Best Tent Camping near Dugway, UT

Tent campsites near Dugway, Utah offer primitive experiences across varied desert landscapes. Loop Campground in South Willow Canyon provides established tent sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and vault toilets among the trees at the base of Deseret Peak. Upper Narrows Campground, located in Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, offers reservable tent sites with water hookups and toilet facilities open from early June through mid-September. Skull Valley Road provides free dispersed camping opportunities for tent campers seeking more solitude in the open desert.

Most tent campgrounds in the area have limited facilities, requiring campers to bring their own water and pack out all trash. Loop Campground sites include fire rings and picnic tables but no drinking water or trash service. Skull Valley dispersed sites have no amenities whatsoever, with campers reporting strong winds and dusty conditions during certain seasons. The tent sites at Upper Narrows can be accessed via drive-in, hike-in, or walk-in approaches depending on the specific site location. Many primitive tent areas have no established markers or designated pads, allowing campers to select their own spots on the open terrain.

The tent camping experience near Dugway varies dramatically with elevation and location. Areas closer to the mountains offer climbing opportunities, with Upper Narrows providing access to limestone climbing routes. A camper noted, "The Narrows climbing in South Willow Canyon is the premier HARD climbing spot for those in SLC that want to test their grit and push grades." Desert dispersed camping along Skull Valley Road offers wide-open spaces and solitude, though with exposure to elements. According to a review, "Beautiful views, wide open spaces and super quiet. LOTS of mosquitoes and flies." Sites near Paul Bunyon's Woodpile provide access to unique geological features, with visitors reporting coyotes howling at night adding to the wilderness experience.

Best Tent Sites Near Dugway, Utah (14)

    1. Loop Campground

    2 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 977-4300

    "A wonderful place to set up camp for a week for a week or to use as a basecamp to climb the high peaks that surround the terminus of the South Willow Canyon road! "

    "I have a small SUV, so I buy firewood and fill up water containers after I've set up camp."

    2. Upper Narrows

    1 Review
    Grantsville, UT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 733-2660

    $20 - $112 / night

    "Stumbled upon this campground while fishing around at Grantsville Reservoir and decided to head up South Willow Canyon to review all these unreviewed campgrounds! "

    3. Lower Narrows Campground

    1 Review
    Grantsville, UT
    20 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 733-2660

    $15 / night

    "The Narrows CG the other person is talking about is located in Zion National Park near St. George/Springville in southern Utah.  There are no soaring sandstone walls here! "

    4. Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping

    8 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    35 miles

    "In fact it represents just as a reference for the highway road off the 80 highway you go along 196 and there are pull off roads leading to either straight up the side of a mountain or along the valley."

    "This location is also right in an outdoor shooting range with multiple spots so that’s a plus if you’re looking for entertainment."

    5. Camp Eagle Mountain

    1 Review
    Eagle Mountain, UT
    34 miles

    $26 - $38 / night

    "It is a dry area and hot mid-summer, but good base for ATV, bike, and hunting areas. No ATV/bike riding or hunting on the campground - just a good base camp for those types of activities."

    6. BLM Little Sahara RA - White Sands Campground

    3 Reviews
    Lynndyl, UT
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 743-3100

    "The Stars were beautiful and the sand was soft and fun to walk in. We set up two tents and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Highly recommended!"

    7. Pony Express Trail includes: Boyd Station

    2 Reviews
    Ibapah, UT
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 743-3100

    "This road which, is the old Pony Express Trail, is surrounded by many varied activities to keep you entertained for weeks."

    "Very well maintained roads out here, nobody around for miles, incredible history. So many roads to go explore old cabins, abandoned mines nearby. Just a great place to see & explore."

    8. Jericho Picnic & Camping Area

    2 Reviews
    Lynndyl, UT
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 433-5960

    "Great recreation area just a couple hours from Salt Lake City. Lots of sand dunes and opportunities for play. Our Boy Scout Troop sand boarded and rolled down the dunes."

    9. Paul Bunyon's Woodpile

    3 Reviews
    Eureka, UT
    46 miles
    +1 (435) 743-3100

    "Road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm.  There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so."

    "We found a great campsite right by the trailhead, the only spot with trees and shade. Easy hike to see the formation, but very hot in July!"

    10. American Campground

    1 Review
    Saratoga Springs, UT
    46 miles
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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Dugway, UT

3 Photos of 14 Dugway Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Dugway, UT

179 Reviews of 14 Dugway Campgrounds


  • Jeremy H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2019

    Fivemile Pass OHV

    Good for free camping

    Not much out here but you’ll likely see a hawk or a Golden Eagle. You will have to put up with crazy OHVers and drunk partiers in some spots but there are a lot of places to go with a few pit toilets spread about.

    This is the desert and there is no water so come prepared. Please leave no trace and clean up after yourself.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2019

    Lower Narrows Campground

    Beautiful Creek Access w/ Expert Level Climbing Routes a Stones Throw Away

    Let me start off by saying the other review for this CG is about 250 miles off target.  The Narrows CG the other person is talking about is located in Zion National Park near St. George/Springville in southern Utah.  There are no soaring sandstone walls here!  There are however amazing overhanging water sculpted limestone cliffs that contain some of the hardest climbing that the west desert of Utah has to offer!  There are a decent amount of routes on either side of the road with the majority of the routes being near the Upper Narrows CG. 

    This CG is setup in much the same way as the Upper.  There are metal fire rings and picnic tables at each of the campsites with a vault toilet within a couple minutes walk from any of the sites.  There are only 3 sites and there are no water or trash facilities so bring all you need and then pack it all out!  The creek offers a nice respite from the heat in the summer and would probably be decent fishing as well.  I only saw a couple trout while wandering around but I'm sure there are more!

  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 20, 2019

    Ken's Lake Campground

    Spacious quiet camping near Moab

    Stayed at Ken's Lake Campground in early October, and despite to cool temperatures the campground was¾ full when I arrived just before sunset. Found two of the loops full, ended up staying in site 1. Ken's Lake Campground is a fairly large campground located 10 miles south of Moab. The campground has 48 sites but it did not feel that large. The campground is divided in to three loops in two sections. The first section contains two loops, sites are spread a good distance apart which is good since these two loops are almost entirely in the open with only the occasional small tree or large bush. Being in the open the sites were quiet windy during my stay. While the campground is near Ken's lake there is no direct access to the lake from the campground. The upper section located a short distance up the main road has a little more privacy as it is just inside the tree line and sites are nicely spread out. The sites in the upper section are nicer sites in the campground, and provide some shelter from the wind. Being several miles from the highway made for a nice quiet nights sleep. The campground has great view of the La Sal Mountains to the east and the redrock formations to the west All campsites have a picnic table with metal fire rings. Several vault toilets are available through out the campground. Trash service is available. You will need to bring your own water as there is no water available at the campground. Sites are$20 per night. Ken's Lake campground has two group areas, group site A in the lower section is just to the right when you enter the campground. Group site A has two horse corrals. Group site B is located at the end of the upper section. Both group sites have fire grates, picnic tables, a shade shelter and are near a vault toilet.

  • Jillian B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2022

    Willow Park Campground

    Campground near Provo

    This campground is ok, would expect a little more since you have to pay $25. In a nice little suburban neighborhood. Spots are close together and not much privacy, our site was along the back fence. Each site had fire pit and picnic table. There are two bathrooms, no showers and no electricity. It looks like there are a couple water fill up spigots but not potable.

  • Dexter I.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 22, 2019

    Ken's Lake Campground

    Quiet camping and a Lake to cool off in

    Ken's Lake Recreation Area located just 10 south of Moab is a nice place to cool off or camp during the hot summer months, but not in October. Visited in early October and did not spend time in the nice day area as it was in the low 40's and I was not trying to avoid the heat. That being said the lake looks like a great place to spend part of your day to cool off or do a little fishing. I spent my visit at the campground just down the toad from the day use turn off. Their are two turn offs for the campground. The first turn leads to two camping loops and a group use shelter with horse corrals. The campsite in these two loop are out in the open as only a few small trees are in the area. This area was windy during my stay, not what I wanted on a cold day and night. The wind would be nice to keep bugs away or keep things a little cooler in the summer. While you are in direct full of all the other campers in the loop you do have plenty of room as these sites are spacious and spread apart with lots of room between sites. A little further up the road is the other section of the campground. This section is just inside the tree line and provide a bit more privacy with all the trees and bushes. Site are a little closer together but still nicely spread apart. Their is another group use site with a shelter at the end of this section. All site have picnic tables and a metal fire ring. Vault toilets are found in the day use area and through out the campground. Their is trash bins at the campground but no water so be sure to fill us in town before arriving at your camp. You can not directly access the lake from the campground, there are trails that lead down to the lake.

  • eThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 6, 2025

    Paul Bunyon's Woodpile

    Easy to access, nice primitive sites

    Road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm.  There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so.

  • J
    Sep. 14, 2022

    Ken's Lake Campground

    Tent sites open

    Came in before dark and set up tent on stone drive in open field. Very difficult to hammer in pegs. It was quiet and easy to get to.

  • Mariah G.
    Oct. 4, 2020

    Flight Park State Recreation Area

    Pretty solid for a night

    This place is up pretty high with mine, town, and mountain views. The camping is free and dispersed and there are lots of RVs up there. There weren't many other tents probably because it was so windy. The location is where paragliders take off from which I'd imagine is pretty cool to watch but it definitely creates more noise. It's a great place if you're in the area and looking for a last minute free place to crash. Stake down your tent if you have one though. The road is fine all the way there and there are just a few bumps when you get up.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2019

    Intake Campground — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    Smaller CG with great Creek Access!

    This is the 2nd campground that you come across after you enter the Wasatch National Forest.  It is only a couple miles in after the dirt road starts.  Surrounding the campground are these amazing looking rock cliffs and outcrops that look like volcanic flows or maybe a pyroclastic flow or tuff.  Its really crumbly and doesn't make for good climbing but forms pretty "melting mud" walls.

    There are 5 single sites all aligned in a row next to the creek.  2 of the sites are on the opposite side of the road, however, away from the creek.  As with all the other campgrounds in the canyon there are picnic tables and fire rings.  There are also vault toilets and you'll have to pack in all of the water you'll need (unless filtering?)  and pack out all your trash as there are no garbage cans.  Please be aware of this and help us keep this area clean and beautiful!


Guide to Dugway

Tent camping near Dugway, Utah ranges from high-elevation mountain sites to flat desert terrain across public lands. The area sits at the edge of the Great Salt Lake Desert with elevations varying from 4,300 feet in the valley floor to over 11,000 feet at nearby mountain peaks. Summer temperatures often exceed 90°F during day and drop below 50°F at night, creating challenging temperature swings for campers without proper gear.

What to do

Rock collecting expeditions: Drive the historic Pony Express Trail to reach multiple mineral collection sites near Pony Express Trail includes: Boyd Station. "To the north of the road past Boyd Station is the Dugway Geode beds where large soft ball sized geodes can be dug up! South of here at Topaz Mountain you can find, you guessed it, topaz!" says camper Alan B.

Sand dune recreation: Little Sahara Recreation Area offers 60,000 acres of sand dunes for outdoor play just 2 hours from Salt Lake City. Jericho Picnic & Camping Area serves as a central base for dune activities. "Our Boy Scout Troop sand boarded and rolled down the dunes. Lots of people bring their ATV's," reports Ryan B.

Mountain hiking: Set up camp at Loop Campground for access to Deseret Peak Trail. "For those that want to get a little closer to the peak, there is a 7 mile one way trail to the top of Deseret Peak that offers amazing views of the Great Salt Lake Valley! You can see all the way to the northern end of the lake as well as beyond the Bonneville Salt Flats into Nevada," notes Alan B.

What campers like

Geological formations: Paul Bunyon's Woodpile offers access to unique rock formations with nearby dispersed camping. "We found a great campsite right by the trailhead, the only spot with trees and shade. Easy hike to see the formation, but very hot in July! Lots of coyotes howling at night, but otherwise great!" shares Chloe B.

Night sky viewing: The open desert terrain provides exceptional stargazing opportunities. At White Sands Campground, camper Carolynn D. reports, "We arrived late evening, self pay registration was easy. The Stars were beautiful and the sand was soft and fun to walk in."

Solitude and space: The vast dispersed camping options along Skull Valley Road provide privacy rarely found in more popular camping areas. "Beautiful views, wide open spaces and super quiet," notes Rara B., while Kim J. adds "My favorite place to camp. Other campers are respectful at night and friendly during the day. Nights are quiet and the moon is usually bright."

What you should know

Wind exposure: Desert camping sites offer little natural protection from strong winds. One camper at Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping notes, "Fucking windy night and dusty I hate dust so much. Maybe if I parked down road inside the sagebrush it would have broke the wind."

Limited supplies: Prepare to bring everything you need. At Loop Campground, Naomi W. warns, "I have a small SUV, so I buy firewood and fill up water containers after I've set up camp. I usually expect a decent drive to find what I need, but this involved a very long drive down a rutted gravel road, out of the canyon, and back to Grantsville. I think it was 40 minutes each way."

Insect populations: Expect mosquitoes and flies, especially in warmer months. "LOTS of mosquitoes and flies," reports Rara B. about camping along Highway 196 in Skull Valley.

Tips for camping with families

Consider terrain needs: Camp Eagle Mountain offers a developing campground with some amenities while maintaining a natural setting. "It is a dry area and hot mid-summer, but good base for ATV, bike, and hunting areas. No ATV/bike riding or hunting on the campground - just a good base camp for those types of activities," explains Angela S.

Sand activities: White Sands Campground provides unique terrain for family play. "The sand was soft and fun to walk in. We set up two tents and thoroughly enjoyed the visit," reports Carolynn D.

Distance between sites: Loop Campground offers better spacing between campsites for families wanting privacy. Naomi W. notes, "The campground itself was lovely. Very peaceful, good distance between sites."

Tips from RVers

Road conditions: Many dispersed camping areas require careful navigation. One RVer at Skull Valley reports, "We brought a 30' RV with a lifted Ram 2500 and had no problem driving over the washouts." However, another camper warns, "Dirt road is also real rough, probably not for sedans."

Dump facilities: Lower Narrows Campground and other established sites in South Willow Canyon have no dump stations. Alan B. notes, "There are only 3 sites and there are no water or trash facilities so bring all you need and then pack it all out!"

Electrical considerations: No electricity is available at tent camping sites near Dugway. Campers requiring CPAP machines or other medical devices should bring sufficient battery power or generator capacity where allowed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Dugway, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Dugway, UT is Loop Campground with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Dugway, UT?

TheDyrt.com has all 14 tent camping locations near Dugway, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.