Top 10+ Dispersed Free Camping near Manila, UT

Windy Park, like a lot of camp areas in Ashley National Forest is free, dispersed camping. The only rule is that you have to camp within 150 feet of a developed road. There is a 16 day camp limit for leaving your camper in the same camp spot like most of the locals from Vernal do (leave it on the mountain, and come up on the weekends, or for the hunt, etc.). There are many ATV roads, and hiking trails in the area. It's a quick drive to Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Enjoy the aspen and pine groves located throughout Ashley National Forest. Weather can be unpredictable in the Uintahs, so prepare for anything! We've had hail and snow in July!

This dispersed camping area is free and is along FS road #049 into Greens Draw area. Area is shielded from hwy 191 noise. However it has a strong ATT cell signal (no Verizon or TMobile). No toilets, tables or metal fire rings. No dumpsters. No water. True boondocking.

I followed the other reviewers advice and went with #838. There are tons of dispersed camping options in Ashley National Forest. I stayed at this site on a Monday and I was the only one there.

This dispersed camping area is free and is along the FS roads that are on backside of a ridge behind the forest and is shield from hwy 191 noise. However it has a strong ATT cell signal (no Verizon or TMobile). Sites are along the FS roads and look east into the large valley meadow Bowden draw area. No toilets, tables or metal fire rings. No dumpsters. No water. True boondocking

This dispersed camping area is free and is along the FS roads that are on backside of a ridge behind the forest and is shielded from hwy 191 noise. However it has a strong ATT cell signal (no Verizon or TMobile). Sites are along the FS roads and look east into the large valley meadow Bowden draw area. No toilets, tables or metal fire rings. No dumpsters. No water. True boondocking. Locals seem to stash TTs all summer in these sites.

Nice river side camping on a rock beach. Antelope, deer and birds of all kinds are plentiful. There are 2 roads each has at least one really nice dispersed camping spot.

McCoy Flats BLM is a mt bike focus recreation area with a network of excellent nonmotorizrd singletrack trails. Dispersed free camping allowed, and currently there are several nice vault toilets scattered along the main access paved road.

This camping area is at the third new vault toilet. Lots of room for large TTs. No trash dumpsters and no water, but cell signal is excellent 5g five bars. Only few miles from main hwy on an old paved pothole filled road. And then only 3 miles back into Vernal and a Walmart on this end of town, so logistics are very good.

https://www.blm.gov/visit/mccoy-flats-trailhead#

Wide open BLM land. This particular spot is easily accessible, although I couldn't tell how friendly other campers were and you have to drive over sagebrush to really pull off the road if the one or two real pull offs are occupied. I ended up driving around rutted and rocky roads off the ones that are on Google maps, trying to find a good pull off but the few there are were already occupied, some by folks that seemed to have been there for a while. Some of the side roads were really rough and I was lucky to make it through them in my Subaru, although any vehicle could handle the main road to the spot tagged here.

It's also really exposed to the wind and elements with no trees. It's up pretty high and there's not really any wind break from the landscape. Very cold in mid September but I'd imagine really hot at times in the summer. I may have hit it at a particularly windy time but it definitely nearly made me look for an alternative spot, of which options are limited in the area.

Aside from that it was beautiful. Moon gazing and sunset and sunrise, smelled heavenly of sagebrush. I wouldn't count on seeing wild horses here- I read that recently they've been pushed out but you can look for them further east.

Overlander camping only recommended. This area is just outside of Dinosaur National Monument on the Blue Mt Road...leaves the NPS and crosses a small piece of State land and then a BLM sign notes you are on BLM. Flat area to camp at this border and more large flat spots behind on State lands also ( State land here allows 15d camping). HOWEVER, to get to this spot you have to enter the NPS Dinosaur National Monument and deal with an entrance fee, but if you are a Senior like me..it is free and you are good to come and go as you wish!. Note that on the NPS section of the Blue Mt Road they note " no trailers" not sure if that is enforced but could be an issue, however I have seen TTs camping on the State and BLM along this area. This dispersed is likely better suited to the van/ truck camper types. Once you leave the NPS the road goes from graded gravel to native surface dirt that could be an issue if wet. The cliffs on both sides of this dispersed camp area has glyphs but you have to work to find them! The Blue Mt Road then continues into a big scenic valley and then climbs steeply to the point of pines ridge area...would not go there unless you have a good overlander setup with good tires! Cell signal is good due to tower array in sight on top of blue mtn.

I love that you can camp just about anywhere off of the main drag here. There are several dispersed camping areas here, I liked Oaks Park the best! This is a great second option though. Lots of ATV trails and like previous reviewers have said, many people leave their RVs parked up here. We camped near two RVs but no one was home so we had the place to ourselves. Flaming George is close as well, but we prefer free, solitary camping.

Lots of wildlife, didn’t see a bear though. Stargazing!! Tons of hikes in the area, can’t remember the names of the trails I did. This is dispersed camping from the US Forest Service so you drive around until you find a patch of grass or sand you like by the road (but only drive on the roads). Dispersed camping is very popular out west---do not expect any facilities. Best place to get more detailed info is just by calling the ranger office, as the road is closed in winter and reopening times vary. Beautiful and a true wilderness experience without having to haul your gear on your back!

Massey Meadows is a beautiful place to camp. Mostly wide open meadow like spaces where you just pull up your camper and park (dispersed camping). There are a lot of beautiful places you can explore, including Massey Cave. However, usage is so high that I recommend trying to camp a little lower in the Dry Fork Canyon area. The two are connected by a wonderful trail system called the Flume Trail. The Flume Trail runs next to the river, and is absolutely beautiful. It's huge for mountain biking and hiking, and offers 10 to 24 miles of trail. There are several developed campsites on both sides of the road, each with fire rings and picnic tables. I highly recommend camping in Dry Fork/Red Cloud Loop/Massey Meadows area.

This is a primitive camping area by Sheep Creek Lake. No amenities, no established campsites, no toilets, no garbage dumpsters, no water, no cell signal. Road access is gravel graved. A primitive boat ramp is available. This lake seems to be more of a Fish and Game nursery lake for raising Colo River Trout.

This was one of my favorite finds during my trip through Utah earlier this summer. We were checking out Flaming Gorge and, predictably, all the campgrounds were booked full. I prefer cool dispersed camping anyway, so I decided to venture off some forest roads to see what I could see. And man, that paid returns!

As you head down this forest road (it is a bit rough, low-clearance cars might have a rough go of it, as well as full-sized RVs) you'll see multiple minimal dispersed campsites, most with small man-made rock firepits and nothing else. You're back in the trees, but they aren't overly heavy, so the light comes through just fine, and you'll have open spots as well. One dispersed site on the way to mine looked to have an incredible view, but alas, it was taken.

My site was very large, right where the fire road (more a trail really) seemed to split in two directions. Tons of flat ground for tents, a big healthy stone firepit, and plenty of wood around to harvest. Set up shop as soon as I found it and glad I did. So quiet, big and open, trees for the hammock - basically everything I look for when I try and find a cool place to camp. 

Highly, highly recommended. Would camp here again in a heartbeat. Unfortunately I was too excited to remember to get any good photos of the site itself, so instead, please drool over the shishkabobs I got going on the fire, and the trees at dusk.

This dispersed camp area is at FS #547, it is not at end of pavement like the other review notes. No cell signal, no toilets, trash dumpsters, water or any designated sites with tables or metal fire rings. Another open area called Round Park is 1 mile down the #547 road on a good gravel road and is much nicer area to camp but still no cell signal. I disliked Dyer Park.

West Fork Smiths Fork is a huge area to the west of China Meadows. Campers from all over the state venture to China Meadows to hike to Red Castle, and hunters from all over the country travel here to hunt deer and elk! 

Hiking along the river will lead you south to Bald Mountain and Bald Lake. Dispersed camping is available throughout the entire area. Vast meadows are filled with various wildlife and gorgeous views! 

The simplest access for most campers coming from Utah will be coming down through Wyoming, past Stateline Reservoir. The area can also be accessed from the west via Mirror Lake Highway, but will take significantly longer due to the overall length of dirt road you'll be required to travel on from that direction.