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Best Tent Camping near Layton, UT

868 Reviews

Tent campgrounds near Layton, Utah include established sites and dispersed locations throughout the Wasatch Mountains and surrounding public lands. Millcreek Canyon offers backcountry tent camping where visitors must hike at least half a mile from roads and 200 feet from developed areas and water sources. Split Rock Bay Backcountry Campsites on Antelope Island State Park provides a more structured tent camping experience with drive-in and hike-in access options, while Monte Cristo area offers free dispersed tent camping in a scenic mountain setting.

Most tent campsites around Layton require self-sufficiency as amenities vary widely. Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo features primitive sites on forest service land with fire rings but no drinking water or toilets. A $5 entrance fee applies at Millcreek Canyon, where camping season typically runs from July through fall, creating limited availability during peak months. Split Rock Bay offers more facilities including toilets, picnic tables, and electric hookups, unusual amenities for tent campers in this region. Campers should verify current fire restrictions before trips, as bans are common during dry summer months.

The tent camping experience near Layton varies by location and elevation. Higher elevation sites at Monte Cristo offer aspen forests and cooler temperatures, particularly desirable during summer heat. Millcreek Canyon provides extensive hiking trails and wildlife viewing opportunities, with moose and deer commonly spotted. Antelope Island campsites offer unique lake views and wildlife observation, though insects can be problematic in certain seasons. According to one visitor at Monte Cristo, "There are tons of free sites all up and down the main road. The only problem is it is busy if you leave on Friday plan to get there by 3 at the latest. Spots fill quick." Early arrival is essential for securing preferred tent sites, especially at no-reservation dispersed camping areas during summer weekends and fall color season.

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Best Tent Sites Near Layton, Utah (20)

    1. Cook Campsite

    1 Review
    Fruit Heights, UT
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 544-1788

    "Aside from the excessive litter in a few places, This was a great place to give my 5 year old a taste of backpacking."

    2. Split Rock Bay Backcountry Campsites — Antelope Island State Park

    3 Reviews
    Syracuse, UT
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 773-2941

    $20 / night

    "Good hiking trails with great views and lots if animals to see."

    3. Port Ramp Marina

    2 Reviews
    Huntsville, UT
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 625-5112

    $650 / night

    "Not only is it more beautiful (IMO) in the winter, but it gets loads of snow for snow sports, and it is right next to Powder Mountain and Snow Basin!"

    "Beautiful lake, nice beaches, but only if you go in the late summer or fall."

    4. Hobble

    1 Review
    Huntsville, UT
    21 miles

    5. Millcreek Canyon Backcountry Camping and Yurts

    8 Reviews
    Mounthaven, UT
    30 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."

    "Millcreek Canyon is home to some wonderful trails that can be accessed by foot or bike. Although the canyon offers many hiking trails, the main use of the trails seems to be for trail running."

    6. Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo

    8 Reviews
    Eden, UT
    34 miles

    "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."

    7. closed

    1 Review
    Wanship, UT
    31 miles
    +1 (801) 513-1583

    $59 - $64 / night

    8. Red Pine Lake

    7 Reviews
    Alta, UT
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 733-2660

    "Red Pine Lake is located up Little Cottonwood Canyon, on the south side of the road."

    "wonderful place to backpack up to during the week. can access 3 different beautiful lakes from this drainage and 2 beautiful peaks!"

    9. Silver Lake Backcountry

    8 Reviews
    Alta, UT
    41 miles

    "An amazing spot to drive to and spend the day or backpack in and spend a night or two.  Be warned you will need a 4wd vehicle if trying to go up the road after a rain storm. "

    "You can’t drive to the coordinates, you have to park at the uppermost parking lot for Silver Flat and hike up to a camping spot. Camping anywhere along that road will give you gorgeous views, though!"

    10. Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping

    8 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    43 miles

    "In fact it represents just as a reference for the highway road off the 80 highway you go along 196 and there are pull off roads leading to either straight up the side of a mountain or along the valley."

    "This location is also right in an outdoor shooting range with multiple spots so that’s a plus if you’re looking for entertainment."

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Layton, UT

16 Photos of 20 Layton Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Layton, UT

868 Reviews of 20 Layton Campgrounds

  • 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!!

  • 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.

  • Jillian B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 3, 2022

    Willow Park Campground

    Campground near Provo

    This campground is ok, would expect a little more since you have to pay $25. In a nice little suburban neighborhood. Spots are close together and not much privacy, our site was along the back fence. Each site had fire pit and picnic table. There are two bathrooms, no showers and no electricity. It looks like there are a couple water fill up spigots but not potable.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2019

    South Fork (UT)

    Big Campground by the Creek!

    This campground much like the others in this canyon is situated along the banks of the South Fork of the Ogden River.  Before you get to Causey Reservoir and Weber Memorial Park, this is the biggest campground you'll encounter.  There are 35 single sites @23$ and 8 double sites @46$.  Some campsites are reservable and some are walk in sites.  A picnic table and metal fire ring is at each site along with vault toilets and drinking water scattered throughout the campground.  The campsites in the teens seemed to be the closest to the creek

    As for activities to do in the area, there are plenty of options!  Right by most of the campsites you can fly fish or set off on a tubing adventure down the Ogden River!  It is required that you have a life jacket before setting off.  If you're looking for bigger accumulations of water you can either head back down canyon to the huge Pineview Reservoir or head up canyon to the steep walled Causey Reservoir!

  • Mary S.
    Jul. 30, 2018

    Tanners Flat

    Good location for exploring Wasatch Mountains and Salt Lake City

    You really need to know this: No dogs are allowed because this campground is in the Salt Lake City watershed.

    And this: As inviting as the water running through the campground may look, you are not allowed to swim, wade or wash in it.

    One more thing: Gate closes at 10 pm although that didn't stop some partiers at the next site in from us. They partied and left around 11 or so. There was no payment tag on the post. The exit is open but has tire shredders if you enter over them.

    A pleasant surprise at a Forest Service campground: 10 lbs of ice for $2! (There was also the usual bundle of firewood for $6.)

    An unpleasant surprise: Old, dirty bathrooms. I've seen cleaner vault toilets elsewhere than these flush toilets.

    There is no water for now (July 2018) in bathroom sinks or at spigots. The host said something about a pipe issue and water needing to be tested. That covers the amenities other than dumpsters.

    What about the sites? We arrived on a Sunday morning when the host was putting up signs indictating which sites were reserved. We had 3 possible sites among 1 through 19 and grabbed #9, a pull through site with a buffer between the road in the parking/small RV area.

    Sites in the other area (higher numbers) were becoming available, but that area's host said many of the sites were only appropriate for tents.

    Our site #9: There are a few steps down to the picnic table, fire ring and grill plus a separate area to the left for a tent. See photos.

    General site info:

    • Some sites have a concrete pad for the picnic table, etc.

    • Many sites have an area for the tent that is away from the picnic table and concealed from the road.

  • A
    Aug. 17, 2020

    Echo Island RV Resort

    Perfect for an overnight stay

    Nicely managed campground, good website, efficient reservation process. Management very helpful and friendly. The campsites are nicely spaced, good tree cover, green well kept lawn at all sites. Gravel slots, picnic tables and fire pits at each site. Good park design for the back up sites to get a large trailer situated no problem. Seems like a large and very nice pool, although I did not us those facilities. Bath and restrooms clean and plenty of them for the size of the campground.

  • Myrna G.
    May. 19, 2020

    Little Mill

    Beautiful Campground

    Just returned from an overnight stay at Little Mill with amazing American Fork Creek right beside my sites The campground is clean, no water, trash or electric and vault toilets. The camp host were so friendly gave us suggestions on where to hike in the area. My only reason this campground didn’t get 5 stars is due to the horrible road noise. I seriously thought I was at a truck stop off the interstate. Honking and racing cars until 3am just ruined it. If noise doesn’t bother you head on over.

  • Gracie W.
    Jun. 13, 2023

    Twin Coves — Rockport State Park

    Nice Campground

    Campground was clean and had vault toilets. Water spicket was available but no showers (I believe there were only showers at the entrance of the park). Be aware that there are tons of bugs here, an overwhelming amount. Pack your bug spray if you’re tent camping!! Amazing views of the lake, beautiful birds, and the weather was phenomenal. Happy trails!

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 22, 2019

    Botts Campground — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    Nice Little CG close tothe Creek but also the Highway

    Is the 2nd campground heading up canyon and is also the smallest campground in the canyon.  While this is the smallest campground in the canyon half of the sites in this little loop are really close to the road and therefore have a lot of noise associated with that.  The ones closer to the river, however, are great and have tent spots nestled away right next to the river.  there are 5 single sites and 1 double site with picnic tables, fire rings, and prep/serving tables at each site.  There is also drinking water and 2 vault toilets at the entrance to the campground.

    For close recreation Pineview and Causey Reservoir are about equal distance and offer great respite from the sun with different experiences to explore!  At the mountain, cliff lined Causey Reservoir, kayaking and deep water free climbing are popular activities.  While at the larger Pineview Reservoir boating and water sports along with relaxing on the beach are more common activities, due to the gentle slopes of the reservoir.

Guide to Layton

Backcountry tent camping options near Layton, Utah extend beyond established sites into several National Forest areas with unique seasonal considerations. Late summer through early fall provides the most reliable access period when forest roads are clear of snow at elevations ranging from 5,000-9,000 feet. Average overnight temperatures in this region drop significantly with elevation gain, falling below freezing by mid-September in higher areas.

What to do

Trail running access: Millcreek Canyon Backcountry Camping provides trails that attract outdoor enthusiasts beyond just hikers. According to one visitor, "Millcreek Canyon is home to some wonderful trails that can be accessed by foot or bike. Although the canyon offers many hiking trails, the main use of the trails seems to be for trail running."

Wildlife viewing options: Red Pine Lake offers opportunities to see wildlife in their natural habitats. A camper notes, "Nearby are the upper and lower red pine lakes in addition to a couple smaller ponds in the red pine drainage. If you make your way through the talus field to the south you can gain the ridge and summit white baldy which gives one of the best views in the entire Wasatch!"

Water recreation: Silver Lake Backcountry provides paddleboarding and kayaking opportunities. One camper reports, "Lots of hikes to do nearby, beautiful views, and place to paddle board, kayak, etc." Another visitor mentioned, "We spent our afternoons paddleboarding on Silver Lake Reservoir."

Fall foliage viewing: Dispersed camping areas showcase exceptional autumn colors, particularly in the aspen groves. A camper at Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo shared, "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."

What campers like

Solitude on weekdays: The best tent camping near Layton, Utah offers more privacy midweek. At Red Pine Lake, one visitor advised, "This can be done in a short 4 hour 7 mile out and back day hike but can be fully enjoyed as a backpacking trip. The weekend can get very busy so during the week is the best time to camp as it's likely you'll be the only overnight camper."

Child-friendly backpacking: Cook Campsite offers beginning backpacking opportunities for families. A parent shared, "Aside from the excessive litter in a few places, This was a great place to give my 5 year old a taste of backpacking."

Fishing access: Several campsites provide fishing opportunities during specific seasons. A Silver Lake Backcountry visitor mentioned, "At the trailhead you have great access to the lake and fishing. There is also a large bathroom."

Water sources for filtering: Many backcountry trails follow streams, reducing water carry needs. A Red Pine Lake camper noted, "The hike up to the lake starts off pretty easily, and since it follows the stream coming down, clean drinking water is always at hand. I didn't have to carry anything beyond my little half liter filter bottle."

What you should know

Seasonal gate closures: Several areas have limited accessibility outside summer months. A Millcreek Canyon visitor warned, "Warning - road is closed 3.5 miles into the park before where camping spots were indicated. No notice on when it would reopen."

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best tent camping sites near Layton, Utah?

The Layton area offers excellent tent camping options within a short drive. Red Pine Lake in Little Cottonwood Canyon provides beautiful backcountry camping with access to multiple lakes and peaks via a 3-4 mile hike from the trailhead. Weekdays are less crowded than weekends. For rooftop tent or car camping, Curtis Creek / Arbs Basin offers quiet dispersed sites with mountain views and established fire rings. The area has cooler temperatures and scenic sunset views, though no cell service is available.

What camping equipment can I rent or borrow near Layton?

While specific rental options in Layton are limited, nearby options exist. Kimball Campground is well-situated to access local outdoor retailers in the greater Salt Lake area that offer camping gear rentals. The University of Utah and REI locations in Salt Lake City provide affordable tent, sleeping bag, and backpack rentals. For budget-conscious campers, consider checking local Facebook groups or Nextdoor for camping gear lending libraries or asking in community forums. Some state parks occasionally offer equipment loan programs for first-time campers, though availability varies seasonally.

Is there free camping available near Layton?

Yes, several free dispersed camping options exist near Layton. Millcreek Canyon Backcountry Camping and Yurts offers free backcountry camping with the requirement that sites must be at least 1/2 mile from any road. Good access points include Church Fork and Lambs Canyon trailheads. Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping provides free sites along Highway 196 off I-80 with pull-off roads leading to mountain or valley camping spots. Remember that dispersed camping typically means no amenities like toilets or water, so come prepared with supplies and follow Leave No Trace principles.

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