Best Campgrounds near Rush Valley, UT

Rush Valley, Utah features camping opportunities spanning from established campgrounds to primitive sites across Bureau of Land Management and National Forest lands. Several developed options exist in South Willow Canyon, including Clover Springs Campground with creek-side sites, and the Loop Campground at the end of the canyon road offering views of Deseret Peak. Most campgrounds accommodate both tent and RV camping, with sites typically including fire rings and picnic tables. The area is especially noted for its juniper-scented air, creek access, and proximity to limestone climbing routes in the Stansbury Mountains.

Many campsites in the region require self-registration and payment, with fees ranging from free to $15 per night for single sites. "It's unreal that this place is free. The sites are a little close together but there weren't many people there at the end of September and the changing leaves were spectacular," noted one visitor about Cottonwood Campground. Limited amenities are standard throughout the area, with most campgrounds lacking drinking water and trash service. Visitors must pack in all water needed and pack out all trash. Road conditions vary significantly, with many campgrounds accessed via dirt roads that may become impassable during winter months. The Loop and Boy Scout campgrounds close seasonally, typically from late fall through mid-spring.

Campers frequently mention the natural water features as highlights of the Rush Valley camping experience. The small creeks running through several campgrounds provide welcome relief from summer heat and opportunities for wading or fishing. A visitor described Clover Springs as having "a nice little creek" that makes it "a nice little campground if you have a water filter." Sites at higher elevations in South Willow Canyon offer cooler temperatures than the surrounding desert areas, making them popular retreats during hot summer months. While campgrounds can become crowded on summer weekends, weekday visitors often report having entire campgrounds to themselves. Cell service is generally good throughout the area, with one camper noting "full bars on Verizon" at Clover Springs Campground.

Best Camping Sites Near Rush Valley, Utah (116)

    1. Clover Springs Campground — Salt Lake Field Office

    7 Reviews
    Rush Valley, UT
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 320-8300

    $12 - $45 / night

    "Minus a star for no running water and proximity to a busier road."

    "If you park on the south side you get close access to the springs. $12 for a single car and it was self serve."

    2. Settlement Canyon/Legion Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Tooele, UT
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 882-9041

    $15 - $40 / night

    "We stayed here for one night didn't go past the gate we just camped pretty much on the side of the dirt road next to the reservoir."

    "You’ll love sitting around your campfire watching the deer scamper in the mountains. RV camping is a must for me and full hookups are available."

    3. Cottonwood Campground Slrd — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    3 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    11 miles
    +1 (385) 273-1100

    $20 - $34 / night

    "There was an interesting little dam on the east side of the campground and I scared a bunch of trout out from under it as I walked across so bring your fishing pole or fly rod if you want to!"

    4. Wasatch National Forest Loop Campground

    2 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 733-2660

    "The loop campground is a great spot to spend the night if you're wanting to explore the Stansbury's from a central location."

    5. Ophir Canyon Campground

    3 Reviews
    Stockton, UT
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (435) 843-3150

    $15 / night

    "A bit crowded when we arrived around 7:30pm but we managed to find a site without issue."

    "I didn't get a place but the location seemed nice with a little creek. A bit colder here due to the mountains. There is benches and a bonfire place at each spot. Price is 15 Dollar per night!"

    6. Grantsville Reservoir

    5 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    12 miles
    +1 (435) 843-4020

    7. Wasatch National Forest Boy Scout Campground

    2 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 733-2660

    $20 - $62 / night

    "The campsites in this campground have all the same amenities as the other campgrounds in the canyon which includes a picnic table, metal fire ring, and vault toilets withing walking distance. "

    8. Fivemile Pass OHV

    9 Reviews
    Eagle Mountain, UT
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 977-4300

    "This is our go to campground if we don’t want to drive too far from our house."

    "One can hear the cars from the highway, but they are far enough. When I arrived around 8, there was one Atv crusing for another 15 minutes, but then silence for the whole night. Good spot and free!"

    9. Intake Campground — Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest

    2 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    11 miles
    +1 (385) 273-1100

    $20 / night

    "Surrounding the campground are these amazing looking rock cliffs and outcrops that look like volcanic flows or maybe a pyroclastic flow or tuff. "

    "Was worth the slight detour off the highway to have a nice spot while nearing SLC. Intake was a great surprise, creekside, private, and cool rock formations."

    10. Loop Campground

    2 Reviews
    Grantsville, UT
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (801) 977-4300

    "I usually expect a decent drive to find what I need, but this involved a very long drive down a rutted gravel road, out of the canyon, and back to Grantsville. I think it was 40 minutes each way."

    "A wonderful place to set up camp for a week for a week or to use as a basecamp to climb the high peaks that surround the terminus of the South Willow Canyon road! "

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Recent Reviews near Rush Valley, UT

775 Reviews of 116 Rush Valley Campgrounds


  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 14, 2025

    Springville / Provo KOA Holiday

    KOA

    Well it's your topical RV resort. It doesn't have a fire ring and it's by train tracks and a freeway. Also, your packed in like sardines. However, it will do for overnight. I have to say it is clean and kept up well. But if you're into private camping with space, this isn't for you.

  • Kim G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 11, 2025

    Salt Lake City KOA

    Urban campground convenient to SLC

    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. The facilities are older but clean. Standard Holiday amenities like pool, dog park, dog wash, basketball court. We’d stay again if I wanted to be close to downtown.

  • Kim G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 10, 2025

    Bridger Bay Campground — Antelope Island State Park

    Beautiful remote campground

    The positives: a beautiful remote spot with huge spaces between campsites. Gorgeous views of the Great Salt Lake. Right now there is no water on the island due to construction at the visitors center. The visitors center is closed though there is a temporary one. One other detractor is the mosquitoes here. We were out at dusk locking our bikes and were swarmed by them!! It has been very windy here. Don’t know if that is usual or a temporary weather thing due to remnants of a Pacific hurricane. If you are looking for solitude without backpacking into the mountains the primitive loop at Bridger Bay campground could be your thing. Nice place to bike also if it weren’t for the wind.

  • Claire L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    Little Mill

    Our favorite place

    Our family adores this location. Great staff, clean toilets, stunning camping areas near the river, some directly on it! Spot 10 was great for our 33ft rig. We will be back Little Mill! Love you

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    Springville / Provo KOA Holiday

    Clean and friendly staff.

    Spots are a little tight. Noise level is a 5. Near the hwy but not next to. It’s a good place to stay and the monthly rates are fair.

  • J
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Bridger Bay Campground — Antelope Island State Park

    Beautiful buffalo views

    An amazing place to kick back, relax, and hangout with bison. They walk up and graze through the campsites which is a beautiful thing to wake up to. Right now the island doesn’t have water so come prepared. Electrical hook ups. State parks always skoolie friendly.

  • Sary W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 4, 2025

    Flight Park State Recreation Area

    Good price

    Instructions for the campsite are a bit confusing. Don’t pay for a site until you get here even if you book online. There are limited spots. People camping around are nice and say hello.

    We camped on a Friday night and it was full when we arrived around 6pm but we snagged the last spot available. Otherwise I would have camped down the road in a dirt patch anyway.

  • Cyrena P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 2, 2025

    Horseshoe Knoll - Dispersed Camping

    Bugs & More Bugs

    So many bugs it was awful, the mosquitoes ate us and our dogs even with bug repellents. The area was pretty flat it looked like on the left, but we had to go to the right as the left was full when we arrived. It was fairly quiet though at night since you’re very spread out from each other which is nice. My young son loved the nearby spring, it was very mushy but not horrible in some spots!

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 30, 2025

    Squaw Peak Road Dispersed

    A hard way to the Top

    We fought hard to get to the spot. Up to Hood Campground, the road was a normal, winding road. Really great. After that, however, a stretch began that was really only suitable for 4WDs. Rocks, deep ruts, etc. We managed it with the 2WD, but we had to give it our all. There aren't many spots. The spot we found was right on the mountain in the forest, but it wasn't worth the effort. We still enjoyed the night very much. We didn't have an internet connection with T-Online. Apparently, the spot serves the locals as a picnic destination, love nest, or even wedding photo spot until sunset. We had a bit of everything that evening ;)


Guide to Rush Valley

Rush Valley camping options span from free to fee-based sites at elevations between 5,000 and 8,000 feet, creating significant temperature differences between canyon and valley locations. Seasonal closures affect many campgrounds, with most higher elevation sites closed from late fall through spring. Rush Valley's camping areas feature rocky, high-desert terrain and scattered juniper trees, with creek access available at several locations.

What to do

Hiking to Deseret Peak: From Loop Campground, access the main trail to Deseret Peak for panoramic views. "The main trail leaving the campground is a loop trail for Deseret Peak but you can split off on numerous side trails to follow the range to the north or south," notes Robert G., who adds that weekday visits often mean having the entire campground to yourself.

Fishing in small creeks: The creeks at Intake Campground provide fishing opportunities during spring and summer months. Jennifer M. describes it as "surprisingly beautiful/secluded" with "creekside, private, and cool rock formations" that make the "slight detour off the highway" worthwhile.

Off-road vehicle trails: Fivemile Pass OHV offers extensive trails for off-road enthusiasts. Scott C. says, "if you're into SXS the trails are AWESOME!" This free camping area allows stays up to 14 days, though campers should note there's "no water to play in" and it gets "VERY hot in the daytime."

What campers like

Unique rock formations: The area around several campgrounds features distinctive geological formations. At Intake Campground, Alan B. describes "amazing looking rock cliffs and outcrops that look like volcanic flows or maybe a pyroclastic flow or tuff" that form "pretty 'melting mud' walls," though he cautions they're "really crumbly and doesn't make for good climbing."

Fall colors: Cottonwood Campground offers spectacular autumn scenery. Mariah G. notes, "The sites are a little close together but there weren't many people there at the end of September and the changing leaves were spectacular!"

Wildlife viewing: Multiple campgrounds offer opportunities to observe local fauna. At Settlement Canyon, Donna L. says you'll enjoy "sitting out by your fire pit watching the deer scamper all over the mountains that surround you," while Carlee G. mentions, "We woke up to see cows in the morning which the kids loved."

What you should know

Limited amenities: Most Rush Valley campgrounds require self-sufficiency. At Boy Scout Campground, Alan B. advises, "bring all the water you need or a filtration system and then trash bags to haul all your garbage out as there are no trash cans!"

Road conditions: Access to many sites requires travel on dirt roads that can become impassable in poor weather. Naomi W. describes "a very long drive down a rutted gravel road" to reach Loop Campground, noting it took "40 minutes each way" to get supplies from Grantsville.

Temperature variations: Higher elevation campgrounds offer cooler temperatures than valley sites. Robert G. warns about Loop Campground: "The campground is at a pretty good elevation and will be much cooler than the surrounding desert, especially at night so make sure you're prepared appropriately."

Tips for camping with families

Creek play areas: Several campgrounds feature shallow creeks perfect for children. At Clover Springs Campground, Joseph F. describes the water as "more like a babbling brook than a stream. Great for kids and dogs to play in. Very few deep spots."

Spacious sites for activities: Look for campgrounds with room for games and exploration. Regarding Settlement Canyon, Warren W. states, "The dry camping spots are very spacious lots of space for the walk around and play and run. We brought a whole bunch of teenage girls for my daughter's birthday party and they were able to be loud and did not disturb anybody."

Weekend crowds: Plan for busier conditions on weekends, especially during summer. Robert G. notes about Loop Campground: "I've only ever camped here on a weekend and have never had a problem getting a spot but holiday weekends or mid-summer may be different."

Tips from RVers

Site leveling: Many Rush Valley campgrounds require leveling equipment. Joseph F. notes about Clover Springs Campground, "Sites are fairly level. However you will definitely need blocks if you bring a trailer/pull behind."

Generator considerations: In the high desert heat, air conditioning may be necessary. Joseph F. mentions, "Felt bad running my generator for a couple hours but needed ac as mid day hit."

Cell service: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. While Niko L. reports "Full bars on Verizon" at Clover Springs Campground, others like Settlement Canyon have limited service, with Warren W. noting "there is no cell service at all unless you're up near the gate."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Rush Valley, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, Rush Valley, UT offers a wide range of camping options, with 116 campgrounds and RV parks near Rush Valley, UT and 35 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Rush Valley, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Rush Valley, UT is Clover Springs Campground — Salt Lake Field Office with a 4.3-star rating from 7 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Rush Valley, UT?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 35 free dispersed camping spots near Rush Valley, UT.