Top 10+ Tent Campgrounds near Boulder, UT

This BLM campground is head and shoulders above your typical boondock campsite, of which there are plenty in Utah. Better yet, it was empty when we arrived on a Sunday afternoon in mid July. It comes complete with 12 sites and a group area, picnic tables, fire rings and grill stands in every site, clean vault toilets, water standpipes and one heck of a view once you get out from under the luxuriant, shading scrub oaks. We heard about it from family members who are into rockhounding, and it does not disappoint. Definitely for the tent/small RV boondock crowd. There are no electric hookups or dump stations, but if you’re set up to go off the grid you might be able to fit a small RV or trailer in a couple of these sites. There is actually a spring nearby, so there’s a very small gurgling brook running through the campground. You’re a little higher up, so it’s a few degrees cooler than below, where you’re awed by the vast expanses of mesas and red-rock monuments you pass through to get here on SR 95 from Hanksville to the north or Blanding to the south. You’ll see the sign just past the 17-mile marker as you come south on the northern leg of 276. Fee is $10 per night. Half that if you have America the Beautiful senior pass.

Car camping options at Lake Powell are tough to come by due to the incredibly steep canyon walls that surround this unique reservoir. We planned a last minute trip to the lake over Memorial Day weekend and visited this campground so we could be right on the water. Thankfully, we arrived early on Friday morning and were able to fight the crowds and claim a campsite. By mid-day, we were surrounded by other campers on all sides. Despite being a large campground and having plenty of sites, it is quite popular and you must arrive as early as possible to snag a good spot. I am used to dispersed camping, so it still felt a bit crowded for us. However, all of our neighbors were super friendly and we were just steps from the warm water. The location can’t be beat considering the limited options on the lake. Bathrooms are basic but clean and well spaced out. Tons of dispersed sites to chose from, each marked by a fire ring. The road can be rough to get there and to reach certain sites, so I would recommend a high clearance vehicle. Also be sure to stake down your tent, the winds pick up here out of nowhere!

There are no designated campsites. Find a suitable spot on the lake and set up camp! The amount of available campsites changes year-to-year with changes in lake levels. Although portable toilets are available, you are required to have your own self-contained unit if you camp on the lake. There is no potable water available, so bring your own.

Supplies are available at the Marina, gas station, and boat store; however, if you don't want to pay Park-Service prices, take the 10-mile trip to the Off Shore Marina outside the National Recreation Area.

Fishing, Kayaking, swimming, and other watersports available in Lake Powell right at your campsite!

We got really lucky and were able to book a tent site day-of in the National Park... There are a ton of campsites here, plenty for RVs and tents alike. The site we got was a walk-in (there were 4-6 of these available). The walk-in sites have assigned parking spots and you have to walk a very short distance to get to your spot. All of them had a table and flat spot to pitch your tent, and the spots were far enough apart that you still felt like you had privacy. The bathrooms were super clean (I didn't see any showers). It was such a beautiful place to camp – the sunset over the cliffs above us was spectacular, and there was a group of deer that wandered through the sites during the evening. I would absolutely stay here again!