camping right near the park!

  • Meg G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 20, 2020

    Tom Best Spring Road FR117 Dispersed - Dixie National Forest

    Fabulous - lots of space, quiet and solitude.

    October 15, 2020

    We wanted to be close to Bryce Canyon but not in all of the hub and chaos of people. This location is about a 10 minute drive away from Bryce.  This is the perfect location to get away from it all.  When you first arrive, you will see plenty of spots for RV's and travel trailers.  We traveled 1.8 miles and took a left turn on a small dirt road and found 5 or 6 campsites that were level and far away from each other. (We were the only one down this road).  

    The site was level with a lot of space to spread out.  There was a firepit but no other facilities, so come prepared with everything you need. Due to fire restrictions, we didn't have a fire, and enjoyed seeing the Milky Way and shooting stars!  There is a pit toilet across the highway before you turn into the BLM land.  

    We thought we would only stay for one night, but ended up there 2 nights since it was so beautiful!


Guide to Alton

Dispersed camping near Alton, Utah ranges in elevation from 7,000 to 8,500 feet, providing natural cooling during summer months when temperatures typically remain 15-20 degrees lower than surrounding valley areas. Most sites sit within Ponderosa pine and aspen groves, creating alternating patches of shade and sun. Winter camping is possible but challenging, with nighttime temperatures frequently dropping below 20°F from November through March.

What to do

Hiking to Amethyst Lake: Access this hike from Uinta Flat dispersed camping areas where one visitor noted it's a "great hike up to amethyst lake and awesome campground. Found a fire pit and was secluded in the trees but close to the lake."

Wildlife viewing at dusk: FR 090 camping areas provide excellent wildlife spotting opportunities, especially at sunset. "We saw several deer just before going to bed," reported one camper at Harris Rim & Stout Canyon Dispersed. "Due to animals being present in the area, there are also predators. We found a half eaten deer leg."

Mountain biking nearby: Tom Best Spring Road FR117 Dispersed - Dixie National Forest offers convenient access to local biking trails. "Close to Bryce Canyon and easy access to Thunder Mountain trail loop, awesome moderate mt biking trail," mentioned one reviewer who found the area perfect for combining camping and riding.

What campers like

Cell service for remote work: Most dispersed sites maintain surprising connectivity. "We had full bars with Verizon," mentioned one visitor to Tom Best Spring Road, while another stated the site offered "clear skies for starlink and solar." This makes these rustic camping sites near Alton practical for digital nomads.

Natural spacing between sites: Uinta Flat Dispersed offers significant privacy between camping spots. One camper described it as having "remote and spacious dispersed sites with mature trees" while another noted "camping spots are a little more spread out off the main drag and more in the trees which was nice for shade and hanging a hammock."

Access to multiple national parks: "Just 12 miles from the crush of people at Bryce Canyon, but a world away," wrote one camper about their experience at Tom Best Spring Road. Another mentioned being "just a few minutes outside Bryce" while still having "a lot of pullouts off the main forest road."

What you should know

Road conditions vary seasonally: Spring access can be problematic at FR 090 - dispersed camping where one visitor reported, "It's a beautiful area but with the recent weather the road into the camping area was closed. Very wet and slick mud." Another mentioned "based on previous ruts, it might be miserable in the rain."

Fire restrictions fluctuate: Seasonal bans occur frequently in summer months. "We have been when the fire restrictions have been in place and you cannot have a fire," noted one visitor to Uinta Flat. Check current fire status with Dixie National Forest or BLM offices before planning to build campfires.

Livestock encounters: Multiple areas experience cattle grazing. "Cows do wander into the campgrounds from the prairie, so be prepared if you have animals that might 'have a cow' like ours did," warned a visitor to Tom Best Spring Road. Another camper at Lava Flat mentioned "a flock of 1000s of sheep with sheep dogs that passed through one afternoon and through the next morning. It made it difficult to let the dog out."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Alton, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Alton, UT is Tom Best Spring Road FR117 Dispersed - Dixie National Forest with a 4.7-star rating from 71 reviews.

What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Alton, UT?

TheDyrt.com has all 130 dispersed camping locations near Alton, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.