Top 10+ Dispersed Free Camping near Orderville, UT

This is an area of free dispersed camping along the FS Rd #117 (Tom Best Spring Rd). It is midway between Bryce NP and Red Canyon Recreation Area on the Dixie NF. The dispersed camping is along FS RD #117 ( good graded gravel road) for about the first 1.1 miles, after that camping restrictions are posted. Some of the side roads are dirt two track and also have many camping spots but beware wet weather on side roads. Cell service is very good for all providers. This area has no designated sites (yet) and there are no tables, metal fire rings, garbage dumpsters or toilets. However, at the main hwy across there is a rest area with a vault toilet.

When our original dispersed camping spot didn’t work out we drove down the road and found this little gem, right outside the entrance to Bruce Canyon National Park. There are a bunch of designated USFS camping spots. They’re level-ish, fire rings, and pretty easy to get to. We have a 1992 (renovated!) motorhome and we got to spot 17 no problem. We could have gone to 17-19, but then the road got to rough for our old girl. Lots of quads and sideXsides riding on the dirt road, kicking up dust till about 8:30PM but was not a big deal. Solid free camping right near the park!

The pin is at the TH where folks park. Rough slickrock past this point. Free dispersed camps are in this TH area and back down the access road in several spots. This road is rough rocky but AWD SUVs seem to get there. Cell is very good. No info kiosk or signage at TH. No water, no dumpsters, no toilets, no fire-rings. Access road from hwy #89 is 8.4 miles. At mile 3.1 you are on BLM. At mile 6.4 is a juct that you need to go RIGHT, not straight. Camping is best for tenters and truck campers. Hauling a TT or large RV up there on the rough rocky would be risky, but some get up there still!

Upon entering Bryce National Park last year we discovered all of the campgrounds were full. We decided to ask a park ranger where else we could camp, he handed us a map (in the pictures) and sent us on our way. About 5-10 minutes outside of the park there is a series of dirt roads on the left hand side that offers free dispersed camping. Forest road 090 or 1173, the main road in the area is called The Great Western Trail.

The spots here are your typical dispersed camping, with no official marking for sites. No picnic tables or restrooms and there a no fire rings. We found a nice clearing with a rock fire ring already made. While driving down the dirt road we did see a few RV's and trailers, i would say you could comfortably take any vehicle down this way to spend a night camping. The road was fairly well maintained, a few bumps and holes along the way but nothing major. Id say all in all we drove about 10 or 15 minutes to find a camp spot.

The distance back to the National Park was about 10-15 minutes from our camp spot, well worth it to stay outside the park and save some money as well as have a nice quiet and private area. The directions we were given by the park ranger had us take an immediate left after the Bryce Canyon NP sign onto rd 090. We eventually found a spot about a mile or so down that area.

Note on the map, if you follow road 087 down towards the reservoir, the Park Service recommends this as the best place to view wildlife before dusk. Next time you are down in the area, try out these spots. You will not be disappointed.

We did not end up staying here overnight because of the heat and potential rain but wanted to check it out. If you go past the no camping 1/2 mile signs there are plenty of options in this area for dispersed camping so keep driving at least 1/2 mile from those signs. Unlike the prior post, it says you CAN camp as long as you're a half mile from the no camping signs as it is BLM land.

There are plenty of places people have camped before when the fire restrictions were lifted and left perfect fire rings with rocks from the area all spaced out well. One underneath a big rock assuming they must have had some wind.

If there is any chance for rain/storms, be careful. You can see where people have struggled to get out.

I would recommend a 4x4 vehicle but stock is fine. My boyfriend claims I could have taken my stock Grand Cherokee (Altitude) up it with the right tire placement on the rocks.