Best Dispersed Camping near Farmington, UT

Mountainous terrain near Farmington offers several dispersed camping options within 30-60 minutes of town. Bountiful B Dispersed sites provide creek access and flat areas with established fire rings, though a recent visitor cautioned the area is "LITTERED with spent ammo, broken glass and broken pieces of clay pigeons" due to nearby shooting activity. The access road requires AWD or 4WD vehicles, taking about 30 minutes to navigate the rough terrain.

Several backcountry camping areas exist in nearby canyons, including Millcreek Canyon which requires campers to be at least half a mile from any road. Most canyon camping has seasonal restrictions, with Millcreek sites closed until July 1st each year. Fire restrictions vary by location - Neffs Canyon and several wilderness areas prohibit fires entirely, while others like Monte Cristo area permit them when conditions allow. According to one visitor, the Monte Cristo pull-offs offer "lots of potential sites" that "truly felt like I was away" despite occasional road noise. Most dispersed sites require permits and have strict regulations about distance from roads, water sources, and developed areas.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Farmington, Utah (31)

    1. Bountiful B Dispersed

    3 Reviews
    Bountiful, UT
    7 miles

    "We found a spot that was more of a hill, which made it neat to get around, but the site was LITTERED with spent ammo, broken glass and broken pieces of clay pigeons."

    "There's 4 fire rings around the coords, probably only 3 actual camp sites. The one fire has trails going all around it. If you continue up the mountain, there's more sites at the top."

    2. Millcreek Canyon Backcountry Camping and Yurts

    8 Reviews
    Mounthaven, UT
    23 miles
    Website

    "You can backpack in and camp anywhere a 1/2 mile from any road like the other nearby canyons. Good trails to approach from are Church fork and Lambs Canyon Trailhead."

    "All the camping is backcountry so you can pick any trail and just make sure that you are 1/2 mile off the road and at least 200 ft from developed ares and water."

    3. Middle Fork Conservation Area

    4 Reviews
    Eden, UT
    23 miles
    Website

    "My family and I were driving through and needed a place to stay for the night. We camped the first night that lot camping was allowed (9/10) so it was quiet and peaceful."

    4. Neffs Canyon Dispersed Site

    2 Reviews
    Millcreek, UT
    23 miles

    "We frequently come up here just to sleep outside some nights and head back home in the early morning to get food and shower."

    5. Millcreek Canyon Dispersed Camping

    2 Reviews
    Mounthaven, UT
    26 miles

    "Aire trail there are a few premade dispersed camping spots. 1 is good for groups of 3 tents with a nice big fire pit and the others are smaller for 1 or 2 people sharing a tent."

    "The hike is moderately difficult, especially carrying overnight gear, but it’s super worth it. There are dozens of locations along the trail you can just venture off into to camp."

    6. Mineral Basin Dispersed

    9 Reviews
    Alta, UT
    35 miles

    $6 / night

    "Campground Review: Mineral Basin is located in the Wasatch Mountains to the East of Salt Lake City."

    "The ride up to mineral basin was dirt roads with amazing views. The campsite we settled on was absolutely beautiful."

    7. Lake Desolation Primitive Sites

    1 Review
    Mounthaven, UT
    28 miles

    "The best part about living in Salt Lake City is that you can have brunch at Ruth's Diner at 8am, pack up your car around 10am, leave for the trail by 11am, and be on the trail by 11:30am."

    8. Twin Peaks Wilderness Area - Dispersed

    1 Review
    Mounthaven, UT
    28 miles

    "These are all backcountry sites and you have to be at least a 1/2 mile from any road before camping.  The best spots are more than a mile in at the meadows anyway!"

    9. Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo

    8 Reviews
    Eden, UT
    37 miles

    "About 1/4 mile down a dirt road from Hwy 39 is a good single boondocking spot with a great view. Not for large RVs."

    "Two nice boondocking spots just a short drive on a tight dirt road off the highway. The campsite on the right is bigger, the one on the left is very small."

    10. Albion Basin - Dispersed

    2 Reviews
    Alta, UT
    32 miles

    "Area is not illuminated, as is expected, so I prepared a headlamp and a backup lantern for the hike."

    "Another beautiful dispersed campground site that sits in a beautiful meadow at the top of one of the busiest canyons in the country!"

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Farmington, UT

82 Reviews of 31 Farmington Campgrounds


  • Jenny R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 13, 2018

    Pittsburg Lake Dispersed

    Ranger Review: Matador Camera Base Layer at Pittsburg Lake UT

    Campground Review: Dispersed camping at Pittsburg Lake, Utah

    Because I am into hiking and exploring national forest camping this summer, I found a fun adventure at Pittsburg Lake in the Uinta National Forest in the Wasatch Mountains. Getting there—the hike is a 1.5 mile hike up to the lake. Getting to the trail head is a dusty, dirt road behind Midway, UT. You are driving on dirt road for approximately 6-7 miles and will encounter at least two stream crossings. One crossing is cobblestoned, the other is driving up the stream for 50 feet right before the trail head. Therefore, a high clearance vehicle is highly recommended, if not necessary. There are a lot of off roading trails back in this area so you will encounter lots of RZRs, dirtbikes, 4-wheelers, jeeps, etc on your way to the trailhead but a non-lowered car can handle the road if the driver is comfortable. The really rocky section is past the trail head. Anyway, long dusty road to the trailhead then then hike is 1.5 miles all uphill with 1500 ft of elevation gain. You are hiking on a very rocky old mining road. My husband and I decided we wanted to really punish ourselves and we hiked up with an inflatable paddle board in addition to my stuff for camping. The hike is totally doable even with a lot of gear, just go slow and be careful of your footing. To be honest, I felt sorer after the hike down then after the hike up. So you make it up the trail and you come to a beautiful, small alpine lake. The lake is approximately .33 miles around and has trout for fishing. There is even an old homestead cabin to explore. The lake has many human-made fire pits scattered all around depending if you want to be right on the lake or if you want to tuck back farther into the woods. I found a spot close to the lake for easy paddle board access where I could hang my hammock. This was my first adventure in hammock camping and I actually enjoyed it. The views are so pretty and you are on the backside of Snowbird Ski Area. The area was beautiful and I wish I saw more wildlife (I have heard rumors of elk and moose sightings).

    I am giving this camping area 4 stars not because of the area itself (it is free, beautiful, relaxing, etc.) but because of the other people who were staying up there made it not the best night for a female solo camper with her dog. There was another group camping about 200 meters away but I don’t think they knew I was there and they were up late making a lot of noise. Every time I was about to fall asleep, I would hear them chop wood or yell for an echo or make some other non-natural noise that would keep me awake (plus my imagination would start to run away from me). There was also another couple who decided to camp up there and needed to borrow a lighter but ended up leaving around 2AM. So whenever they came close to my camp, my wonderful protective dog would growl and raise the alarm, again, inhibiting my ability to fall asleep. The other annoyance was the flies. I am not sure if it is just the spot that I chose that had a lot of flies or they would have followed me wherever I set up camp. They didn’t bite and were more annoying than anything. I think my dog ate a few dozen as they buzzed around her head. So due to those negatives, the spot gets dinged a star.

    Overall, it was worth carrying the paddle board up to the lake as I was able to relax and float and tool around. You can’t go very far but being on the water is always a good time. I could read my book in the hammock and go for exploratory hikes in the area. Final thought, it is National Forest camping so please, please, please follow leave no trace principles to keep the area nice for future visitors.

    Gear Review: Matador Camera Base Layer

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get the opportunity to test out gear from our awesome partners once in a while. While I was camping at Pittsburg Lake, I had the opportunity to try out the Matador Camera Base Layer. Because I am a glutton for punishment, I decided to haul a bunch of gear up to Pittsburg Lake and it included by nice DSLR camera. Photography is a fun hobby I have been playing around with for a few years, but I come across the problem of how to safely get my camera places without carrying either an additional camera bag that takes up a lot of space or wrapping my camera up in a sweatshirt or other piece of clothing to protect it with a smaller profile. Well, the Matador camera base layer has officially solved my problem. Hooray! The base layer is basically a padded, contoured, dry sack for my camera. Place the camera lens down, then roll and clip the top like a dry sack. It has holes to allow your camera neck or wrist straps to come through so you can wear your camera while it is being protected. Because it is from Matador, it is super lightweight but it does not feel flimsy, thin, or not durable. I was able to stuff my camera in the top of my paddle board bag while hiking up and down and I felt comfortable that nothing would be broken when I got to the top. It protected it from the dirt and dust that gets on everything when you are camping so it helped to keep things cleaner. I also took my camera for a hike with no additional backpacks and I clipped the base layer around my wrist so it wouldn’t get in the way. Besides being a bit hot, it was a great way to keep track of the base layer. I cannot convey how happy I am to have this piece of equipment in my gear box. While I am no Ansel Adams, being able to take more pictures with my camera and not just my phone while I am out on adventures will add another dimension to my activities and help me develop a new skill. The only thing I might want to improve is a small piece of Velcro on the bottom to help keep the waterproof cover inside its little pocket. But this is so minor in the grand scheme of things. If you are into photography at all, I highly recommend looking into this product.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2024

    Cascade Springs Dispersed Site

    Great Camping and Off-Roading

    The views are great but the road is definitely washed out. You will need 4WD and high clearance to pass through the washouts and rocks which start near the entrance and go all the way to the top.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2022

    Horseshoe Knoll - Dispersed Camping

    Remote and spacious

    The GPS coordinates appear to be a bit further north from the accessible camping and it seems like a solar farm was built there recently. We kept driving south on the 196 for a few miles and took some washed out roads in closer to the mountains to find some campsites. Probably don’t need 4WD but low clearance vehicles might have trouble. Not the flatest pullouts but workable and you’ll have the area to yourselves. Lots of biting bugs and moths. Not much shade to be found.

  • Sara R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 10, 2020

    Horseshoe Knoll - Dispersed Camping

    Good primitive stop for an I-80 trip

    Good dispersed campsite, especially if you’re on a road trip along I-80 (which we were, evacuating from a wildfire in CA). There are no hookups or services. This is really just a spot of BLM land that has some fairly level sites cleared. Some sites probably required 4WD. Looks like it would be really fun for OHV’s. We were car camping, so didn’t have to worry to much about space. From what we could tell there were probably only a couple good spots for an RV or tow-behind. There are no reservations, just find a place where your car fits and park it.

    Rumor has it there’s a neat stream nearby, but we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

  • Jon J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 30, 2023

    Cascade Springs Dispersed Site

    Amazing looking spot and very isolated

    There was a weird spot when Google maps told us to go right (staying on the paved road) while there was an "alternate" route up a dirt road to the coordinates on the dyrt. The dirt road is the correct way to get up there, don't follow the paved road.

    Pulling our small off road camper up was challenging in spots due to the heavy rutting and runoff but when we made it up it was a spectacular area!

    I'm sure this is a seasonal thing but we ended up bailing out and headed back down the mountain because of the mosquitos. I've never seen anything like it! We arrived around dusk and the mosquitoes were on us like starving piranhas as soon as we stepped out of the vehicle. Seriously, 40+ swarming each tire, all over the doors and windows, and us even after drenching ourselves with bug spray.

    We hope to try the spot again later in the season when all this moisture lets up a bit because it really looked lovely

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 21, 2020

    Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo

    Boondocking site on a hill

    About 1/4 mile down a dirt road from Hwy 39 is a good single boondocking spot with a great view. Not for large RVs. Our 17 ft trailer with 4x4 was tricky to get into the spot because the loop was so small. Has a fire pit but with fire restrictions we didn’t have a fire. The view is fantastic of hills covered with aspen and fir trees. Quiet but cars can be heard now and then.

    There are many other boondocking spots in this area but this one is a good one.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2023

    Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo

    Beautiful and secluded

    Two nice boondocking spots just a short drive on a tight dirt road off the highway. The campsite on the right is bigger, the one on the left is very small. Very popular for hunters in September, so you'll have lots of people walking right by your camp. The views are beautiful, but it can get quite blustery. We weren't able to have a fire when we stayed there.

  • rThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 15, 2024

    Eagle Mountain Dispersed

    Remote but hard to get to

    This is BLM. A couple of different camping sites. Most have fire rings but no water or bathrooms. You will need a 4x4 with high clearance to get up the mountain (the road is rough). There are sites at the bottom of the mountain that you can get an RV or car in but those are crowded and around the shooting range. We had a great time at the top with beautiful views and quiet. Nobody else around. oHV area too.

  • Jenny R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2019

    Mineral Basin Dispersed

    Ranger Review: Banner & Oak Apparel at Mineral Basin Dispersed

    Campground Review: Mineral Basin is located in the Wasatch Mountains to the East of Salt Lake City. If you have ever skied Snowbird, this camping area is the same as the backside and keep going down. This area is beautiful and primitive camping. Resulting in two major points: It is free and in order to keep it nice, please pack out what you pack in!! We accessed this area via the east side and Wasatch State Park and Midway, UT. It is a long dirt road which is relatively maintained. There is a lot of side by side activity on these roads so some of the corners have been banked/rutted out but a non-lowered vehicle should be able to navigate the roads with only a few bottom scrapes.(If you want to drive a bit higher into Mineral Basin than our campsite, a high clearance or off-road vehicle is required). We have seen tents as well as trailers camping in this area(as long as you are comfortable pulling your trailer on unpaved mountain roads). The campsite we chose was off a small spur road which offered privacy and was along a small stream. The flowing water provided some great ambiance and white noise while we slept. As with other primitive camping, there is nothing here with regards to amenities with the exception of an established fire ring. Our site did have a nice flat spot dug out but that may not be the case for all the spots. We brought everything we needed for a one-night excursion and couldn't have had a better time. There are some hiking trails nearby (Pittsburgh Lakes trailhead was just a little farther up the road from us) and lots of open space for my husband to run the dog out by chasing his RC car. We visited in September before the leaves started to change, but fall would be a beautiful time to camp, but be prepared for cold once the sun goes down. Overall, this is my type of camping--primitive and isolated to enjoy being outside. 

    Gear Review: Banner & Oak Apparel and Hats

    As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get the awesome opportunity to test out gear once in a while. While I was in Mineral Basin, I had the chance to try out a shirt as well as a hat from Banner and Oak. Being a busty female, I am always hesitant to purchase female cut clothing online as sizing is so inconsistent I can never be sure of it fitting. However, I was very surprised (and pleased) to have the Coyote - Indigo shirt not only fit but was comfortable. The female cut with shorter sleeves and contoured sides made me feel like I was wearing a comfy tee without the boxy feel. The material is a soft jersey blend which didn't shrink when washed. I think this is going to be my go-to shirt for everyday summer wear as well as my outdoor adventures. I also purchased a few hats. Because I was not too excited about the ladies hats (the only design I liked was in pink and I am not a pink kinda gal), I purchased the men's Bighorn - Khaki for myself and the Switchback - Gray for my husband. The Bighorn  has a curved brim which the Switchback is a flat brim. Both have adjustable mesh backs but if you tighten it too much it will look a little funny. These are definitely men's hats as they crown is taller but I didn't mind it. The construction of these hats is very sturdy--the crown is solid and won't become misshapen if it is caught in the rain (or left out for morning dew like mine was). I also liked the color scheme which as earthy and outdoorsy--definitely that go-to hat for outdoor adventures. The only negative I found is the brim inside will need to be worn in a little as the build it rigid and the fabric is a little scratchy as it is more of a canvas material. Overall, Banner and Oak has created a great line of products which are fashionable, comfortable, and most importantly durable to keep up with the outdoor enthusiast.


Guide to Farmington

Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Farmington, Utah, where nature meets adventure. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, these spots offer a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Scenic Trails for Hiking Enthusiasts

Ideal Spots for Stargazing

  • The serene environment at Lake Desolation Primitive Sites makes it a fantastic location for stargazing, where you can enjoy clear skies and breathtaking views of the Milky Way.
  • Campers at Pittsburg Lake Dispersed have reported exceptional stargazing opportunities, especially during the summer months when the nights are warm and clear.
  • The remote setting of Mineral Basin Dispersed allows for minimal light pollution, making it an excellent choice for those looking to catch a glimpse of shooting stars.

Family-Friendly Activities While Free Camping Near Farmington

  • Families will love the accessibility of Millcreek Canyon Dispersed Camping, where picnic tables and fire pits are available, making it easy to enjoy meals together in nature.
  • The Dog Lake Dispersed Campground is pet-friendly, allowing families to bring their furry friends along for hikes and outdoor fun.
  • Kids can explore the trails and enjoy the natural beauty at Albion Basin - Dispersed, where the surrounding meadows and lakes provide ample opportunities for adventure and discovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Farmington Canyon camping located in Utah?

Farmington Canyon camping is located in the Wasatch Mountains east of Farmington, Utah, about 20 miles north of Salt Lake City. This area is part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, offering dispersed camping opportunities with scenic mountain views. For similar experiences in the Wasatch range, Mineral Basin Dispersed is located to the east of Salt Lake City in the same mountain range, accessible via the backside of Snowbird ski resort. The entire Farmington Canyon area provides access to numerous trails and outdoor recreation opportunities while being relatively close to urban amenities.

Are there free dispersed camping sites in Farmington Canyon?

Yes, Farmington Canyon offers free dispersed camping sites throughout the area. As part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, these sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis with no reservation system or fees. Similar free dispersed camping can be found at Horseshoe Knoll - Dispersed Camping on BLM land, which offers cleared, fairly level sites without hookups or services. Another option is Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo, which provides boondocking spots with great views about a quarter mile down a dirt road from Highway 39. Remember that free dispersed sites typically lack amenities like restrooms, potable water, or garbage service.

What regulations apply to dispersed camping in Farmington Canyon?

Dispersed camping in Farmington Canyon follows standard National Forest regulations: camp at least 150 feet from water sources, roads, and trails; observe fire restrictions, which are common during dry seasons; follow Leave No Trace principles; and limit stays to 14 days within a 30-day period. Pack out all trash and waste. Similar regulations apply at Cascade Springs Dispersed Site, where high-clearance 4WD vehicles are often needed to access camping areas. At Eagle Mountain Dispersed, camping on BLM land requires proper waste management with no facilities available. Check for current fire restrictions before your trip, as they change seasonally based on conditions.