Best Tent Camping near Mendon, UT

Dispersed tent camping opportunities exist in multiple canyons surrounding Mendon, Utah. Tent campers can find free primitive sites at Smithfield Dispersed Camping area and Curtis Creek/Arbs Basin, both located within a 30-minute drive of Mendon. Cache National Forest also offers established tent sites at Bridger Campground from May through September, providing a more developed option with trash collection and seasonal amenities.

Most primitive tent sites near Mendon feature natural, ungraded surfaces on forest or canyon terrain. Campers should prepare to be self-sufficient, as dispersed areas typically lack drinking water, toilets, and formal amenities. Fire restrictions are common during summer months, and permits may be required at certain locations like Curtis Creek and Monte Cristo dispersed areas. Access roads to many tent sites can narrow significantly, creating challenges for larger vehicles. A review mentioned, "No warning that the road narrows with no turn around about a mile into the campground, or the trees are overgrown which scratched up my sides."

Tent campers at Smithfield Dispersed Campsite enjoy proximity to a creek running through the canyon, with small clearings suitable for one or two tents or hammock camping. One camper noted that "After you've passed the Smithfield campground there are plenty of spots on both sides of the road where you can pull off and have dispersed camping." Sites at higher elevations like Monte Cristo offer spectacular views with aspen and fir forest surroundings but experience cooler temperatures and occasional strong winds. Most primitive tent camping areas become quite busy on weekends, particularly during summer months, so weekday arrivals are recommended for securing preferred sites. Fall brings vibrant foliage and fewer crowds at many of the forest tent sites surrounding Mendon.

Best Tent Sites Near Mendon, Utah (19)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Mendon, UT

508 Reviews of 19 Mendon Campgrounds


  • Pat S.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 28, 2019

    Sunrise Campground

    Good campground, easily accessable

    Sunrise CG is located right of hwy 89 about 10 minutes west of Garden City.  The CG sits above Bear Lake. The sites are pretty spacious, heavily wooded with good shade. There are picnic tables and fire rings at each site. There are 27 sites available. There are no hooks or dump stations. There a vault toilets and no showers. there is drinking wager available. This CG can accommodate walk in tent camping to RVs. You can reserve some sites on rec.gov. 

    This was a good stop that was convenient on the way through northern Utah. The camp host was awesome and funny.

  • 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!!

  • skoerber@moscow.com The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 2, 2025

    Maple Grove Campground

    small campground by the lake

    Stayed one night at the end of May. The road along Oneida Narrows is good graded gravel. At the base of the dam, a sign recommends against large RVs and towed vehicles so I scouted it first, but it's ok, just a little rutted in places. The campground is small, 12 spaces. I suggest not towing a camper that's longer than 20 ft or so, due to the general smallness of the pull ins and the narrowness of the road. Sites have picnic table and fire ring. Vault toilets that were reasonably clean. No water or trash service. There is access to the reservoir shore, but it has a lot of aquatic growth near the shore, which i don't like. So many fish jumping, big ones! I don't know what they were. It was about half full when I was there mid week. Quiet except when the neighbor was playing his trumpet -- are you kidding me?!?! No cell service, Verizon.  Nice shade from the maples. Surrounding ridges are scenic.

  • 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.

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 1, 2019

    North Fork Campground - St. Charles Canyon

    Beautiful Scenery in Idaho Mountains

    This beautiful campground lies close to the end of St Charles Canyon near the Minnetonka Cave.  It has 2 sections one of which is mainly for rvs and the 2nd which is for tents and camper Van's.  The RV spots seemed kind of close but the tent sites had ample room along with metal fire rings and picnic tables.  There was a vault toilet up near the rvs  and down by the tent sites

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 20, 2021

    Wood Camp Campground (Ut) — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    First come, first serve!

    Great area and very clean. The noise from the road isn't very noticeable as you sit along a beautiful creek. It's super relaxing and very afforable! 

    Vault toilets, no water but lots of shade. Each site has a picnic table, tent, and fire pits. Dumpster available when leaving the campground. I would consider this campground more on the primitive side of things.

  • P H.
    Jun. 23, 2020

    Devils Creek RV Park

    Close quarters but friendly faces

    This is an older campground, and space near reservoirs is a hot commodity. The RV park host was very friendly and accommodating. Very clean campground with a nice boat dock and plenty of spaces to get down near the reservoir and fish.

    Warning - Some of the spaces felt like extremely close quarters especially with slide outs. The picture below shows one of the older full utility locations. Some units may not have much room to slide out without contacting the utility boxes. Some units offer great shade and an awning next to a shared fire pit, shared picnic table. Some units have a really nice shared grass area between trailers. Also several people here are seasonal campers with monthly rates. This can make finding a space a little more challenging. Call ahead and make sure to get reservations so you can get a spot.

    Lot size seems inconsistent between spaces as some feel very cramped and some of the high number units without utilities had larger spaces between them, almost appearing as an extra space between two units people were using for pet/kid play areas.

    Dogs are to be kept on leashes, but people should consider short leashes/tie lines as it is easy for pets to cross into adjacent units depending upon where they are staked. Make sure to plan ahead for power adapters. Only one 30amp service so if your planning to run AC, plan to be the first in or coordinate with your neighbor.

  • 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!

  • Alan B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 1, 2018

    Albert Moser

    Nice quiet area with tons of shade next to the creek

    Edry spot has complete shade throughout the entire day and even if that's not enough it's right next to the stream. There are vault toilets, permanent fire rings, and picnic tables at each site with a place for hanging garbage.


Guide to Mendon

Dispersed camping near Mendon, Utah offers primitive options within the Cache National Forest at elevations ranging from 5,500 to 6,200 feet. Most sites feature uneven terrain with minimal development, requiring campers to be completely self-sufficient with water and waste management. Winter camping requires four-wheel drive vehicles as many access roads become impassable from November through April due to snow accumulation.

What to do

Hiking trails: Curtis Creek and Arbs Basin areas provide multiple trail access points. The basin features gradual terrain suitable for day hikes. One camper noted, "Awesome time love the dirt road love love the trees the nature, everything about it basically the hills and country."

Fishing opportunities: Bear Lake State Park Campground offers excellent fishing within a reasonable drive from Mendon. A visitor mentioned, "A great place to go especially if you want to cast your boat off and do some fishing or even some geocaching! If it's too hot on the lake there are some nice forests on the west side of the lake to escape into."

Winter activities: Port Ramp Marina transforms during winter months with snow sports opportunities. A visitor shared, "This is a fantastic spot to go in the winter. 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!"

What campers like

Quieter weekday camping: Dispersed camping near Monte Cristo offers more solitude during weekdays. A camper reported, "We came during a week day and the whole site was empty! Very quiet, very pretty, and very colorful. There were only two or maybe three spots total, so get here early."

Fall colors: Monte Cristo area showcases spectacular autumn foliage, typically peaking in late September. A reviewer 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."

Creek access: Curtis Creek / Arbs Basin provides water access at numerous sites. One visitor mentioned, "It's very quiet, barely any people. There's man made firepits made out of rocks of people who have stayed here. It's chilly and very pretty around. Nice view of the sunset."

What you should know

Limited turnaround space: Many forest roads narrow significantly after the first mile. Be aware of vehicle limitations when exploring beyond established areas.

Fire restrictions: Seasonal fire restrictions are strictly enforced throughout summer months. Portable propane stoves are recommended as alternatives during restriction periods.

Site availability: Green Canyon Yurt requires advance planning. A visitor advised, "The yurt itself can sleep 12, on four twin over full bunk beds. There's a cooking area, table, pots and pans, and of course a pot belly stove to keep it nice and warm."

Elevation changes: Temperature variations of 15-20 degrees occur between valley floor and mountain camping areas. Pack appropriate clothing layers even during summer months.

Tips for camping with families

Gradual water access: Bear Lake features shallow entry points ideal for children. A camper noted, "The beach has fine sand and the water depth is super gradual - it'll take 50-60 yards to get waist deep. Crystal clear water."

Group site options: Dry Canyon Campground provides designated group camping areas. A visitor mentioned, "This place had plenty of place for activities and many picnic tables close to a large cement fire place. There were also plenty types of sheep nearby!"

Wildlife viewing opportunities: Early morning and dusk provide optimal wildlife spotting times. Keep food secured in vehicles to prevent attracting animals to tent camping areas.

Educational opportunities: Pack field guides for night sky observation. The mountain areas surrounding Mendon have minimal light pollution, creating excellent stargazing conditions.

Tips from RVers

Limited RV access: Most primitive camping near Mendon restricts larger vehicles. A visitor to Bridger Campground commented, "A great and spacious area worth the trip for sure!"

Limited hookups: No electrical or water connections exist at dispersed sites. Generators are permitted at some locations but quiet hours are strictly enforced from 10pm-7am.

Seasonal road conditions: Spring runoff (April-May) can create muddy, impassable conditions even for 4WD vehicles. Contact the Cache National Forest office for current road status before attempting access with RVs.

Leveling challenges: Most tent camping sites near Mendon feature uneven terrain. Bring adequate leveling blocks and stabilizers for any RV camping attempts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mendon, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mendon, UT is Cache National Forest Bridger Campground with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Mendon, UT?

TheDyrt.com has all 19 tent camping locations near Mendon, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.