Murray, Utah and its surrounding areas provide camping options ranging from developed RV parks to dispersed backcountry sites. The Salt Lake City KOA offers 180 sites with full hookups, showers, and year-round availability, while Millcreek Canyon features backcountry camping and yurt rentals for those seeking a more primitive experience. The region includes several campgrounds within 30 miles of Murray, including established facilities in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons such as Spruces Campground and Tanners Flat, which accommodate tent camping, RVs, and in some cases glamping options.
Seasonal availability varies significantly across the area, with many canyon campgrounds only open from late May through mid-October. "We frequently come up here just to sleep outside some nights and head back home in the early morning to get food and shower," noted one visitor about Neffs Canyon dispersed camping. Higher elevation sites in the Wasatch Mountains experience cooler temperatures and potential snow into late spring. Most developed campgrounds in the area require reservations, which become essential during summer weekends. Travelers should check current fire restrictions, especially during the dry summer months when bans are common. Cell service can be limited in canyon areas, though urban-adjacent sites maintain reliable coverage.
Campers report varying experiences with noise levels depending on location. Urban campgrounds like the Salt Lake City KOA provide convenience but experience city noise including traffic and trains. According to one visitor, "This campground is surrounded by inner city-like activity," while another mentioned it's "close to downtown" and offers "public transit to city-center and amenities a couple blocks away." Canyon campgrounds provide greater solitude and natural surroundings. Most established campgrounds feature drinking water and toilets, though amenities vary significantly. The proximity to both urban conveniences and mountain recreation makes the Murray area attractive for campers seeking both accessibility and scenic beauty. Winter camping options remain limited primarily to lower elevation RV parks that maintain year-round operations.
$50 - $189 / night
"I had the wonderful opportunity to stay the night at Salt Lake City KOA!"
"We wanted to explore Salt Lake City so decided to stay at this downtown KOA. It is a large and crowded RV park but right on a Transit line (UTA light rail Trax) and biking distance to downtown."
$29 - $327 / night
"Bathrooms always close by, no showers. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit. If you’re lucky, you can get a site close to the creek. Nice, cool nights in the summer."
"Right up Big Cottonwood Canyon, this campground has the advantage of being up the canyon so you feel far away from the city, but close enough that you could go on a work night and still make it to the"
$27 - $355 / night
"Tucked in very back. Long ways to walk from car. Water spout next to car area. Will be sharing parking with 2 other sites. 2 lakes nearby. Fire pit with grill gate. Shaded area."
"Utah is such an amazing place to visit for the outdoors. My family and I come here once a year because we love hiking and being in the outdoors."
$29 - $450 / night
"It was quiet, tucked away from anyone. Didn't really see anyone for the three days we are there. Our site was next to the river, which really helped drown out all other sounds! "
"We had site 11 close to the bathroom and in a flat, sunny clearing surrounded by trees. You could hear the nearby road a bit and see the mountains a little bit."
"Convenient location right off the highway with full hook ups and nice paved sites. Dog areas, playground, games, and a pool."
"These sites a so close to each other. We only stop here to stay the night. WiFi is ok-phone hotspot is better.
Staff is great."
$29 - $215 / night
"This is super close to my favorite mountain bike ride in Northern Utah - The Wasatch Crest Trail. As you can tell in the pictures, this area is very lush and rich with pine trees."
"The campsites are clean, the bathrooms are exceptionally clean with flushing toilets, you are a walk or hike away from Brighton and immersed in some of the most beautiful mountains around."
$27 - $227 / night
"We got a site with access to the river which my kids really enjoyed. There was a fun giant "sliding rock" in the area to climb on. Lots of trees for hammocks."
"The site we stayed at had many trees around to hang hammocks and also eat and picnic in the shade. There are brand new camp fires in all sites."
"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."
$35 - $50 / night
"This isn't the prettiest lake. It is nice and big, but since it is one of the closest to Utah Valley and Salt Lake Valley, it gets a lot of traffic."
"We stayed at the "McHenry" campground in a spot right next to a creek. The traffic noise was a bit prevalent during the day because it's close to the highway. Great tent pad."
TravelerThe spots not bad at all. There’s a couple different entrances with various camping/parking areas throughout. Some dirt roads are rough getting back to a spot. Parking across the street as well. Down side is how messy it is. Trash, glass, furniture. We luckily found a decent spot that we cleaned up and stayed at for a few days.
GuideI wasn’t sure what I expected, but this spot is just okay. There’s lots of Trailers, Vans, and other Car Campers. Some spots are really nice, while others are just piled full of trash. I would drive around a bit and scout out a few spots before deciding on one. Fair warning this place is very dusty and windy, but it does have some pretty views. Not a terrible place to stay, but I wouldn’t recommend more than a night or two. There’s not much to do in the area.
GuideNice location, great views.It gets a little methy down by the lake overall worth a night
GuideGreat view and easy check in at kiosk
ScoutThe app said that overnight camping would be allowed in the parking lot and within a third of the mile, the parking area from the second there's a sign that expressly prohibits this exact thing. Saturday of April through September 9th. This is incorrect. There's a sign that expressly prohibits this exact thing.
TravelerIt was a little muddy an to close to the road an a little busy but other that is was nice, lots of butterflies and dog friendly fairly pretty
RangerThis campsite is like being on another planet. The scenery is beautiful! But we came in early April and the gnats were UNREAL. If the wind died down at all, we and the dogs were swarmed. I had gnats in my mouth, nose, ears, everywhere. But aside from that, the campground was great. Showers were private, clean, and had plenty of hot water. Would love to visit again outside of gnat season.
TravelerIt’s basically Boondocking with a pad, picnic table, and fire pit. Beautiful area though. Entry is small. I have a 30 foot travel trailer and I would not recommend doing the one way loop. Most of the campsites are small, and people crowd the loop roadway, and the trees and the sharp corners make it very difficult. . We took the biggest site - number 17 near the end of the loop and had plenty of room. But to get there, we backed from the end of the loop in to the site.
GuideEcho Res is a peaceful stop after crossing NV and the Salt Flats of UT. The camp site only has one other camper in it during our stay. We have water and electric hookup. The sites are all pathed and we did not need to do any leveling in site #9. You can hear semi truck going along I-80 but they are in the distance. The park is in between the reservoir and a pathed road, so there is some road noise but not much at all, not enough to disturb us. The beauty of the water and sound of birds and light breeze outweigh any negative. Each site has a covered picnic table and fire ring. And the sites look to have 25-30 feet between them.
Camping in Murray, Utah provides access to both mountain canyon sites and urban-adjacent facilities. The Wasatch Range creates a dramatic elevation shift from Murray's 4,300 feet to nearby camping options at 8,700+ feet, leading to temperature differences of 15-20 degrees between valley and mountain campsites. Upper canyon campgrounds typically operate from late May through mid-October with primitive facilities, while RV parks in the valley maintain year-round operations with full hookups.
Hiking from camp: At Granite Flat, campers can access numerous trails including routes to Stewart Falls. "We were able to paddle board which was a blast! I loves being so close and having access to so many beautiful hikes and Rick climbing," mentions Kaitlin R. The campground's proximity to Tibble Fork Reservoir provides additional recreation options.
Fishing opportunities: Jordanelle State Park provides reliable fishing just 30 minutes from Murray. "Fun for the whole family; kids, seniors, pets, etc! The fishing is really good too. We catch something every time we go," reports Derek E. The reservoir supports rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and perch populations.
Winter camping adventures: Despite seasonal closures at many campgrounds, Spruces Campground offers winter backcountry camping options. "Wonderful winter wonder land you can snowshoe into in the winter and camp at!" shares Shilah M. Winter camping requires appropriate cold-weather gear and awareness of avalanche conditions.
Proximity to Salt Lake City: Salt Lake City KOA offers convenient access to urban amenities while maintaining campground features. "We have stayed here several times when visiting family in SLC. Facilities are clean and the staff is nice," notes Kristi R. The location provides a practical base camp for exploring the city.
Wildlife viewing: Redman Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon offers frequent wildlife encounters. "This campground is quiet and has abundant wildlife. It's better for small campers or tent campers as the driveways were not designed for big rigs," states one camper. Another mentions, "Very nice campground with water running in multiple places, clean multiple bathrooms and incredible wildlife coming right into your site."
Streamside sites: Little Mill Campground features numerous sites adjacent to American Fork Creek. "Just returned from an overnight stay at Little Mill with amazing American Fork Creek right beside my sites," writes Myrna G. The sound of flowing water masks road noise at many sites and provides natural cooling during summer months.
Campground access limitations: Some areas have restricted entry times or seasonal closures. At Little Mill, "Make sure you get camped and in because they lock the gate coming into campground at 11PM and you have to hike in," warns Brad B. Similarly, Millcreek Canyon has periodic road closures and restricted camping seasons.
Bathroom facilities vary significantly: While some campgrounds offer flush toilets, others provide only basic facilities. The Spruces Campground recently experienced facility issues, with one reviewer noting: "We drove up and found the restrooms were closed and porta potties installed. It is beautiful up there, but the campground is not being taken care of."
Reservation requirements: Most popular sites fill quickly, especially during summer weekends. For Granite Flat, one camper advised: "Be aware that this campsite reservations for the weekend fill up quick. I checked in late May and every weekend until September was already booked."
Family-friendly spaces: Tanners Flat provides good options for family camping, especially in double sites. "I booked a double site here for the first time, and they are beautiful. I enjoyed the location, the space, and my whole family did as well!" shares Heather K. The campground includes clean bathrooms with flushing toilets.
Budget considerations: Entry fees apply at many sites beyond camping costs. At Jordanelle State Park, one camper notes, "Be ready to pay the state park fee too!" State parks typically charge $10-15 daily entrance fees per vehicle in addition to camping fees ranging from $20-40 per night.
Pet restrictions: Several canyon campgrounds prohibit dogs entirely due to watershed regulations. "We had planned to camp here but dogs are not allowed. This campground looked like an awesome spot," explains Natalie B. about Redman Campground. Similar restrictions apply at Tanners Flat where "NO Dogs allowed in the canyon—it is a watershed."
Level sites: At Pony Express RV Resort, campers appreciate the practical design. "Pull throughs or back in on paved level sites. Picnic table. FHU. Sites typically close with grass area separating," notes Janet H. The resort includes narrow interior roads requiring careful navigation for larger rigs.
Urban noise factors: City-adjacent RV parks experience consistent noise issues. "Convenient location right off the highway with full hook ups and nice paved sites," reports Cheriana G., but others note the proximity to traffic. Another camper states, "You are in the city so that comes with its own atmosphere but we never felt unsafe."
Winter RV options: RV parks in the valley maintain year-round operations when mountain sites close. One visitor to Salt Lake City KOA noted it's a "Good place to plug in at night between ski days." Winter RV camping requires preparation for freezing temperatures and potential road conditions when traveling to ski areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What paid campsites are available near Murray?
Several excellent paid camping options surround Murray. Rock Cliff Area Campground — Jordanelle State Park offers full hookup RV sites in a clean, recently renovated facility. The campground was previously tent-only but now accommodates RVs with modern amenities. For a luxurious camping experience, Mountain Valley RV Resort in nearby Heber City provides premium concrete pads with an adult-only section for those seeking peace and quiet. Other paid options within driving distance include Pine Creek Campground at Wasatch Mountain State Park and Bridger Bay Campground at Antelope Island State Park, both offering developed sites with basic amenities.
Where are the best camping spots in Murray?
The Murray area is surrounded by exceptional camping destinations. Cascade Springs Dispersed Site offers some of the region's most spectacular views, with panoramic vistas of Mt. Timpanogos and opportunities for off-road adventures. It's typically less crowded, making it ideal for those seeking solitude. Anderson Cove provides a peaceful retreat away from Salt Lake City's hustle with beautiful lake access and plentiful bathroom facilities. The drive there is stunning, making it worth the trip. Other excellent options include Lilly Lake Campground in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest for roadside convenience and Bridger Bay Campground on Antelope Island for wildlife viewing opportunities.
What tent camping options exist in the Murray area?
Tent campers near Murray have several appealing options. Pine Creek Campground — Wasatch Mountain State Park offers traditional tent sites with asphalt pads in a wooded setting, though some sites may be unlevel. Granite Flat provides spacious tent-only sites with enough room for multiple medium tents in a quiet environment. For those seeking free dispersed camping, Soldier's Pass Utah Backcountry offers no-cost options with established fire rings, though you must bring all water and be prepared for noise from nearby shooting ranges and off-road vehicles. These sites provide varying levels of amenities, from developed facilities with bathrooms to primitive experiences requiring self-sufficiency.
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