H
Hannah B.
Scout
ScoutMountain Valley RV Resort
Feb Ski Trip
Loved this spot! Very affordable, great amenities.
Best Campgrounds near Highland, UT
The Wasatch Front foothills near Highland, Utah feature several established campgrounds surrounded by mountains and canyons. Granite Flat and Little Mill campgrounds in American Fork Canyon provide developed sites suitable for tent and RV camping, while areas around Utah Lake State Park offer waterfront options. Most campsites in the region accommodate both tent and RV setups, though amenities vary considerably between locations. The campground selection includes options ranging from fully developed sites with electric hookups and showers to more primitive locations with basic vault toilets and fire rings.
The camping season in this region typically runs from April through October, with most mountain campgrounds closing during winter months. "We LOVED Little Mill! It's the perfect campground. It has the smell of pine trees, a babbling brook, and it is just down the road from Timpanogos Cave National Monument," noted one visitor about a popular camping area. Many campgrounds require advance reservations through Recreation.gov, particularly during summer weekends when sites fill quickly. Road access to higher elevation sites can be limited by snow until late spring, while canyon campgrounds like Little Mill remain accessible earlier in the season. Weather conditions vary significantly with elevation, with mountain campgrounds experiencing cooler temperatures even during summer months. Cell phone coverage is generally available near major roads but becomes spotty in more remote areas and deep canyons.
Campgrounds with creek or river access receive particularly positive reviews, with campers highlighting opportunities for fishing, wading, and the pleasant ambient sound of running water. Several visitors mentioned road noise as a potential drawback at Little Mill Campground despite its scenic setting. American Fork Canyon provides convenient access to popular attractions like Timpanogos Cave National Monument and Tibble Fork Reservoir, making the nearby campgrounds excellent base camps for exploration. The proximity to urban areas means many campgrounds fill quickly on weekends, with visitors recommending mid-week stays for those seeking more solitude. Wildlife sightings including deer, elk, and wild turkeys are frequently mentioned in visitor reviews, adding to the outdoor experience while remaining close to urban amenities in the nearby Utah Valley.
Best Camping Sites Near Highland, Utah (264)
1. Granite Flat (utah)
38 ReviewsMutual Dell, UT8 milesWebsite+1 (801) 785-3563$27 - $355 / night
"Tucked in very back. Long ways to walk from car. Water spout next to car area. Will be sharing parking with 2 other sites. 2 lakes nearby. Fire pit with grill gate. Shaded area."
"Utah is such an amazing place to visit for the outdoors. My family and I come here once a year because we love hiking and being in the outdoors."
2. Little Mill
21 ReviewsMutual Dell, UT6 milesWebsite+1 (801) 785-3563$27 - $227 / night
"We got a site with access to the river which my kids really enjoyed. There was a fun giant "sliding rock" in the area to climb on. Lots of trees for hammocks."
"The site we stayed at had many trees around to hang hammocks and also eat and picnic in the shade. There are brand new camp fires in all sites."
3. Nunns Park
27 ReviewsAspen Grove, UT11 milesWebsite+1 (801) 851-8640"The only bad part about this camp site is all the highway noise. It is close to the Provo river and there is lots of shade so that is nice. Great place to have a camp fire and cook some S'mores. "
"Close in to town, very pretty with Provo river next to it. Bike path and highway noise can be distracting."
4. Willow Park Campground
17 ReviewsLehi, UT7 milesWebsite+1 (385) 201-1000$25 - $175 / night
"This campground was nestled in the middle of Lehi Utah and it was a great place for us to swing in for one night."
"We were able to get a spot next to the Jordan River under a beautiful tree. We brought our 16ft camper and didn’t need to back it in or anything."
5. Lakeside RV Campground
27 ReviewsOrem, UT14 milesWebsite+1 (801) 373-5267$31 - $48 / night
"Lakeside was our home for 3 nights while we were in town for Provo’s annual Colonial Festival."
"You're super close to amenities and anything you could want to see in town, as well as Utah Lake."
6. Tanners Flat
19 ReviewsSnowbird, UT11 milesWebsite+1 (801) 733-2660$29 - $215 / night
"It was quiet, tucked away from anyone. Didn't really see anyone for the three days we are there. Our site was next to the river, which really helped drown out all other sounds! "
"We had site 11 close to the bathroom and in a flat, sunny clearing surrounded by trees. You could hear the nearby road a bit and see the mountains a little bit."
7. Timpooneke
15 ReviewsMutual Dell, UT8 milesWebsite+1 (801) 785-3563$27 - $204 / night
"I love how it is near a river. You can hear it at night. It's so nice to get to a cool area out of the hot valley and into the cool scenic back country of Utah county."
"While there are many campgrounds in Utah that rival it, this one is special because it's such a short drive after work."
8. Spruces - Big Cottonwood
32 ReviewsMounthaven, UT16 milesWebsite+1 (801) 733-2660$29 - $327 / night
"Bathrooms always close by, no showers. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit. If you’re lucky, you can get a site close to the creek. Nice, cool nights in the summer."
"Right up Big Cottonwood Canyon, this campground has the advantage of being up the canyon so you feel far away from the city, but close enough that you could go on a work night and still make it to the"
9. Utah Lake State Park Campground
21 ReviewsOrem, UT14 milesWebsite+1 (801) 375-0731$50 - $100 / night
"Gorgeous view across the lake. Quiet. Electricity worked well. Extremely clean. Camp hosts were nowhere to be found and another rig had claimed the end lake-adjacent site I paid for."
"This my 3 stay here at Utah Lake state park. 2x in July and now in September. I’m a single female traveler."
10. Mt. Timpanogos
12 ReviewsAspen Grove, UT10 milesWebsite+1 (801) 785-3563$28 / night
"This campground is within 40 minutes of town, but feels like you are far away from your worries. There is a stream that runs thru it and a lot of trees that provide plenty of shade."
"This area, really all of American Fork Canyon is among the prettiest places in Utah Valley. Go! Camp! Hike Timp!"
Recent Camping Photos near Highland, UT
345 Photos of 264 Highland Campgrounds
Lilliana J.
Sawmill Picnic
Michelle B.
Anderson Park
Stacy R.
Little Mill
Timmy B.
Willow Park Campground
Tom B.
Timpooneke
Megan H.
Granite Flat (utah)
Ash S.
Salamander Flat
Derek E.
Red Pine Lake
Emma H.
Silver Lake Backcountry
Elijah C.
Mount Timpanogos Campground
Kaelin P.
Mt. Timpanogos
The Dyrt
Channel Manager Sample
Recent Reviews near Highland, UT
1423 Reviews of 264 Highland Campgrounds
- EElise F.
TravelerSalt Lake City KOA
Winter camping in Salt Lake City
We winter camped here so we could ski. It’s a great location about 40-50 minutes to 6 resorts. It is in the city so not in the wilderness but all the sites have one tree and a patch of grass and a picnic table. There is a small off leash dog pen and a self dog wash. Also hot tub, showers, toilets that were clean. We did not use the hot tub or the laundry. The campground is well maintained. Our first site was slightly unleveled so we asked to switch and they accommodated that request. We did have to pay a little extra for that site. We stayed a total of 3 nights. We were going to stay longer but learned that you can’t have dogs in Cottonwood Canyon which meant we couldn’t ski at those resorts so we asked to get out of our reservation early and the KOA accommodated that as well.
- SSandraTraveler
Pine Creek Campground — Wasatch Mountain State Park
Stayed in yurt
The yurt was a great experience during the winter. The entire campground was closed, except for the yurt and the couple cabins on site. It was super quiet. It had 2 electric fireplaces which kept the yurt nice and toasty. It has a bunk bed with queen size mattresses which were comfy. There was a refrigerator and microwave. There is access to potable water right outside the yurt. You do have to walk about 500 yards to the yurt from the parking space, but the privacy is worth it. Rate was $75 per night during the week and $100 per night during the weekend. I will definitely be returning.
- DDouglas C.Scout
Saratoga Springs Backcountry
Multiple spots for dispersed camping
3 stars as dry and dusty with no facilities, but a good place to stop for a night if passing thru or many nights if you're an ATVer.
We live near the area and if you take the dirt Soldier Pass road off highway 68 between Lake Utah and Cedar Fort, there a many many good and level dispersed sites. Lots of junipers once you climb in elevation. No houses within miles. The Utah County gun range is located ~1 mile off highway 68 on this road, but better camping spots are further on anyway. The main dirt road is county maintained and can be done by any car. As is the road up to the Lake Mountain summit for great views and additional sites.
There is a free formal BLM dispersed camping area off highway 68 a few miles north of Soldier Pass road. Zero facilities. There are campers on it year round. Spots on both sides of the highway. Look for signs. To me, these sites are kinda bleak, but have good lake views. Between late May and late Sept sites near the lake will experience Utah Lake midges. They're a love bug that live in the lake and emerge only to mate. They don't bite, but they do swarm. You'll experience fewer as you move away from the lake.
Chris R.
GuideCrandall Cove Campground — Rockport State Park
Great view and good for quick overnight stay
We had the campground loop all to ourselves in mid October. Sites have a gazebo with table means less stuff to unpack and setup. We just pulled out the tent and camp stove and that was it. Clean and maintained restrooms all close in tight loop. Firepit next to tables. The view is really great and birds are nearby as it seems to be a bird sanctuary. Easy to get to and not far from highway. Star show was good as well.
- PPam J.Guide
Lodgepole Campground
Return Trip
We stayed here in the summer of 2024 and placed it on our places to return to. We returned here in July 2025. The sites we were in was long and level. We loved sitting outside watching the numerous birds and chipmunks that were in the campground. The camp hosts were friendly and kept the campgrounds looking nice.
Adam O.TravelerSplit Rock Bay Backcountry Campsites — Antelope Island State Park
Incredible, with some caveats
Disclaimer, this was my first backpacking trip, and my first solo camping experience.
The first thing I’ll note is that I could not find a map that showed exactly where on the split rock loop trail the sites were. The maps you get at the gate do not show it. You just have to start hiking and hope you see it. That eventually led to the main issue I had with the campsite, more on that later.
I have 37lbs on my back, partly because it’s November and I want to make sure I’m warm, and partly because I’m toting in 5.5L of water since there is no water source.
I begin hiking and eventually I see another backpacker coming the other way. I say “did you camp?” He says no, he was going to stay the night, but there’s a herd of Bison that are currently crossing the trail and he didn’t want to wait. As I’m coming up on the spot he’s talking about, I catch the end of the herd moving south and I’m able to pass them with minimal wait time.
I continue hiking, up to the split rock bay loop, where conveniently there is a sign that points toward the campground. Yay! By this time I’ve seen a huge herd of Bison (50 or more individuals), a big buck, 20 or so other deer, and with the fog and haziness, some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. Quite incredible.
I find the tent site #3 (my watch says exactly 4.5 miles from the car) and set up my tent. During this time, I’m hearing some weird grunting sounds in the distance, I pop my head out of the tent and look west toward the lake shore. And there’s the herd of Bison I encountered before who crossed the trail. They went west around elephant rock, and I went east. I beat them by about 20 to 30 minutes. At this time I record a video with my phone and state “hope they aren’t coming over here”.
I’m filling my sleeping pad with a mini pump and when I’m done I pop my head out of the tent. They had, in fact, started coming over here. They were quite close. In sort of a panic, I grab some essentials, zip up the tent, and head for the rocks on the hills and wait them out.
Unfortunately I didn’t grab my Garmin or my warm clothes, and it is taking them forever to get past the tent site. The sun starts getting low and I’m getting cold. The Bison sometimes get curious about my tent and approach it, but never do anything. I have my Apple watch and it has an SOS feature, I thought about using it, but eventually they pass and I can get back to set up.
So, this is where knowing exactly where the campsite was in relation to everything else would have been useful. I would have seen the direction they were going and possibly known that they would be crossing right into the camp area, and I probably would have made some slightly different choices.
They (the Bison) stopped for the night in split rock canyon, so I could hear them all night while in my tent. It was always difficult to tell if they were getting closer or farther away, so the night was a bit sleepless.
Also, though the weather says the temperature is 40F, the higher humidity and breeze from the lake can make it feel a lot colder. I did have some chilly moments with a 20F comfort rated bag and a 5.4R value pad. In the morning, condensation was everywhere.
The next morning had a “dense fog” warning in effect, which made for some more awesome scenery.
I broke camp and started back to the car at around 8AM. I decided to take a detour out to Elephant Rock to see if I could see the camp site from up there. This added another 3 miles to the track back, so 7.5 miles total. As I’m coming around the corner at the top to the spot where I’d be able to see the sites, I encounter a lone Bison bull just chilling up there on the trail, no other animals in sight. So, I couldn’t actually get to the spot to see over, but the view was amazing and it was fun to see a Bison in a spot it felt like he shouldn’t be able to get to.
As I turn around, the “dense fog” warning becomes a reality, and it suddenly gets much much colder. Makes for some amazing visuals way up there.
Overall, it was a very awe inspiring and fun trip, with some interesting bits. I do think they should better mark the spots on the map just so people can plan better, especially if there’s going to be massive herds of Bison cruising through camp at any point.
tl;dr: pack warmer than you think (if you’re going to go in the later months) and watch out for Bison. Incredible views and wildlife encounters make it all worth it.
Tamie S.GuideGreat Horned Owl Campground — Deer Creek State Park
Quiet and secluded
We took a wrong turn in the campground and ended up in an area with no hookups. But it was quiet and secluded and close to the water. The campsite was fairly level and there were clean restrooms.
- Tamie S.Guide
Strawberry Bay
Fishing and Hiking
The campsite was clean, the restrooms nice, and the hosts great. We didn’t have any hookups, but they weren’t needed. Great fishing and hiking opportunities.
Guide to Highland
The Highland, Utah area offers rugged canyon camping experiences with elevations ranging from 4,600 to 7,400 feet. Dispersed camping opportunities in American Fork Canyon transition from scrub oak at lower elevations to dense pine forests at higher altitudes. Temperature fluctuations between day and night can exceed 30°F even during summer months, requiring campers to pack appropriate gear for variable conditions.
What to do
Hiking to mountain lakes: From Timpooneke Campground, visitors can access the Mount Timpanogos trail system. "There are a couple of nearby trails and amazing views all around. It can get cold at night - high elevation," notes Angee D. The campground provides "easy access to one of the best hikes. Mt Timpanogous provides some stellar views of the backcountry and the valley below," according to Shad G.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple reservoirs and streams offer diverse fishing options near camping areas. "Great small reservoirs nearby for fishing, or canoeing - no motor sports allowed," writes Andrea P. about Granite Flat Campground. The Jordan River at Willow Park Campground provides accessible fishing for families, with one visitor mentioning "a nice little walking trail" along the river.
Water recreation: Several lakes and reservoirs permit non-motorized watercraft. "We were able to paddle board which was a blast! I loves being so close and having access to so many beautiful hikes and Rick climbing," shares Kaitlin R. about her experience at Granite Flat. Another camper notes that Tibble Fork Reservoir, accessible from multiple campgrounds, offers "beautiful" water recreation opportunities.
What campers like
Creek-side campsites: Many visitors specifically request sites adjacent to flowing water. "We had a great tent site that was on the side near the mountain and across from us were campsites next to the road and the river. We did not hear any road noise at all, just the sound of wind in the trees and the water flowing," writes Stacy R. about her stay at Little Mill Campground.
Proximity to climbing areas: The American Fork Canyon area features significant climbing history and routes. "This canyon holds some of the most historic sport routes in America as some of the hardest routes in the country, at the time, were established here in the late 80's and early 90's," explains Alan B. who stayed at Little Mill. "A place of particular interest if you're looking for hard routes is the infamous Hell Cave with all routes being 5.13 and up."
Cool mountain temperatures: Higher elevation sites provide relief from summer valley heat. At Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon, campers appreciate the climate difference. "We live in the Valley but need a getaway for a weekend and this was perfect. Not only was it less than 20 min from our house we felt as if we were lost in the wilderness," shares Andy M.
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most popular campgrounds fill completely during peak season. "Be aware that this campsite reservations for the weekend fill up quick. I checked in late May and every weekend until September was already booked," warns Ash S. about Granite Flat. For Tanners Flat Campground, Alan B. advises, "be sure to make your reservation early as you are unlikely to get a walk in."
Wildlife encounters: The mountain environments support diverse wildlife populations. "Wildlife sightings including deer, elk, and wild turkeys are frequently mentioned in visitor reviews," and campers at Spruces report, "I have almost always seen moose and deer in the camp ground."
Bug preparedness: Insects can be problematic depending on location and season. At lakeside sites, mosquitoes are particularly abundant. "The mosquitoes here are terrible. I came here early on a holiday to get a good spot and was ambushed by swarms of mosquitoes," reports Bren M.
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and open spaces: Several campgrounds include recreational facilities for children. At Willow Park Campground, families appreciate that it "has a playground, sand volleyball, boat launch as you're near the Jordan River." Another reviewer mentions there are "lots of space to spread out" making it ideal for families.
Accessibility for young children: Some campgrounds are better suited for families with small children. "This is a really easy-access campground so it's great for little kids. Beautiful canyon, lots of spots, and just a great time!" recommends Caden W. about Little Mill Campground.
Water features for kids: Stream and creek access provides natural entertainment. "The camp spots here are super nice. The best part is how close it is to Provo. Super convenient," notes Joshua C. about Nunns Park, adding "The river is right there and makes some beautiful yet subtle white noise."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling challenges: Some campgrounds have uneven terrain for RVs. "The one downside was that the tent spot was not flat, and had quite a few large rocks," reports Justin J. about Granite Flat. For larger rigs, site selection becomes critical.
Full hookup options: Limited full-service sites exist in the area. At Lakeside RV Campground, campers appreciate that "Pull through sites with grass between" are available, and the campground offers full hookups for extended stays.
Loop road considerations: Many canyon campgrounds feature tight access roads. "Little Mill campground is a quick trip up American Fork Canyon. Runs parallel to the popular alpine loop road and the creek," notes Andrea P., explaining the campground's layout which can be challenging for larger rigs to navigate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any free places to camp in Highland?
Are there any free places to camp in Highland?
Yes, there are several free dispersed camping options near Highland. Soldier's Pass Utah Backcountry offers no-cost camping without amenities, requiring you to bring your own water. The area is popular with off-road enthusiasts, with established fire rings at common camping spots. Skyline Drive is another free option, featuring a dirt road with multiple pull-offs near a creek and interesting rock formations. Just be aware that dispersed areas generally lack facilities and sometimes suffer from trash problems.
Where are the best camping spots in Highland?
Where are the best camping spots in Highland?
For scenic views and outdoor recreation, Cascade Springs Dispersed Site stands out with panoramic vistas of Mt. Timpanogos, though it requires a vehicle capable of handling rougher terrain. Families might prefer Payson Lakes, about 45 minutes from Payson, offering excellent fishing, swimming, and kayaking opportunities in a no-motorized-boat environment. For those seeking more amenities, Mountain Valley RV Resort in Heber City provides a premium experience with concrete pads and even an adults-only section for those seeking quiet.
What campgrounds are available in Highland?
What campgrounds are available in Highland?
The Highland area offers several developed campgrounds including Rock Cliff Area Campground — Jordanelle State Park, which features full RV hookups and clean facilities. For a traditional camping experience, Pine Creek Campground — Wasatch Mountain State Park provides established sites, though they accommodate smaller rigs better than large ones. Additional options include Payson Lakes, a family-friendly destination with fishing and non-motorized boating, and Mountain Valley RV Resort in nearby Heber City for those wanting more amenities.
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