Dixie National Forest stretches across nearly 2 million acres of southern Utah, covering terrain from red rock canyon country near St. George up through high-elevation plateaus above 10,000 feet. Campground types run the full range: developed Forest Service sites with water and vault toilets, primitive tent-only spots, dispersed BLM-adjacent land, and cabin rentals through recreation.gov. Dixie National Forest's dispersed camping is the highest-traffic entry point for campers who want no-fee options across the forest's multiple ranger districts.
Elevation dictates the seasonal window. Lower sites near Cedar City and St. George stay accessible year-round. Higher sites in the Powell and Escalante ranger districts close with first snow and may not reopen until June. Fire restrictions apply broadly during summer dry periods. Check current status at the relevant ranger district before finalizing any site. Cabin rentals in Dixie National Forest book months out during peak season, so plan early if that's the direction you're going.
"Bryce Canyon campgrounds were full, as well as the nearby designated campsites at Red Canyon. "
"Lots of great trails close by and super close to the park entrance - all for FREE! Couldn’t ask for more!"
"Our camper was nestled in the trees with a hill behind the camper, where we could also explore."
"We rented a pull behind trailer to tow behind our LR4. We were looking for a clean, established campground with full hook ups, as close to Bryce Canyon NP as a possible."
$30 / night
"The sites are tucked into cozy piney woods that belies the massive red, rocky hoodoos just a few yards away in the amphitheater. "
"I was only able to spend a short time here on my Utah National Park road trip this year but I really fell in love with this place."
$12 - $23 / night
"About 38ish mixed use sites (tents and campers mixed in, although most RVs and campers were on the one side and tents on the other loop) right on Highway 12, so there is road noise all day (but it quiets"
"It's in the Dixie National Forest about 12 miles from the entrance to Bryce Canyon NP."
"Dispersed camping in the beautiful Ponderosa pines of Dixie National Forest. The Forest Service road is easy to navigate. There are many dirt roads branching off of it with sites to choose from."
"It's a beautiful drive coming up here from Flagstaff and especially through Kanab, a sweet little town with such amazing people."
$30 - $100 / night
"Sunset is one of two campgrounds in Bryce Canyon National Park in Southwest Utah. Bryce is a beautiful canyon and a must see if you are touring southern Utah."
"Sunset Campground in Bryce Canyon National Park is beautiful and spacious, and is very close to some overlooks and the visitor's center."
"It was pretty busy when we arrived so our spot was next to the road. One bonus: short off-road drive to our spot"
"Plenty of available sites, many drive through. Many could accommodate our 35' motorhome. Among the tall pines yet enough sunlight for solar panels. Four bars of AT&T 4G."
"Do not park near the road if you can avoid it. Ruined our time here as groups with dirt bikes and ATVs speeding by. We could eat outside for the dust."
"Literally right next to the entrance of the national park! Magical area, very secluded, sites are spaced well apart, and roads aren’t too bad, though we had a high clearance vehicle."
$20 - $70 / night
"Full hookups drive through or back in however I did tent camping. perfect place to use as a hub when traveling the national parks in Utah!"
"This campground will be rated as a Basecamp — grounds that offer a comfortable home base that you’re happy to return to after a day of exploring the surrounding area."
"Based on a map posted at the entrance, we followed the road to find a bunch of spots about 20 minutes down the dirt road."
"The campground is beautiful with woods surrounding our site. Lots of wildlife walking around our tent area at night. It’s very clean with a few fire pits and is a great temperature in early August."
TravelerDispersed sites camping among the trees at the edge of a meadow. Pit toilets available. Need AWD/4WD and some clearance to access these sites. I made it in a Tacoma. Stopping here for the night before I do some hiking in the area tomorrow. The flys are a little aggressive lol.
ScoutQuiet small town host was very helpful with directions to the 2 national parks. The fact that using the east entrance to Zion was a treat. We got to the visitor center and only saw 2 other cars. Pads were gravel but real grass between sites. Many sites have mature trees for shade which is unusual for this area
GuideI spent a single night in the Willis Creek bunkhouse at KBSP. This is a well maintained and fairly new cabin with most of the amenities you would want. There is a double bed with a single bed above it bunk style, plus a futon that can be folded into a double bed. The cabin also has a table with three chairs, and a small refrigerator and a microwave. The cabin has electricity and lights.
Outside, there is a full size picnic table and a firepit. Restrooms are right next door in the laundromat, where running water is also available. Showers are found a few hundred feet away at the Oasis group site camp area.
There is a wooden bench for two on the front porch. This is great for stargazing and also watching wildlife (mostly birds, squirrels and the occasional jackrabbit). There is a very nice view of the park's red rock walls to the east, Just across the driveway is access to the Grand Parade trail.
There are only two bunkhouses here, making the site very close to private.
The Willis Creek Bunkhouse is listed as ADA compliant, but that really only means there are no steps to climb to get into the cabin. There are no specific modifications to the facility.
TravelerEasy to find, short distance (about 1-2 miles, along a stream,close to a gravel road with little to no traffic. Oh, there is an upper level camp space and a lower space. Both levels have dropoff to access. The lower level dropoff is steep and offset enough to cause one front wheel to be off the ground.
GuideOverall, this campground was worth the inconveniences of no sewage hookups, and excessive dust and dirt…but we certainly had to be conservative with our water usage more than usual here! They do have some very nice showers near one of the other campgrounds that we utilized since we did not want to fill up our gray water tank too quickly The site we stayed on, also had pretty uneven sand ground so we had to be very creative with our jacks and had to use cinderblocks under some of them to achieve a level spot. Overall, great place- we e-biked all over the grounds and the views are absolutely gorgeous- also- not far at all from Bryce Canyon, which is also a must! 😍
GuideWe had a great stay here! They have a beautiful pool, on-site restaurant, Pickleball courts, putt, putt, and even horseback riding! The on-site laundry was awesome as well!
GuideBeautifully maintained park with full hookups. Staff was very cordial upon arrival and had us checked in and to our site quickly. Electric, water and sewer all worked perfectly. Verizon cell service was 2 bars, (adequate, but not great) however, the park’s WIFI was excellent at site 17. Bathrooms and showers were clean and spacious. Roads and sites are stone, but level. Park is only a few miles from Tropic and Bryce Canyon City, which have several excellent restaurants (Showdowns & Route 12 Grill) and markets. Only about 12 minutes from Bryce Canyon NP entrance which was ideal. Overall, an excellent park to stay if you’re visiting Bryce Canyon NP and we would certainly stay again.
TravelerThis area had few campers during our stay in early June, in part due to cool temperatures (his mid 50s to low 60s, lows in low 40s). Room for big rigs but worth scouting ahead before passing the endorheic pond (~ 1/2 mile from Hwy 148) to see if any ruts on the soft dirt Candy Loop Road have hampered access. We stayed on one of the longer spurs off Candy Loop Road which cuts through a large meadow (37.5845,-112.8427) and has room for multiple large rigs. Was windy half the days but quiet and clean. Would not want to try the narrow, 1-lane road past the pond when wet. A few minutes drive from Cedar Breaks National Monument and 20 miles to Cedar City. Immediate area hiking is limited to the forest roads.
ScoutStayed one night while traveling through the area. I probably picked the only site on a steep a slope (#13) so beware when you book this site. Also very windy hard to sleep.
Dispersed camping in Dixie National Forest offers alternatives to developed campgrounds between spring and fall when high elevation areas remain accessible. This region connects the Great Basin to the Colorado Plateau, creating diverse landscapes from 5,400 to over 10,000 feet in elevation. Winter temperatures at higher elevations can drop well below zero degrees Fahrenheit, making lower elevation spots like Red Canyon and areas near Panguitch Lake more suitable for off-season camping.
Mountain biking on Thunder Mountain Trail: Located near Tom Best Spring Road FR117 Dispersed, this moderate trail offers technical sections through hoodoo formations. "Social or secluded...Close to Bryce Canyon and easy access to Thunder Mountain trail loop, awesome moderate mt biking trail," notes Jeanie P.
Hiking to viewpoints: The trails behind Red Canyon Campground provide excellent hiking with fewer crowds. "The hiking paths behind the campground are easy and fun, with spectacular views and NO crowds!! During the day, the campground is quite noisy from Scenic Highway 12, but it's peaceful after 5 pm," according to Colette K.
Wildlife viewing at dusk: Park rangers recommend Road 087 toward the reservoir for wildlife spotting. Anthony P. shared about Great Western Trail Dispersed: "Note on the map, if you follow road 087 down towards the reservoir, the Park Service recommends this as the best place to view wildlife before dusk."
Designated dispersed sites: Dave's Hollow offers organized free camping just outside Bryce Canyon. "Dave's Hollow Designated Camping has quite a few sites but seems to fill up quickly since it's just outside of Bryce Canyon NP. There are designated campsites," explains Angela M. from FR 090 dispersed camping.
Privacy between sites: Many dispersed areas offer good separation between campers. "This was our favourite site in our trip, we took the first left and there were barely any people down that way. Our area had tons of trees so it felt quite private and was very spread out from the people beside us," says Maddy T. about Toms Best Spring Road.
Hot showers for day hikers: Weary hikers can access pay showers even without camping. "The showers are fantastic and are available for a cost for non-campers also," notes Heather S. about Rubys Inn RV Park and Campground.
Seasonal road closures: Many forest roads close in winter or during wet weather. "It's a beautiful area but with the recent weather the road into the camping area was closed. Very wet and slick mud," reports Kristine G. about FR 090.
Weather extremes: Temperatures swing dramatically between day and night, even in summer. "We stayed in September and by the middle of the night it was about 20 degrees so bundle up!!" warns Emily from North Campground.
Camping restrictions: Not all forest roads permit camping throughout their length. "Like the other reviewers mentioned, there's a camp restriction at the first .5 mile in but if you keep going you'll find some really nice large spots with fire rings and perfectly spaced trees to put up your hammock," says Yasmeen A. about Great Western Trail Dispersed.
Cell service variability: Coverage depends on location and provider. "Great cell service in the area," reports Christine about FR117, while other remote areas have limited to no service.
Junior Ranger programs: These offer educational activities for children. "The junior ranger program was awesome!" mentions Kelley H. about North Campground at Bryce Canyon.
Community campfire events: Some campgrounds host social gatherings. Kelly N. shares about Hitch-N-Post RV Campground: "They hold a weekly bon fire, and offer morning coffee (sometimes with baked treats!) There is a dog park, horseshoe and cornhole courts."
Easy wildlife encounters: Children can spot deer and other animals near campsites. "Lots of wildlife walking around our tent area at night. It's very clean with a few fire pits and is a great temperature in early August," notes Henry W. about Great Western Trail.
Site leveling challenges: Many areas require work to level larger vehicles. "RV spots are pretty exposed & mine was on a hill w/ only one levelish portion (53). Ended up in loop D tent area (93) and it seems like many camper van folks end up here," shares Beverly O. about North Campground.
Accessibility for larger rigs: Some dispersed areas accommodate big vehicles. "Plenty of available sites, many drive through. Many could accommodate our 35' motorhome. Among the tall pines yet enough sunlight for solar panels," notes Tom W. about FS #117 Rd Dispersed Camping.
Early arrival recommendation: Free sites fill quickly, especially on weekends. "I'd say get here by 4P for a guaranteed spot on the weekend. Beautifully shaded open sites. About 3-5acres/site," advises Jeff P. regarding FR 090 dispersed camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the best campgrounds in Dixie National Forest?
Dixie National Forest offers excellent camping options for all preferences. King Creek Group Site is a secluded gem just 13 miles from Bryce Canyon with large, flat sites spaced well apart. For those seeking dispersed camping, Mammoth Dispersed provides beautiful spots next to Mammoth Creek with pit toilets available. Other notable options include Red Canyon Campground along Highway 12, White Bridge Campground along Panguitch Creek, and Navajo Lake Campground with both walk-in and drive-up sites. Cedar Canyon is well-maintained and perfect for beginner campers, offering proximity to Cedar Breaks and Duck Creek.
Do I need permits for camping in Dixie National Forest?
Permits are not required for most camping in Dixie National Forest, but there are important regulations to follow. At dispersed sites like Tom Best Spring Road FR117 and Yankee Designated Dispersed Camping Area, camping is free with a 16-day stay limit. For developed campgrounds, fees apply but no advance permits are needed—most operate on a first-come, first-served basis or through recreation.gov reservations. Always check current fire restrictions which may require permits for campfires depending on the season. Contact the nearest Dixie National Forest ranger district office before your trip for the most up-to-date regulations.
What is the best time of year to camp in Dixie National Forest?
Late spring through early fall is ideal for camping in Dixie National Forest. May provides a quiet experience with fewer crowds at places like Yankee Meadows, though be prepared for cooler temperatures at higher elevations. Summer is popular but Cabin Hollow on Forest Road 121 fills up quickly during this season. The forest's elevation ranges from 2,800 to over 10,000 feet, creating variable conditions. Fall offers colorful foliage and cooler temperatures. Winter camping is possible in lower elevations, but many forest roads and campgrounds close due to snow, especially those at higher altitudes where temperatures can drop significantly.
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