Searching for the best camping near Manti-La Sal National Forest, UT? Manti-La Sal National Forest is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. Find the best campgrounds near Manti-La Sal National Forest, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
Joe's Valley Reservoir Campground is located in a high mountain valley next to its namesake, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring the surrounding off-road vehicle trails. A paved road winds around the lake but quickly turns to dirt once the elevation begins to increase.
The reservoir offers good fishing for cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger muskie and trophy splake. Boating, water skiing and canoeing are popular on the lake. A boat ramp is located nearby on the eastern shoreline. Horseback riding, bouldering, hiking and mountain biking are popular in the area as well.
Joe's Valley is situated on the Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah. Juniper, pinyon pine and sagebrush cover the area, and aspens and pines dot the surrounding hillsides. Located on a reservoir, there is nearby access to Seely Creek, Littles Creek, North Dragon Creek, and Lowry Water.
Renowned bouldering opportunities are located in nearby Straight and Cottonwood Canyons. Popular mountain fisheries at Grassy Lake, Pete's Hole, and Potters Ponds are all within 10 miles of the group site. The 370-mile Arapeen Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System can be accessed directly from the Reeder Trailhead, which includes 66 and 55-inch OHV trails. Attractions at Joe's Valley Reservoir include the Orange Olsen Guard Station cabin rentals, and Joe's Valley Group Pavilion.
$18 / night
$24 - $100 / night
Maple Canyon Campground is known for its unique cliffs, arches, and scenic views of the Sanpitch Mountains. It is a small campground nestled between towering conglomerate rock walls on either side of the canyon. A favorite among rock climbers, notably for a formation called The Pipe Dream, the campground is just 3 miles from Freedom, Utah.
Rock climbing is the campground's main draw, attracting climbers from all over the world with its numerous routes for beginners and experts alike. Over 140 bolted routes are available with climbing grades from 5.4 to 5.14.
The campground is nestled among thick groves of maples below beautiful, towering conglomerate walls at an elevation of 6,700 feet. The canyon contains over 40 cliffs ranging in height from 30 to 300 feet. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the canyon.
The canyon offers some excellent hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities. Three steep scenic loop trails (three to five-mile loops) provide access to many of the rock climbing sites in the canyon, such as the famous Pipe Dream tunnel. Panoramic views east into Sanpete Valley and beyond to the Wasatch Plateau reveal themselves near the tops of the trails and cliffs. The Sanpitch Recreation Area and Chicken Creek Campground can be found nearby.
$20 - $40 / night
Open for season. All water and electricity is on in campground. The boat ramp is open and the docks have been placed. Hazards exist, be careful if boating.
The Wedge Overlook offers expansive views of the San Rafael River below and the Sids Mountain Wilderness Area beyond. It's wild and undeveloped landscape offers premier backcountry recreation.
Manti Community Campground is just 7 miles east of Manti, Utah next to Yearns Reservoir at an elevation of 7,400 feet. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing and exploring local trails. Accessible by dirt road, no high clearance needed.
Canoeing and fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout are popular activities on the small but scenic man-made reservoir. A short, easy trail traverses around Yearns Reservoir with fishing access points on the north, west, and south sides of the lake. The trail includes a wooden bridge, two stream crossings, a set of wooden stairs, and both shaded and exposed areas. Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are also favorite activities in the area.
A mixed forest of spruce, pinyon, juniper, fir and aspen covers the area, offering partial shade. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. Situated on a hill above Yearns Reservoir with multiple access trails.
The surrounding area is a haven for ATV enthusiasts. Several trails, primarily for 66-inch OHVs, crisscross the region, making up part of the 350-plus miles of the exciting Arapeen OHV Trail System. In the immediate area is the Burnt Hill Trail that connects with the Patton Trail, beginning at the Manti Loop Patton Trailhead. Milky Falls can also be found nearby.
$10 - $40 / night
Joes Valley Reservoir Campground is located in a high mountain valley adjacent to and just above Joes Valley Reservoir at an elevation of ~7,000 feet. Juniper, pinyon pine, and sagebrush cover the area, and aspen and pine dot the surrounding hillsides. Several sites provide nice views of the reservoir, and some sites are shaded. The campground contains several single- and double-family campsites, all of which are accessible. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved. A boat ramp is located within the campground. The reservoir offers good fishing for cutthroat, rainbow trout, and trophy splake. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, water skiing, and canoeing, as well as horseback riding, hiking, and mountain biking. The expansive Arapeen OHV Trail System can be accessed just west of the reservoir and has more than 350 miles of designated, well-maintained trails that are suitable for all riding skill levels.
$10 - $18 / night
$24 - $100 / night
Maple Canyon Campground is known for its unique cliffs, arches, and scenic views of the Sanpitch Mountains. It is a small campground nestled between towering conglomerate rock walls on either side of the canyon. A favorite among rock climbers, notably for a formation called The Pipe Dream, the campground is just 3 miles from Freedom, Utah.
Rock climbing is the campground's main draw, attracting climbers from all over the world with its numerous routes for beginners and experts alike. Over 140 bolted routes are available with climbing grades from 5.4 to 5.14.
The campground is nestled among thick groves of maples below beautiful, towering conglomerate walls at an elevation of 6,700 feet. The canyon contains over 40 cliffs ranging in height from 30 to 300 feet. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the canyon.
The canyon offers some excellent hiking, biking and horseback riding opportunities. Three steep scenic loop trails (three to five-mile loops) provide access to many of the rock climbing sites in the canyon, such as the famous Pipe Dream tunnel. Panoramic views east into Sanpete Valley and beyond to the Wasatch Plateau reveal themselves near the tops of the trails and cliffs. The Sanpitch Recreation Area and Chicken Creek Campground can be found nearby.
$20 - $40 / night
Open for season. All water and electricity is on in campground. The boat ramp is open and the docks have been placed. Hazards exist, be careful if boating.
Manti Community Campground is just 7 miles east of Manti, Utah next to Yearns Reservoir at an elevation of 7,400 feet. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing and exploring local trails. Accessible by dirt road, no high clearance needed.
Canoeing and fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout are popular activities on the small but scenic man-made reservoir. A short, easy trail traverses around Yearns Reservoir with fishing access points on the north, west, and south sides of the lake. The trail includes a wooden bridge, two stream crossings, a set of wooden stairs, and both shaded and exposed areas. Hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding are also favorite activities in the area.
A mixed forest of spruce, pinyon, juniper, fir and aspen covers the area, offering partial shade. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are abundant. Situated on a hill above Yearns Reservoir with multiple access trails.
The surrounding area is a haven for ATV enthusiasts. Several trails, primarily for 66-inch OHVs, crisscross the region, making up part of the 350-plus miles of the exciting Arapeen OHV Trail System. In the immediate area is the Burnt Hill Trail that connects with the Patton Trail, beginning at the Manti Loop Patton Trailhead. Milky Falls can also be found nearby.
$10 - $40 / night
Scout
Solid dispersed camp with room for 2 or more campers. Requires solid 4x4 to get to but not technical driving to get there.
There are one or two spots to park in the final 3/4 mile descent to the trailhead offer even more amazing views (they were occupied when we arrived)
Traveler
this place has lots of spots to park, river, trails, and amazing scenery.
Ranger
Smallish beautiful campground. Site 9 but sites 4, 5, 12 good too. 1 is private but away from toilets. Nice view down the valley to Electric Lake. Decent distance to Scofield. Relatively quiet but sites are fairly close together.
Food aside: Ate Knorr rice with chicken, spiced it up, and Hatch tortillas for dinner. Also Sprouts Hatch M&C with Wal Mart chicken packet and Old El Paso ranch sauce, both good.
Ranger
Stayed 6/1-4 in space 9. Very shady campground and campsite. Creek runs thru but not by this site. Only 1 vault toilet for the family campground, so walked over to Group site toilets which were cleaner. One trail out of camp to Rock Canyon but it was fairly steep and rocky so didn't do much of it. Did walk up and down paved road into camp and then on dirt roads off main road that had a few FCFS dry camp pull out areas along the creek. Campsites well spaced many with good views of valley or the red rock cliffs. No ATVs allowed in campground. Spaces 15 and 20 were also good, 10 is double size but same price with large drive and nice views to red cliffs. Camp host unobtrusive.
Would be great during fall colors. Saw some bear scat on trail closer to I-70
Ranger
Dirt road in, off the hwy, was a bit rutted, but we made it okay in van. Took our chances on a FCFS spot, #8 which looked fairly level but was not. There were 2 bathrooms we saw and the site was mostly equidistant from both, and a bit of distance away. Beautiful canyon with walls rising up both sides but were just passing thru so didn't get to see much and didn't stay but basically overnight. Seems like some interesting pull out boon-docking sites on way in but bathroom in day use parking was locked in the am when we left.
Ranger
Stayed in 33B first night and 23C second night. C loop seems a little more sparse and spaced out. Outer loop seems better. Bathrooms very clean and well stocked. Sites mostly level. Pine and aspen, some spots more shaded than others. Easy walk to lake and there is a nice paved trail around it. Spotty cell service at road, none in campground.
Food aside: Freeze-dried Pad thai with chicken, supplemented chicken (packet from Wal Mart) and it was very good with a bit of heat. Also added garlic powder (always).
Ranger
Stayed in site 8, which has a shallow and uneven driveway. We used several leveling blocks which helped. Site 6 is ideal in terms of proximity to toilets and relatively level site with trees and a water tap just adjacent. There are 9 total sites, 5 are group sites so tend to be LOTS of people around. Group sites are large and are only$20/night and site 9 is roomy, relatively private and has vault toilets adjacent. Walking trails in/around campground.
Lots of families. Safe. Rather enjoyed a sing-along one night with LOTS of kids.
2nd stay (June): Stayed again for 2 nights, this time in spot 6 which is roomier than 8 and one of only a few single family campsites. Renovation installed a new picnic table and fire pit but removed the tent pad. Water tap still adjacent.
Big family gatherings due to large family spots, across were 6 RVs in one spot and trucks parked everywhere including on the grass. Fairly quiet and respectful but dogs were allowed to run loose and while seemingly friendly, they were not supervised for pooping. This also means bathrooms were under serious strain esp re: available toilet paper.
Nearby: On Hwy 31, appear to be a variety of dispersed camping spots, most are not well marked. Some appear to have names, but not sure if they are reservable. Most are for "groups" but are typically only $20/night, some smaller group sites are only$10/night. Seem to be largely FCFS. Several have vault toilets adjacent.
Visited nearby Huntington Lake State Park, which is relatively modest in terms of facilities, basically a lake and a campground (no shade). The sites adjacent to the lake look nice (~sites 1-5) and have partial hookups but the trees are sparse. There is a trail around the lake, but it appears mainly to be a gravel road with some benches here/there.
Food aside (freeze dried packs with our own add-ons): Had Peak beef pasta marinara with italian and garlic seasoning. FQ (fart quotient) is low. Had garlic mashed and Hatch green chile mac (from Sprouts). Added pepper jerky to the mashed before water and the cheese (Mexican blend) and one packet of fajita chicken (Wal Mart, about $1.25) and some Kinder's smoked garlic into the mac when it was ready. Also crumbled some 4 cheese Triscuits on top.
Had Mountain House freeze-dried scrambled eggs in wheat tortillas with cheese, bacon (in at finish), and pepper jerky (in with water). Two servings would have made~4 burritos. Also recommend cutting back on the water to ~2/3-3/4c. Added pepper, garlic powder to eggs.
Had Mountain House pad thai with chicken for dinner. Didn't add sriracha seasoning but put our own smoked garlic, Wal Mart applewood smoked chicken packet and the supplied lime, peanut butter, and nuts (supplemented the nuts with our own).
Traveler
We rented a van in SLC and needed a quick spot to spend the night on the way to Arches/canyon lands. This was easy to find at dusk with a clear road. LOTS of trash around. You could hear the highway a little bit but the noise wasn’t too bad. We only saw one other person who drove in and then left. There is a nice big gas station/truck stop about a mile away open 24 hours so we went there to use the bathroom and get gas. Not sure why this post calls it Canyon Road. It’s off of Consumers Road then Dump road. We did have service with T-Mobile and Verizon.
Traveler
Just needed to find a place for the night and this was perfect! No one around, huge site, beautiful views and free! Cows meander around the campsite..didn't bother us. If you go past where the directions take you, there are 3 or 4 spots that are also nice. Road is easy to travel.
Ranger
We needed a place for the night after leaving the crazy busy area of Moab and this was the perfect spot. We will absolutely return again but with the ATVs.
There were several people camping and riding their ATVs and SXSs but when the sun went down it was quiet and so dark. The night sky is beautiful.
Pack it in and out but a perfect place for us. It had rained the day we arrived and it was not muddy and no problem getting in and out.
The road getting in has a bit of wash board so just take it slow.
Traveler
It was essentially a bunch of RVs and cars parked in a field, so minimal privacy, but feels very safe! Cows come out at night and wander about, so look out for cow patties!
ScoutThere is one campsite with a sign that says 3 day public camping. It is a huge dirt lot with a few shade trees and creek. About 1/4 mile after this location are 5 more Creekside campsites on the left side of the road ( if coming from Goshen ) they are unmarked. All campsites in this area are on BLM or state land. Please do not overstay your welcome. They have discussed blocking them off due to people staying for way to long and leaving trash.
LegendForested campsites in a narrow canyon. Busy on weekends. Got the last first served sit at 3pm Friday. Sites next to the main road. Traffic peering into the campsite. Young fit crowd. Weak cell reception.
Scout
Oak Creek is my go-to campground, whether I'm with family or solo. It's nestled in Boulder Mountain and can be easy to overlook if you're not paying attention. Experience Unblocked Games 76 right now!
GuideStumbled upon this small campground. 6 sites around a grassy area. Oak, maple and cottonwoods and a creek. 4 group sites and 13 more sites up canyon past group sites, some along the creek. Water, pit and flush toilets, no garbage. There was a trailer in site #1 but didn’t see anyone. Beautiful full moon rise over canyon! Quiet and peaceful but a surprising amount of traffic on the gravel road up the canyon past campground. There are more camping spots up the road. Plantation Flat is a primitive campground in a pine forest. It was full of OHV campers. Looked like they were there for awhile.
Scout
Great stop point for me driving SoCal to Boulder.
Nothing here but the aforementioned moonscape.
Arrived dusk 3Jul24 after a hasty retreat from Last Chance 8 or 10 miles west (mosquitos). Only 2 or 3 managed to track me east at highway speed!
There was no one else here, far enough from the highway.
Pulled into the giant dirt bowl, turned right and drove until front of car was slightly elevated for my sleeping position (back of a wagon).
Proceed with caution in inclement weather or you may get stuck.
ScoutArrived 3Jul24 at dusk. There is standing water marsh with a frac tank, possibly for water for the quarry above. Got out of the car to give dog a break and within one minute was scrambling back in. Drove up hill to the quarry and got out with dog....still very bad mosquitos but some breeze. Hid in the car while dog was out on a long rope for a while, covered with mosquitos. After 10 minutes I had killed most that were in the car and the ones waiting at the doors and windows were gone. I cracked the door and began pulling dog rope to get slack in and then had dog climb over me into back seat.
We drove east one Dyrt to Miller Canyon and it was AWESOME. I remember maybe 3 mosquitos there.
There are only two things I can compare this savagery to (and I am in my late 50s):
Alaska (Last Chance Rd dispersed is WORSE--However, note that when I was in AK I wasn't asking for trouble--I was indoors during mosquito hours--I am sure AK has mosquitos as bad as Last Chance if you go looking)
Canada Boundary Waters Boy Scout Canoe Base (about the same at dusk--only fools wouldn't have camp totally ready to be inside tents before mosquito hours. Mornings were fine.
Traveler
Perfect place to stop for the night. Road is fine. A few ruts. Super quiet.
ScoutWe pulled in after sunset to stop before going all the way north to SLC. The road was pretty doable in our truck, but it think it would be easy in a sedan too. There was a roundabout at the coordinates and another van was there, but there looked to be 3-4 more small spots for tents or vans. Not sure how many could accommodate a bigger rig. Lots of bugs, none biting. About a 7-10 min drive to the freeway. No freeway noise though. Some broken glass and trash, but nothing unexpected.
Guide
This spot was a little hard to locate because it’s on trust land and the spots look like junk piles. Yuck! There was so much ammo casings on the ground it looked like a war zone. Obviously the locals use it as a shooting range and do not clean up after themselves. We went on down dump road a little bit and found a spot tucked in the canyon and out of site of the road for a little wind break and privacy. I added that location because it was not as bad. Still to much trash laying around though. I don’t understand why people can not take care of these free resources so they are not taken away.
TravelerThis spot was great. We arrived at dusk and it was still easy to find, although there was a long dirt road (about 2 miles) to get to spots marked with a campfire pit. Two or three cars drove by, but it was still secluded enough that we had no worries. We found a spot by a beautiful stream with cool water. Great stargazing. Safe!
GuideThis is trust land so you will see where a lot of people come back here to target practice. Sadly they do not clean up any of their trash. The area is nice, large and very private.
ScoutLarge, open, flat area with easy access. Trailhead for mountain biking and dirt bike trails.
Traveler
This is the place if you like being "off the grid". 18 miles of unpaved (and, for us, muddy) road to get to the campground. It's a 90-minute trek each way from the closest gas/food/retail, so be prepared. It's also a fairly aggressive grade up and down. Brakes and transmissions will need a chance to recover the climb/descent.
Altitude is also a major factor. This is over 10,000 of elevation. Our lungs definitely felt it. While Salt Lake City was hitting 100 degrees, we were sleeping with three blankets at night as temps were in the low 40s/upper 30s.
This campground is definitely not level. Outside of the group sites, most of the spots are sloped, and ours might have been the worst. We needed leveling blocks to lift our pop-up about 8 inches on the dedicated "pad" and there was no flat spot to set up any canopy or EZ Up. Our site did have plenty of shade with direct sun from about 8 am to noon.
We did have a couple of issues that will deter us from coming back. First was the constant flow of ATVs/OHVs/vehicles coming into the campground to use the toilets and unused sites for lunch/dinner. Since there was no camp host on site, this felt a little abusive. There are several open sites along the road to the campground and more as you continue up Skyline Drive. I think everyone using them knows that this is basically a truck stop for them.
The second issue we had was the moths. Having a pop-up, we understand that critters happen. But we must have had over 100 moths that found shelter under our flaps, in the roofline, and inside our camper. It added 45 minutes to our breakdown and pack up.
Those issues, coupled with the long and rough road, make this place a one-and-done campground for us.
GuideLots of spots. Visited after a rain storm and dirt was dirt and not clay like others spots in the area. Trees in area will hide other campers.
GuideAs described, it's a big field with a bunch of RVs. That being said, if you don't have an off-road capable vehicle (like me) - it's a solid option and there are some pretty mountain views. You can buy the permit online. No one checked the permit for the three days I was there.
Guide
Stopped for the night on the way to Colorado. Very easy check-in via the Web. There are a ton of very well developed sites. There was one other camper we saw that came in a little later than us.
We would stay here again.
We did have a minor issue that the 50a service breaker wouldn't reset even with nothing plugged in. But we simply used the 30a which was plenty for us with the relatively cool weather. We let them know the next day and they said it would be checked.
Camping near Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah, offers a mix of stunning views and outdoor adventures. Whether you're into tent camping or RVing, there are plenty of spots to set up camp and enjoy nature.
Camping near Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah, has something for everyone, whether you're looking for adventure or a peaceful getaway.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Manti-La Sal National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, Manti-La Sal National Forest offers a wide range of camping options, with 188 campgrounds and RV parks near Manti-La Sal National Forest and 62 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Manti-La Sal National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Manti-La Sal National Forest is Joes Valley Reservoir with a 4.1-star rating from 8 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Manti-La Sal National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 62 free dispersed camping spots near Manti-La Sal National Forest.
What parks are near Manti-La Sal National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 parks near Manti-La Sal National Forest that allow camping, notably Fishlake National Forest and Capitol Reef National Park.
