Searching for a dispersed campsite near Smithfield? Dispersed camping gets you off the grid so you can disconnect from the hecticness of everyday life. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your Utah camping adventure.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest outside of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no toilets, no treated water, and no fire grates are provided.
Camping in dispersed areas on the Forest is allowed for fourteen (14) days in any thirty (30) day consecutive period. Campers must move off Forest after reaching the 14-day limit. The stay limit also applies to all camping equipment (tents, chairs, ATVs, ATV trailers, etc.), even if used by a different person or group. Camping equipment must be removed by the end of the fourteen (14) day stay limit or the equipment may be impounded. Stay limits are implemented to reduce impacts to vegetation and wildlife habitat, as well as provide access to popular campsite areas for other visitors.
There are no fees for this campground under current conditions. There are no restroom facilities or services. This campground is located North of Logan Canyon.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest outside of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no toilets, no treated water, and no fire grates are provided.
Camping in dispersed areas on the Forest is allowed for fourteen (14) days in any thirty (30) day consecutive period. Campers must move off Forest after reaching the 14-day limit. The stay limit also applies to all camping equipment (tents, chairs, ATVs, ATV trailers, etc.), even if used by a different person or group. Camping equipment must be removed by the end of the fourteen (14) day stay limit or the equipment may be impounded. Stay limits are implemented to reduce impacts to vegetation and wildlife habitat, as well as provide access to popular campsite areas for other visitors.
There are extra responsibilities and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. It's your responsibility to know these before you try this new experience.
Scout
Road to dispersed camping is closed Dec 1 - April 15. Permit fee is $10 for 3 days. We had a quiet ( only a couple of other campers further up) and enjoyable overnight visit but road was quite icy. So we did not explore far. Birds in caves in side of valley. Well loved trail starts a short distance up the road. Looks like a beloved student hang out in the area with picnic tables so you may want drive further in if visit in summer.
TravelerMany good spots. Close to the road so you can hear some car which was no problem. Lots of trees. Shaded which is great in the summer.
Guide(October 4th, 2023) Stopped here for a night on a road trip and it was the perfect place for some down time. There were still open spots when we got here late; we snagged a cool site with a small cave and a climbing route a decent way down the road. In the morning we hiked around some of the trails and explored the area. Even though it rained, it was a beautiful place to see some foliage! We only saw a few other people but it was the middle of the week and weather wasn’t great.
Traveler
We stayed here for the night on our rooftop tent. It’s very quiet, barely any people. There’s man made firepits made out of rocks of people who have stayed here. It’s chilly and very pretty around. Nice view of the sunset. There’s no cell service.
Scout
Tons of land, tons of campsites.. but most are "occupied" by empty trailers with no other vehicles or people around. There's empty cars parked on top of fire pits, no tents or any sort of life nearby. Felt strange.
This road is rough and very bumpy. Didn't feel comfortable "taking over" a campsite with things already parked there. Wouldn't recommend coming here.
Guide
We could not have asked for a more perfect spot. The views were immaculate, the sites were very spread out, it was the end of September and all the leaves were changing.
No notes. Can’t recommend this spot enough.
GuideEnded up driving this road up to Idaho to find a bigger spot and some solitude. Took the dirt road for about 30 minutes and got the most perfect spot. Nobody was near us and the view was amazing. We went at the beginning of June, it was a bit chilly some mornings and at night, so come prepared.
ScoutThere are tons of free site all up and down the main road. The only problem is it is busy if you leave on Friday plan to get there by 3 at the latest. Spots fill quick.
Guide
Great campsites next to the lake. Excellent views and quiet. Only saw a couple other campers off in the distance. Lots of birds and ducks to watch.
Saw a moose way off in the distance.
GuidePerhaps a little too close to the university in Logan Utah it was busy that Friday night. I think all the spots filled by 7pm some 50 people there that night. There is close spots for small couples and large groups and also more private spacious spots for people with pets like me
ScoutThere are no camping signs saying you can camp ⅓ mile from parking area but the only way to get ⅓ mile is to hike
ScoutVery loud, with folks driving around until the AM. Definitely a local party spot.
GuideI wandered in after dark and the dirt road was easy to navigate. No one was around for miles which was quite nice! A few people drove past (I assume to go hunting) but not much traffic noise. Peaceful along the water. Clean bathrooms. Because of the regulations I wasn’t able to make a fire and had to stay overnight at the designated camp spot but I would definitely recommend this spot.
TravelerTwo nice boondocking spots just a short drive on a tight dirt road off the highway. The campsite on the right is bigger, the one on the left is very small. Very popular for hunters in September, so you'll have lots of people walking right by your camp. The views are beautiful, but it can get quite blustery. We weren't able to have a fire when we stayed there.
TravelerLots of spaces here. Big pull-in spots for camper rigs. And some small side pull outs for sedans who don’t mind walk-in tent spots.
ScoutThis area is more like a shooting range and hiking area. There is no camping allowed of any kind.
Scout
Stayed here for two nights, at the end of a dead end road, close to the creek. Real easy place to be.
ScoutWe didn’t have a problem finding a spot but it was very busy with lots of road traffic even until late. We woke up to our car being drive-by paintballed. It cleaned off easy, but not fabulous. Another camper left their fire ring with smoldering coals and didn’t extinguish it. Good for a quick place to sleep on your way through town, but not a super relaxing experience.
GuideAbsolutely beautiful location off highway 89. A popular place especially for ohv-ers. Lots of places to park but most of them seemed to be “claimed” (tents or trailers with no vehicles) for the upcoming weekend. That is the only reason for the loss of one star. We were there on a Thursday night just for and one night stop-and-go, so any of those claimed spots we could have used had they not been there.
There is a creek that flows back and forth around the area, we had that for our soundtrack as we slept.
At about mile 2 from the turn-off, there is a cattle guard and clear signs that the road is public but the land is not. It is possible that there is another cattle guard further up and more dispersed passed it as we saw more rvs head up and not turn around and come back, but we did not investigate that.
Well worth the trip in the search for a spot though. It was an amazing stay.
ScoutI have grown up camping in the Franklin Basin area. It is the perfect location for anyone looking for places to hike or ride. There are many different places to visit throughout the area such as the "Plane Crash" site, Beaver Creek, old logging trails, and more. If your looking for a place to just get out in the dirt and relax, this is the place.
Legend
This was a very amazing experience. The hot springs were absolutely amazing.
There were a few visitors but only us and one other stayed. Our stay was a couple of nights.
It’s worth the drive if you have 4WD or very good shocks and suspension
TravelerDispersed camping around a reservoir. Road in is unpaved in fair to poor condition. Quiet and peaceful though.
RangerThere are some pretty good spots with shade for dispersed camping up green canyon
ScoutEasy to find by putting the coordinates provided in Google Maps. Came in after dark and easily found a site about 1/4 mile or so up the road. Road is a bit bumpy but nothing major. Our truck handled it with ease, but even a sedan would probably be fine.
The site we chose had a fire pit and plenty of flat ground to set up. A tent, van/truck, or small trailer would work well. There are some larger more open areas that could accommodate an RV.
Great views of the canyon! It was raining most is the the time we were there, so I can only imagine what it is like on a nice summer day.
There are a couple outhouses. Did not see any sinks.
Overall highly recommend.
ScoutEasy to access, and very beautiful. There are tons of great sites secluded from others
GuideVery private boondocking area about 10 miles off the highway. Wide open area; fairly level in the campsites we saw. The road is okay if you go slowly; we came in with our 31’ class A pulling a 12’ box trailer. There’s a bathroom about 6 miles in. Good Verizon service.
TravelerGood place nice area to camping
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Smithfield, Utah, where nature meets tranquility. With a variety of sites to choose from, outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy the freedom of camping in stunning landscapes.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Smithfield, UT is Green Canyon Dispersed Campground with a 4-star rating from 14 reviews.
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