Best Tent Camping near Sandy, UT
The Wasatch Mountains surrounding Sandy, Utah offer both established tent campgrounds and dispersed backcountry camping options within a short drive of the city. Red Pine Lake provides primitive tent camping with stunning alpine views and access to multiple lakes, though reaching this location requires a 3-4 mile hike with moderate difficulty on the final stretch. Millcreek Canyon Backcountry offers tent sites where campers must set up at least half a mile from any road, while Silver Lake Backcountry provides walk-in tent camping with views of Timpanogos Massif.
Campers planning tent excursions should note that many sites lack basic amenities. Red Pine Lake prohibits fires and pets as it's in a watershed area. Water access varies significantly between locations - some backcountry sites like Silver Lake offer nearby water that requires filtering, while others demand carrying in all supplies. According to one visitor, "No fires or pets are allowed given that Little Cottonwood Canyon is considered Watershed. So plan on cooking with a backpacking stove/cooker." Most dispersed sites follow Leave No Trace principles, requiring packed-in water and packed-out trash.
Areas farther from town typically offer more solitude but demand better preparation. Silver Lake Backcountry provides alpine tent camping with 4WD access required after rain, featuring spectacular mountain views in multiple directions. A camper wrote that Millcreek Canyon is excellent for backpacking with "numerous primitive campsites scattered along the ridges" and frequent wildlife sightings including moose and deer. Fall is often considered the optimal season for tent camping in this region, with fewer crowds and more moderate temperatures. Walk-in tent sites at higher elevations like Red Pine Lake may remain snow-covered until early summer, requiring weather-appropriate gear as mountain storms can develop quickly with significant wind.
