Best Tent Camping near Mona, UT

Tent campsites near Mona, Utah include primitive options alongside established camping areas in the surrounding canyons and mountains. Cottonwood Campground in the Stansbury Mountains provides tent camping with basic amenities, while free dispersed camping can be found along the access road leading to it. Little Sahara Recreation Area's White Sands Campground offers a unique tent camping experience on soft sand dunes approximately 30 miles west of Mona. Camp Maple Dell, located about 5 miles up Payson Canyon, provides shaded tent sites under leafy trees.

Most tent camping areas have vault toilets but lack potable water, requiring campers to pack in their own supplies. Campers should note that Cottonwood Campground has a daily fee of $14, while dispersed camping along its access road is free but offers no amenities. Sites typically feature fire rings and some have picnic tables, though fire restrictions may apply seasonally. Camping surfaces vary from soft sand at White Sands to packed dirt at Cottonwood. The Hobble Right Fork dispersed area provides free primitive tent camping but requires a permit. Seasonal availability varies, with Cottonwood Campground generally open from April to October when weather permits.

Tent campers at these sites enjoy varied natural surroundings, from desert landscapes to forested mountain settings. The White Sands area provides an unusual camping experience with soft sand that's "fun to walk in" and excellent stargazing opportunities. Free dispersed camping areas near Cottonwood tend to become crowded on summer weekends with campers and off-road vehicles. For those seeking more solitude, Hobble Right Fork dispersed camping area offers impressive views of Spanish Fork and Provo peaks, though a camper noted that "it is at a fairly high elevation so nights will be cold." Most primitive tent camping areas are positioned to provide access to nearby hiking trails and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Best Tent Sites Near Mona, Utah (35)

    1. Cottonwood Campground

    4 Reviews
    Mona, UT
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 466-6411

    "Pretty country, not too far from Salt Lake City... A small stream running through the area (in August!)... But small and right off the road... A picnic table and fire ring... Lovely trees..."

    "This canyon offers different hiking trails and camping sites, with picnic tables."

    2. Camp Maple Dell

    3 Reviews
    Elk Ridge, UT
    14 miles
    Website

    $26 - $40 / night

    "Covered pavillion with three picnic tables connected end to end."

    "If you don't want to drive for hours to unplug and enjoy nature, Maple Dell is just 5 miles up the Payson Canyon, has a lot of leafy trees for shade, most campsites have a pavilion and picnic table."

    3. Paul Bunyon's Woodpile

    3 Reviews
    Eureka, UT
    14 miles
    +1 (435) 743-3100

    "Road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm.  There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so."

    "We found a great campsite right by the trailhead, the only spot with trees and shade. Easy hike to see the formation, but very hot in July!"

    4. BLM Little Sahara RA - White Sands Campground

    3 Reviews
    Lynndyl, UT
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 743-3100

    "The Stars were beautiful and the sand was soft and fun to walk in. We set up two tents and thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Highly recommended!"

    5. Dry Canyon

    6 Reviews
    Mapleton, UT
    31 miles

    "free parking and overnight camping. each site has a table, fire pit, and plenty of flat spots to pitch a tent. from the parking lot you cross a bridge over the stream to the camp sites. you’re a perfect"

    "Their are nice picnic tables and fire rings a pit style bathroom is available across the river. Lots of amazing scenery around."

    6. Jericho Picnic & Camping Area

    2 Reviews
    Lynndyl, UT
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 433-5960

    "Great recreation area just a couple hours from Salt Lake City. Lots of sand dunes and opportunities for play. Our Boy Scout Troop sand boarded and rolled down the dunes."

    9. Hobble Right Fork Dispersed

    5 Reviews
    Mapleton, UT
    37 miles

    "stunning views of the surrounding mountains. hardly any light pollution, so the stars were amazing. the dirt road in was pretty rough, but manageable. make sure you have a spare tire on you just in case"

    "There are a few places to go behind growth for more privacy if desired. There is a small fire pit closer to the back. It is at a fairly high elevation so nights will be cold."

    10. Wasatch National Forest Sulphur Campground

    2 Reviews
    Mapleton, UT
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (307) 789-3194

    "The cleanest restrooms. 25ft hybrid trailer. Great tasting water, we used a 5 gallon bucket and a water transfer pump from Harbor Freight to fill up our fresh tank."

    "a bit further from mirror lake, camp host was nice"

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Tent Camping Reviews near Mona, UT

664 Reviews of 35 Mona Campgrounds


  • Jeremy H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 9, 2019

    Fivemile Pass OHV

    Good for free camping

    Not much out here but you’ll likely see a hawk or a Golden Eagle. You will have to put up with crazy OHVers and drunk partiers in some spots but there are a lot of places to go with a few pit toilets spread about.

    This is the desert and there is no water so come prepared. Please leave no trace and clean up after yourself.

  • Carrie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 23, 2019

    Diamond Fork

    Very clean and super camp host!

    I really loved this campground! And I really love Diamond Fork Hotsprings! I can’t wait to visit again! We camped the Thursday after Labor bad and had the entire campground almost all to ourselves! On Labor Day weekend there wasn’t an empty campsite. Cost is $22 for a single site, $44 for a double. We arrived to camp around 7:30 and pitched our tent then headed up the road a few more miles to the parking area for Diamond Fork (5th water) Hot Springs. I recommend visiting the Hotspring at night in the summer to escape the overwhelming crowds. There were only a handful of people at the springs during our evening visit. The trail to the springs is about 2.4 miles in. We returned to camp around 1 AM and slept soundly in the still, quiet nature. You can hear the stream babble nearby. We slept in and as we were breaking down camp, Marc, the camp host stopped by to se how our visit was and if we needed anything. What a wonderful man! We chatted for quite a while about the area and he offered to give us a tour of the campground in his golf cart. This is a pretty leather campground! 3 separate loops. There are some hike in tent sites but they are set up for dual tents and are priced as such so they are $44 which is quite speedy for a pack in tent site. There is a well maintained nature trail the passes through the campground. There are educational kiosks along the trail. There are multiple restrooms throughout the campground. The 2 I used were very clean considering it was post holiday weekend.
    Each campsite had a fire ring, grill, and a picnic table. Tent sites all offered nice level areas for pitching your tent. You can purchase fire wood from the camp host. This is a great place and I can’t wait to return!

  • Sam D.
    Oct. 15, 2017

    Fishlake National Forest Oak Creek Rec Site

    Oak Creek campground

    Awesome campground at about 8,600’ elevation, has a couple small creeks running through, water and toilets on site as well. Each site has a metal fire ring (crucial for a campfire during burn bans), picnic table, grill, some sites had an extra fire ring and bench seats. It’s nestled on the mountainside surrounded by aspen forests and farm land. Plenty of wildlife in the area, watch for deer and cattle in the road. We had temps dip down into the teens overnight with a dusting of snow in late September, be sure to pack layers. Overall a perfect spot for tent camping, small campers max, no RV parking or hookups. Not too far from Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Highly recommend staying here and going to Grand Staircase for a hike in the slot canyons.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 3, 2025

    Goshen Road Dispersed Camping

    Pretty location

    Site is pretty dirty, some have never heard of leave no trace . It is 7 pm and still extremely hot not much shade up here at this location

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Jennifer R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 17, 2020

    Strawberry Bay

    Quiet campground on a tranquil lake, $24/site

    Arrived late afternoon on a Wednesday in mid September after trying some of the dispersed spots and not finding quite the right fit. Several of the loops were closed for the season, but we found several good sites right on the bluff above the water. Great views, and a little path down to the waters edge (which we made use of right away with the pups, who enjoyed a good romp in and out of the water). Be forewarned, though: the sand is the dark red variety and a wet dog will need a shower to get this off.

    Plenty of potable water spouts and restrooms. Most of the campers were in RVs or trailers, but a tent would be fine here. The sites each had two picnic tables, metal fire rings and three sided, roofed shelters in case of rain or wind. They aren’t the largest sites, but there is decent spacing between sites. Some have some tree cover, but most are exposed.

    We had a visit from a herd of cows right after sunset on the beach in front of our site. They looked at us curiously for a few minutes before moving on, but we could hear them mooing periodically throughout the evening so I don’t think they went far.

    Good one night spot or longer if you have a boat with you for the lake. It was quite warm in the afternoon when we got here, though it cooled off quickly when the sun went down. Comfortable sleeping.

  • eThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 6, 2025

    Paul Bunyon's Woodpile

    Easy to access, nice primitive sites

    Road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm.  There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so.


Guide to Mona

Tent campsites near Mona, Utah extend beyond established sites into the surrounding wilderness areas and national forest lands. The region sits at elevations ranging from 4,500 to 9,000 feet, creating distinct camping microclimates throughout the year. Weather patterns shift dramatically from desert conditions at lower elevations to alpine environments in the higher campgrounds, with summer temperatures varying by up to 20 degrees between sites.

What to do

Hiking from camp: Hobble Right Fork Dispersed camping area connects to trails with views of Spanish Fork and Provo peaks. As camper Jakob H. notes, "A great view of both Spanish Fork and Provo peaks. There are a few places to go behind growth for more privacy if desired."

Fishing opportunities: Diamond Fork River provides accessible fishing from Dry Canyon campsites. "Really good fishing in both the fifth water river and Diamond Fork," according to Brad B., who adds that campers can expect to see "elk, deer, moose, and black bear in this area so bring a camera and don't leave food in your tent."

Sand recreation: For unique terrain, BLM Little Sahara RA - White Sands Campground offers sand-based activities. Carolynn D. reports, "The Stars were beautiful and the sand was soft and fun to walk in. We set up two tents and thoroughly enjoyed the visit."

What campers like

River proximity: At Dry Canyon, campsites are positioned near moving water without flooding concerns. Ethan H. describes the experience: "You're a perfect distance from the river so you can listen to it as you fall asleep, but you don't have to worry about floating away."

Stargazing conditions: The minimal light pollution at Hobble Right Fork Dispersed creates exceptional night sky viewing. "Hardly any light pollution, so the stars were amazing," confirms Ethan H., who visited in October 2020.

Shade coverage: Camp Maple Dell provides relief from summer heat with its tree canopy. Angela S. describes it as "just 5 miles up the Payson Canyon, has a lot of leafy trees for shade, most campsites have a pavilion and picnic table."

What you should know

Road conditions: Access to many dispersed sites requires navigation of unpaved roads. Whitney W. cautions about Hobble Right Fork: "You will have to drive a dirt road that is less than fair at times. You won't need high clearance but a good suspension or airing down will help."

Livestock presence: Free-range cattle roam throughout much of the camping areas east of Mona. "There are so many places to disperse camp as a group or an individual. One thing to know is that you will likely encounter cattle. They roam all over the hills," notes Whitney W.

Campground discrepancies: Reviews for some sites differ from online descriptions. For Cottonwood Campground, connie C. points out: "Many of the pictures posted here are not of this campground. This is a free campground located in central Utah outside of the town of Nephi."

Tips for camping with families

Group accommodations: Camp Maple Dell supports larger family gatherings with spacious sites. Michelle B. shares: "This camp can be rented by camp ground for $150 per night. Multiple tents fit per site. We had 6 tents, and had room for several more."

Wildlife viewing: Schedule early mornings or evenings for wildlife spotting opportunities. "I have seen elk, deer, moose, and black bear in this area so bring a camera," advises Brad B. about camping in the area.

Water play options: Some camps offer stream access for children. Ash S. describes Dry Canyon: "River steps away. River not too cold. Do have to carry everything from the parking lot, across the bridge, to your campsite."

Tips from RVers

Length limitations: Wasatch National Forest Sulphur Campground has tight access roads for larger vehicles. Justin A. cautions: "The camp spots are narrow, the road in/out is narrow. Our 25ft trailer seemed to be a max length, but there were some 32 ft goosenecks and motor homes there."

Water access: Many campgrounds lack hookups but offer alternative water solutions. Justin A. describes his solution at Sulphur Campground: "Great tasting water, we used a 5 gallon bucket and a water transfer pump from Harbor Freight to fill up our fresh tank."

Temperature fluctuations: Higher elevation tent sites near Mona experience significant temperature drops. Jakob H. warns about Hobble Right Fork camping area: "It is at a fairly high elevation so nights will be cold."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mona, UT is Cottonwood Campground with a 3.8-star rating from 4 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 35 tent camping locations near Mona, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.