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Best Dispersed Camping near Elsinore, UT

208 Reviews

Dispersed camping opportunities abound near Elsinore, Utah, with several primitive sites available on public lands. Mountain Mecca offers free camping with both drive-in and walk-in access suitable for tents and RVs. Shingle Creek dispersed area provides similar accommodations with established fire rings and primitive conditions. According to reviews, "The road getting up is about 4 miles of dirt road, 4x4 recommended but I made it up in my Prius." Most sites lack amenities such as toilets, drinking water, or trash service, requiring visitors to be fully self-sufficient.

Visitors should prepare for variable weather conditions in this high desert region. Daytime temperatures can reach the 60s while nighttime lows may drop into the 20s, particularly in spring and fall. Several campers noted significant wind exposure at sites like Beas Lewis Flat: "It was extremely windy and the ground is majorly rock, so staking tents for the wind is very difficult." Cell service varies by location and carrier, with Verizon and AT&T generally providing reliable coverage at most sites.

These public lands operate under strict leave-no-trace principles. Pack out all trash and waste, as no disposal facilities exist at most locations. Fire restrictions are common during dry periods; always check current regulations before your visit. When fires are permitted, use only established fire rings and ensure fires are completely extinguished. The 14-day stay limit applies to most dispersed camping areas. Wildlife sightings are possible; proper food storage is essential. The nearby town of Torrey provides basic supplies, while larger grocery options require traveling to Loa, approximately 18 miles west.

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Best Dispersed Sites Near Elsinore, Utah (63)

    1. Mountain Mecca

    3 Reviews
    Richfield, UT
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 896-9233

    "Road goes up past water tower and recommends using 4wd to come up to prevent washboard, but any vehicle with awe would do. No amenities and very private."

    "Beautiful scenery and just right outside of town. Very easy to access for most. I did see an RV camping but it had to be a bit more difficult for them."

    2. Big Lake Cua Dispersed

    2 Reviews
    Monroe, UT
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 896-9233

    "Big lake and deep lake are so much fun. Camping here is my all time favorite. Fish, salamanders, cougars, and plenty of elk all over make it a wonderful place to camp."

    3. Meadow Hot Springs

    8 Reviews
    Meadow, UT
    23 miles

    "Road is bumpy and may be difficult for cars to get back to the main spring but you can always park and walk. Be sure not to leave any trash as this is private property owned by super nice people!"

    "There are 3 natural hot spring bath tubes on a private property in the meadows. Camping among the cows and having a bath in a natural hot tub while the sun is rising - it's a dream."

    4. Koosharem Reservoir

    2 Reviews
    Monroe, UT
    17 miles

    "Easy access on a gravel road. Public restroom was clean."

    5. Glenwood Hills Dispersed

    1 Review
    Sigurd, UT
    12 miles

    6. Shingle creek dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Sevier, UT
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 896-9233

    "The road getting up is about 4 miles of dirt road, 4x4 recommended but i made it up in my prius. There were a few rvs parked earlier down the road with larger trees and less of a view."

    7. Capitol Reef National Park Dispersed Camping

    50 Reviews
    Torrey, UT
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 425-3791

    "We had not dabbled into BLM (Bureau of Land Management) camping before, but this experience would encourage us to utilize it throughout the rest of our year-long trip to the national parks."

    "We were not planning on going to Capitol Reef on our Utah trip but we got some unexpected snow at Canyonlands so we headed out early. So glad we made the trip!"

    8. Beas Lewis Flat Dispersed

    45 Reviews
    Torrey, UT
    49 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 896-1500

    "We spent a week along Beas Lewis Flat Road just outside of Torrey, to explore Capitol Reef National Park. This is free BLM dispersed camping with a 14-day stay limit, no sites or services provided."

    "Easy drive in, wide, dirt roads. Must be at least a hundred different sites."

    9. Fish Lake National Forest

    5 Reviews
    Salina, UT
    27 miles

    "This was our first time boondocking and this spot did not disappoint! It’s convenient to I-70 but feels very remote. We passed one other camper on the way in."

    "Close to the highway, far enough to not really hear it."

    10. Manning Meadows Cua Dispersed

    Be the first to review!
    Fishlake National Forest, UT
    14 miles
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Recent Free Dispersed Camping Photos near Elsinore, UT

105 Photos of 63 Elsinore Campgrounds

Dispersed Camping Reviews near Elsinore, UT

208 Reviews of 63 Elsinore Campgrounds

  • SwitchbackKids
    Jun. 26, 2017

    Capitol Reef National Park Dispersed Camping

    Free and easy access to Capitol Reef National Park!

    After visiting two very popular Utah parks -- Zion and Bryce Canyon -- Capitol Reef was a breath of fresh air. And one of our favorite parts about visiting this park is that it was almost totally free!

    When we arrived at the visitor center, they informed us that their only developed campground, Fruita Campground (first-come-first-served only, not reservable) was full for the night, and rangers were ready with a handout full of alternative camping areas. We had not dabbled into BLM (Bureau of Land Management) camping before, but this experience would encourage us to utilize it throughout the rest of our year-long trip to the national parks.

    This “campground” is located about a mile outside of the national park, which allows great access to everything inside Capitol Reef. Usually free camping like this is harder to discover, but this pull-off is just off the road.

    Benefits of camping in BLM land include the cost (free!), solitude (you can be as far away from people as you’d like), and easy access to the national park (in fact, most national parks are surrounded with National Forest Service or BLM land!). Downsides, of course, include the lack of amenities, the sometimes uninspiring scenery, and the feeling of uneasiness (can I really just camp here? For free?)

    Capitol Reef’s BLM camping is plentiful, but this site was definitely the best. We were able to drive up on a high ridge of the pull-out area that the RVs could not easily access, so we felt alone and watched the gorgeous sunsets from our campsite each night.

    During our five days in the park, we had some favorite activities: backpacking in Upper Muley Creek, hiking to Cassidy Arch, picking and eating fruit right off the trees in the historic orchards, hiking the tough Navajo Knobs trail, and, most of all, the Sulphur Creek trail through a narrow beautiful creek with three waterfalls to climb down.

    You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Capitol Reef)

  • Marc G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 26, 2021

    Beas Lewis Flat Dispersed

    Beautiful boondocking between Torrey and Capitol Reef NP

    We spent a week along Beas Lewis Flat Road just outside of Torrey, to explore Capitol Reef National Park. This is free BLM dispersed camping with a 14-day stay limit, no sites or services provided. The first camping areas off of UT-24 get crazy busy, to the point that it looked more like a crowded RV park than a peaceful boondocking area; however, make a right just past the cattle grate and you can go several miles back in, in search of solitude. Just after making that right there's a small dry wash to cross that requires some clearance and decent approach/departure angles, but other than that the condition of the road is superb. Views stretch to the red rock cliffs north of UT-24 from Torrey to the National Park, including Capitol Reef itself and the Henry Mountains beyond. Cell service was solid on both Verizon and AT&T, and we had no issues working on VPN from our location or streaming HD video. There's a small general store in Torrey with a few staples and even a laundry available, but the nearest small-town supermarket is in Loa, 18 miles west of Torrey. We found the prices there to be reasonable given the location. You may get water and dump at the Fruita Campground inside the National Park for $5.
    Watch our full-length video on both the camping and the National Park: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=296k\_D3AZIE

  • Megan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 17, 2025

    Beas Lewis Flat Dispersed

    Easy drive in dispersed camping

    Easy drive in, wide, dirt roads. Must be at least a hundred different sites. Some are group sites with multiple fire pits all close together and there are several other roads leading to many other spots. Not much shading due to the short trees and shrubbery. Temps when I stayed were 60⁰s during the day and low 20⁰s at night. No dumping, no connections, this is off grid camping/boondocking.

  • Shay F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 12, 2019

    Capitol Reef National Park Dispersed Camping

    Free camping, beautiful scenery. Is this heaven?

    We were not planning on going to Capitol Reef on our Utah trip but we got some unexpected snow at Canyonlands so we headed out early. So glad we made the trip! Capitol Reef had lots of wildlife like Deer and Bighorn Sheep and petroglyphs that were really cool to hike to and see.

    Along with the petroglyphs, there is the historic hike to the site of the Pioneer Register.  Mormon pioneers signed their names on the cliff walls as they were traveling though.  Some signatures are over 125 years old. https://utahsadventurefamily.com/pioneer-register-hike-capitol-reef/ does a nice description. 

    Me made a stop at Goblin Valley State Park so we arrived to Capitol Reef a bit later than we would have liked. All the standard campgrounds were full but the ranger at the visitor center told us to head out of the park towards the town of Torrey and almost immediately on our right there was free BLM camping land.

    Totally free, no amenities, but what a beautiful night!! It was cold! But so quiet even though we had many neighbors on their own Utah adventures. Our neighbors were a single girl in a truck and cab over camper from Alaska, and a couple in a blue school bus. Quite the assortment. Obviously, a variety of vehicles will make it our there.

    No toilet, leave no trace, no fires. Totally a park, sleep, and go spot. There is so much to see and do in Utah, that is ok by me! We woke up, drove into Torrey, picked up a cup of coffee, and started hiking down Capitol Gulch with no one else around.

  • Josh G.
    Jun. 23, 2021

    Beas Lewis Flat Dispersed

    Great spot on BLM lands

    This is a not so hidden gem of a camping spot for you and your family. Miles of trails leading to sites. Many very dispersed. Obviously no hookups but some of the beat views, sun rises, sun sets in or around Capitol Reef. Plus the lack of crowds made this very enjoyable. With a pass like America the beautiful, you may stay for 14 days. Enjoy!

  • Evan
    Apr. 20, 2022

    Capitol Reef National Park Dispersed Camping

    Nice spot, a tad crowded

    Camped here while doing some hiking in the park, can’t beat how close it is. it’s a decent spot, not exactly the prettiest, but lots of sites though. There’s also a nice little hike (cooks mesa) that’s trailhead is nearby.

    I was here during easter weekend so there were a dozen RVs and a group of somewhat noisy car campers, but maybe it’d be more peaceful another time.

    The area is literally right off the road, however the dirt road that goes through it is a bit rugged so i’d be careful without high clearance/awd, should be okay though.

    Free, but no bathrooms so bring a trowel and some tp ;)

  • Richard M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 21, 2025

    Capitol Reef Dispersed Camping

    Awesome scenery

    Cool dispersed spot with great views. There’s a canyon that you can park pretty close to the edge. Some spots probably need 4x4 with decent clearance, but most are accessible if you drive slow. Also, the ground is solid rock and it can be windy, so tents might have a rough time. Perfect for car camping and vans. No water/trash/bathrooms, fully dispersed.

  • Theresa R.
    Oct. 22, 2020

    Route 24 Dispersed Camping - Capitol Reef

    A great site for the price!

    Just to let folks know, this is not a BLM site. BLM sites have a pay station right when you pull into the campground. This one does not, and I believe it is Utah state land that is managed by SITLA . (Google that if you want.). Anyway it was Wednesday October 21, and we pulled in here about 2 PM. I would say the campground was about half full and we did manage to find a spot that was pretty level. There were several spots that had small trees near them and those were all taken for obvious reasons.

    We were traveling on Highway 24 South going west, and about 5 miles past the northernmost entrance to the park, is the dirt road that leads to the campground. Past the first dirt road there’s another dirt road with other campers, but we did not go down there.

    The best part of this free camping ground is that the Internet is working great! We are not on Wi-Fi, but we have unlimited data and are very happy with our reception.

    It is a little close to Highway 24, but as I write this at 11 PM, I don’t hear a thing on the road.

    I highly recommend this free campground!

  • Brad B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 20, 2019

    Black Flat Cua Dispersed

    Close to U.M. Creek. The views are amazing!!

    This is a GEM if you like to not see a lot of people and love the outdoors. This is a first come first serve camp area and there is no picnic tables and few out houses so please pack out your garbage and keep this area beautiful. There is some amazing fly fishing in the creeks and lakes in this area. The dirt road is well maintained and you can get a car or truck or trailer in no problem. Lots of amazing trails for side by sides and 4 wheelers.

Guide to Elsinore

Dispersed camping near Elsinore, Utah, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those seeking adventure and tranquility.

Dispersed campers should check out Meadow Hot Springs

  • The Meadow Hot Springs provides a serene setting with natural hot springs, making it a perfect spot for relaxation after a day of exploring.
  • Visitors recommend bringing a self-contained bathroom, as there are no restrooms available, ensuring a more private experience.
  • The road leading to the springs can be bumpy, so be prepared for a bit of a rugged drive.

Tips for free and dispersed camping near Elsinore, Utah

  • At Shingle Creek Dispersed, you can find several spots along a dirt road, ideal for those looking for a quiet retreat away from the hustle and bustle.
  • Make sure to pack out what you pack in, as there are no trash facilities available, helping to keep the area pristine for future visitors.
  • This location is pet-friendly, allowing you to bring your furry friends along for the adventure.

Fishing and wildlife watching while free camping near Elsinore

  • The Big Lake Cua Dispersed is a fantastic spot for fishing enthusiasts, with abundant wildlife including elk and cougars in the surrounding area.
  • Campers have reported enjoying the peaceful atmosphere while fishing and observing the local fauna, making it a memorable experience.
  • The area is well-suited for hiking, providing access to beautiful trails that showcase the stunning natural beauty of Utah.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Elsinore, UT is Mountain Mecca with a 4.3-star rating from 3 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 63 dispersed camping locations near Elsinore, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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