Best Tent Camping near Garden City, UT

Tent camping options near Garden City, Utah include both established campgrounds and dispersed sites in the surrounding mountain terrain. Bear Lake State Park Campground offers tent sites with lakefront access, allowing campers to set up near the turquoise waters often called the "Caribbean of the Rockies." Cottonwood Campground, part of Bear Lake State Park, provides additional tent-specific areas with easier access to Garden City amenities.

Most walk-in tent sites in the area require minimal hiking from parking areas, with distances typically under a quarter mile. Primitive tent setups in Smithfield Dispersed Camping area offer a more rustic experience, with sites featuring uneven terrain and little development beyond established fire rings. These sites lack potable water and sanitary facilities, requiring campers to pack in all supplies and practice proper waste disposal. A review mentioned that "after you've passed the Smithfield campground there are plenty of spots on both sides of the road where you can pull off and have dispersed camping," though many sites accommodate only one or two tents.

The natural setting provides the main appeal for tent campers in this region. Sites along water bodies like Bear Lake offer sandy beaches and gradual-entry swimming areas that tent campers can access directly from their sites. Bear Lake's shallow entry makes it particularly suitable for families. North Fork Campground in St. Charles Canyon features tent-specific areas with greater separation from RV sections, providing a more secluded experience. A recent review noted that "the tent sites had ample room along with metal fire rings and picnic tables." During peak summer months, established campgrounds fill quickly, particularly on weekends, making advance reservations essential for tent campers seeking specific locations. The higher elevation dispersed camping areas typically offer more availability and cooler temperatures than lakeside options.

Best Tent Sites Near Garden City, Utah (21)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Garden City, UT

409 Reviews of 21 Garden City Campgrounds


  • Pat S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Sunrise Campground

    Good campground, easily accessable

    Sunrise CG is located right of hwy 89 about 10 minutes west of Garden City.  The CG sits above Bear Lake. The sites are pretty spacious, heavily wooded with good shade. There are picnic tables and fire rings at each site. There are 27 sites available. There are no hooks or dump stations. There a vault toilets and no showers. there is drinking wager available. This CG can accommodate walk in tent camping to RVs. You can reserve some sites on rec.gov. 

    This was a good stop that was convenient on the way through northern Utah. The camp host was awesome and funny.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 18, 2022

    Allred Flat

    Peaceful, and Lots of Beaver Dams!

     Beautiful, quiet campground. We could hardly hear the road noise, especially from our spot at the furthest end of the loop at #18. We just showed up on a Wednesday and the entire place was empty but many people came throughout the evening. Some hiking trails along the creek where beavers have made extensive dams.

     Several sites are pull through sites, and we only saw a few random sites that had bear boxes. Each site had a picnic table and a fire pit, and was nicely separated from neighboring sites. Each site had a different configuration as well as parking pad length. 

    Anyone from tent campers to large trailers can easily find a spot, larger fifth wheels and class A rigs may have a bit of trouble finding a suitable campsite here. Sites, however are not very level. 3 sets of gendered handicap accessible vault toilets. At least one had a trash bag hanging inside. Otherwise no other trash bins at this campground. There are hand pump water faucets, but a sign said that water is not tested and water should be boiled or treated prior to drinking. We did not try the water but another camper said he pumped for about 30 times and no water came out. 

    Zero cell service for any of the 3 major carriers.

  • Carrie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 23, 2018

    Lake Alice

    Ranger Review: ICEMULE at Lake Alice Campground

    Disclosure: It is NOT 3.5 miles to the campground, it is 1.5 to the lake and another to .25 or so to the camping area on the east side of the lake. The app on my phone was screwy. Sorry for the confusion in my videos.

    Campground Review: For a primitive camping area this place is pretty sweet! They have metal fire rings with grills and there is an outhouse as well. The picnic tables are built of of half hewn logs. I did see that one of the tables at a site was badly broken, so everything is not in the best repair. There was also garbage left behind by the previous visitors which we packed out for them. The views more than make up for it, though! This lake is the most beautiful blue-green color. Lake Alice is home to the only pure lake strain of Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in Wyoming. We caught about 4 this trip but I wasn't quick enough with the camera to share any shots. We had to leave just as the fishing was getting good in the evening. Fish AM/PM, the wind can pick up in the afternoons, and temps rise making fishing not so great in the afternoon. Horseback riders are frequently in the area, so make way for them on the trail. We passed a string of about 8 riders going in further. You can trail ride through all the way to La Barge Creek Road. The campsite at the very beginning of the lake has a primitive corral for the horses. There are a few ambitious folks who have packed canoes into the lake. There are also some forest service water crafts locked away. Maybe if you had the right connections…It would be so fun to canoe this lake!

    If you continue along Poker Creek Trail that follows the east side of the lake, you can visit Mount Isabel which is 5 miles from the start of Lake Alice. Poker Creek Trail will reach LaBarge Creek Road at mile 9.

    Don'f forget to leave no trace! Picking up after others is frustrating.

    Gear Review: ICEMULE Coolers https://icemulecoolers.com/collections/pro-coolers/products/the-icemule-pro-large Occasionally the Dyrt will provide gear to demo on camping trips. I had the opportunity to demo the ICEMULE Pro Large Soft cooler. I have been using this cooler for a little over a month now and it has come along on a variety of adventures and has not failed! This was the longest trek I've carried the cooler. We went for a day trip into Lake Alice. The trail to the lake is 1.5 miles. I was able to pack the fully loaded cooler with lunch, drinks, and snacks for 4, into the lake comfortably. I loved that this cooler has the crisscross bungee cord to hold additional gear. It held my fly rod case snugly as we packed in. The cooler has a vent on the side, you can inflate the side walls to help extend the insulating factor of the cooler. It also helps it float! The bag rolls closed like a dry bag and clips closed. The shoulder straps are adjustable and there is a chest strop for a good fit. It worked just as good as a garbage receptacle as we packed out trash we found in the campground. #leaveitbetterthanyoufoundit

  • Tommy C.
    Aug. 29, 2020

    South Fork (UT)

    AWESOME spot

    Absolutely awesome spot. Hosts were really friendly. Stayed in my pop up camper for a night and there was tons of space for pop up and our site (A1) was the best in the campground, I think. It was secluded with tons of trees. Not all sites had a lot of tree cover. It wasn’t right off the river but it was still only a 30 second walk to the river. There were fire bans in Utah but because of the type of fire set up on concrete and built in fire places, we were able to have a fire all night which was awesome. Also my buddy is a professional singer and brought his guitar so I’m impartial. We had such a great time!!

  • skoerber@moscow.com The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 2, 2025

    Maple Grove Campground

    small campground by the lake

    Stayed one night at the end of May. The road along Oneida Narrows is good graded gravel. At the base of the dam, a sign recommends against large RVs and towed vehicles so I scouted it first, but it's ok, just a little rutted in places. The campground is small, 12 spaces. I suggest not towing a camper that's longer than 20 ft or so, due to the general smallness of the pull ins and the narrowness of the road. Sites have picnic table and fire ring. Vault toilets that were reasonably clean. No water or trash service. There is access to the reservoir shore, but it has a lot of aquatic growth near the shore, which i don't like. So many fish jumping, big ones! I don't know what they were. It was about half full when I was there mid week. Quiet except when the neighbor was playing his trumpet -- are you kidding me?!?! No cell service, Verizon.  Nice shade from the maples. Surrounding ridges are scenic.

  • K
    Aug. 16, 2021

    Magpie Campground

    Got the job done

    We were road tripping through with no reservations. The whole South Fork area has many campgrounds. Magpie is the first and one of the smaller of the campgrounds as you drive up the canyon. We drove through all the campgrounds and didn’t find any hosts to talk with to find out if we could occupy a spot. We thought it would be ok but weren’t sure if we could stay in a spot that had a weekend reservation posted. Plus there was simultaneously not very much shade and lots of overgrown vegetation that made tent camping not very feasible. All the sites with actual river frontage were occupied and most folks had campers. This was especially true at South Fork, Lower Meadows, Upper Meadows & Perception Park campgrounds. We finally found a host at Willows campground who explained the process but we didn’t see any sites we liked there. Magpie actually had some shaded sites so we headed back down there. We grabbed a spot that had no obvious river access but good shade right next to the host site. It was pretty overgrown but had enough of a flat spot to set up our tent and a big concrete pad for the picnic table and huge fire ring. Midweek it was only half full. Campground is literally mere feet from the road. Lots of road noise. Bathrooms were good enough. The host when he finally came around was very nice. The adjacent site was vacant (a double site that cost more $$) and we were able to get to the river there. We stayed two nights mid week and it never filled up but all the sites had weekend reservations. There isn’t a lot of hiking but if you like river recreation or we saw lots of paddle boarders headed up to the reservoir. We drove up Monte Cristo which was still closed for the season but probably would have been more our style. Birding was good around the campground probably due to the river. Again, road noise was annoying but expected. Also note that the forest service’s website was out of date as far as all the campgrounds in this area being open.

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

    North Fork Campground - St. Charles Canyon

    Beautiful Scenery in Idaho Mountains

    This beautiful campground lies close to the end of St Charles Canyon near the Minnetonka Cave.  It has 2 sections one of which is mainly for rvs and the 2nd which is for tents and camper Van's.  The RV spots seemed kind of close but the tent sites had ample room along with metal fire rings and picnic tables.  There was a vault toilet up near the rvs  and down by the tent sites

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 20, 2021

    Wood Camp Campground (Ut) — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    First come, first serve!

    Great area and very clean. The noise from the road isn't very noticeable as you sit along a beautiful creek. It's super relaxing and very afforable! 

    Vault toilets, no water but lots of shade. Each site has a picnic table, tent, and fire pits. Dumpster available when leaving the campground. I would consider this campground more on the primitive side of things.

  • P H.
    Jun. 23, 2020

    Devils Creek RV Park

    Close quarters but friendly faces

    This is an older campground, and space near reservoirs is a hot commodity. The RV park host was very friendly and accommodating. Very clean campground with a nice boat dock and plenty of spaces to get down near the reservoir and fish.

    Warning - Some of the spaces felt like extremely close quarters especially with slide outs. The picture below shows one of the older full utility locations. Some units may not have much room to slide out without contacting the utility boxes. Some units offer great shade and an awning next to a shared fire pit, shared picnic table. Some units have a really nice shared grass area between trailers. Also several people here are seasonal campers with monthly rates. This can make finding a space a little more challenging. Call ahead and make sure to get reservations so you can get a spot.

    Lot size seems inconsistent between spaces as some feel very cramped and some of the high number units without utilities had larger spaces between them, almost appearing as an extra space between two units people were using for pet/kid play areas.

    Dogs are to be kept on leashes, but people should consider short leashes/tie lines as it is easy for pets to cross into adjacent units depending upon where they are staked. Make sure to plan ahead for power adapters. Only one 30amp service so if your planning to run AC, plan to be the first in or coordinate with your neighbor.


Guide to Garden City

Tent camping near Garden City, Utah offers opportunities for solitude and lakeside recreation within the Cache National Forest region. Located at elevations averaging 5,900-6,000 feet, campsites experience temperature swings of 30-40°F between day and night, even during summer months. The area's camping season typically runs May through September, with some sites receiving heavy snow until late spring.

What to do

Water activities at Bear Lake State Park Campground: The shallow, gradual-entry water makes this location popular for families with children. As one camper noted, "The water is perfect and so blue. Really earns the title of the Caribbean of the Rockies. Had my own trail straight to the water facing the sunset."

Hiking near Monte Cristo: The dispersed camping areas provide direct access to numerous trails. "We could not have asked for a more perfect spot. The views were immaculate, the sites were very spread out, it was the end of September and all the leaves were changing," shared one visitor about dispersed camping near Monte Cristo.

Cave exploration: Located near North Fork Campground in St. Charles Canyon, the Minnetonka Cave offers guided tours during summer months. A camper described the area as having "beautiful scenery in Idaho mountains" with a campground that "has 2 sections one of which is mainly for RVs and the 2nd which is for tents and camper Vans."

Winter yurt stays: For off-season adventure, the Green Canyon Yurt offers a unique winter camping option. "The yurt itself can sleep 12, on four twin over full bunk beds. There's a cooking area, table, pots and pans, and of course a pot belly stove to keep it nice and warm," explains a winter visitor.

What campers like

Secluded spots: Maple Creek River Bottoms offers privacy not found at more developed sites. "This private oasis in the woods feels secluded, but you are 6 min away from local amenities. Lots of trees and perfect place to relax around your fire-pit," according to a review of Secluded Maple Creek River Bottoms.

Lakeside access: Direct water access ranks high among tent campers visiting Bear Lake. One visitor shared, "The views were amazing right from our tent! The water was a little on the chilly side so we did more wading than swimming, but you cant ask for too much more in UT/ID."

Fall foliage: Camping during September and October provides spectacular autumn colors. As one camper at Cache National Forest Bridger Campground described, "A great and spacious area worth the trip for sure!" while another added it was "Spacious and not too crowded. Lots of hiking spots!"

Fire rings: Most dispersed sites feature established fire rings. A camper at Monte Cristo noted, "About 1/4 mile down a dirt road from Hwy 39 is a good single boondocking spot with a great view... Has a fire pit but with fire restrictions we didn't have a fire."

What you should know

Limited availability: Dispersed camping fills quickly on weekends. One camper warned about Monte Cristo: "If you leave on Friday plan to get there by 3 at the latest. Spots fill quick."

Road conditions: Many dispersed sites require navigating rough roads. A visitor to Smithfield Dispersed Campsite reported, "No warning that the road narrows with no turn around about a mile into the campground, or the trees are overgrown which scratched up my sides."

Site limitations: Many dispersed sites accommodate only small camping setups. A Smithfield camper explained, "Most of the spots are pretty small and would only work for one or two tents or maybe a couple of hammocks."

Seasonal fire restrictions: Late summer often brings fire bans. "We weren't able to have a fire when we stayed there," reported a Monte Cristo camper in September.

Tips for camping with families

Gradual-entry swimming: Bear Lake State Park's beach features extremely gradual depth changes. A camper described, "The beach has fine sand and the water depth is super gradual - it'll take 50-60 yards to get waist deep."

Look for shaded sites: Cottonwood Campground at Bear Lake State Park offers more tree cover than some lakeside alternatives. "It's a beautiful spot, with full hook ups and lovely campgrounds. The beach is spectacular and lots of other things to do around the lake," noted one visitor.

Consider glamping options: For families new to camping, Garden City offers hybrid accommodations. A visitor to Conestoga Ranch mentioned, "Ranch had a variety of accommodations luxury tents, the Joshua tree house, or the covered wagons. The covered wagons are super unique and can sleep up to six."

Tips from RVers

Site selection cautions: Many dispersed sites won't accommodate larger vehicles. One Monte Cristo camper advised, "Not for large RVs. Our 17 ft trailer with 4x4 was tricky to get into the spot because the loop was so small."

Hookup availability: Cottonwood Campground provides full-service options for RVs near Garden City. One camper noted, "It's a beautiful spot, with full hook ups and lovely campgrounds."

Weather preparedness: The area's elevation means significant temperature variations. At the Idaho section of Bear Lake, one camper advised, "East side also Idaho side. Saint Charles ID elevation 5940 ft. Sites are pretty level they have electric some with water and some with 50amps."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Garden City, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Garden City, UT is Bear Lake State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 14 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 21 tent camping locations near Garden City, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.