Are you an equestrian lover who prefers a more rustic experience when you visit Sterling? Camping with your horse in Sterling just got easier. You're sure to find the perfect site for your Utah horse camping excursion.
Picnic Site and Campground. Facilities include tables, fire rings, water, restrooms, dirt road access. There is no garbage pickup, please pack out all trash.
Potters Pond Campground is located in a high mountain valley next to two scenic ponds, at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Visitors enjoy fishing, canoeing, horseback riding and exploring the surrounding off-road vehicle trails.
The ponds offer great canoeing and rainbow trout fishing. Horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking are popular in the area as well. The expansive Arapeen OHV Trail System can be accessed from the campground and has more than 350 miles of designated, well-maintained trails for off-road vehicles. The trails are suitable for all riding levels.
The ponds offer great canoeing and rainbow trout fishing. Horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking are popular in the area as well. The expansive Arapeen OHV Trail System can be accessed from the campground and has more than 350 miles of designated, well-maintained trails for off-road vehicles. The trails are suitable for all riding levels.
Potters Pond lies in Upper Joe's Valley in Central Utah. Pine trees and wild grasses cover the area, while aspens dot the surrounding mountainsides.
A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees. For full details see NRRS Reservation Policy.
$20 / night
Seely Creek Guard Station is located near the top of the Wasatch Plateau, within the Manti-La Sal National Forest in central Utah. The cabin was built in late-1907 or early-1908 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests enjoy year-round recreational activities, including hiking, off-roading, snowmobiling and skiing.
Skyline Drive passes along the ridge line just above the cabin, providing great trail opportunities for off-road vehicles, mountain biking and hiking. In the winter, the surrounding area becomes a playground for snowmobile enthusiasts. Cross-country skiing, back country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular activities. Horseback riding trails crisscross the area as well. A maximum of 20 horses is allowed at the guard station, though no horse facilities (corrals, hitching posts, etc) are present. The surrounding meadow can be used for picketing or hobbling.
The cabin is situated in a beautiful wildflower-filled meadow, at an elevation of approximately 10,000 feet. Seely Creek flows along the edge of the meadow. Skyline Drive runs along the top of the Wasatch Plateau for more than 60 miles, rewarding visitors with beautiful mountain scenery, glacial cirques, spruce-fir and aspen forests, numerous lakes and reservoirs. Wildlife and summer wildflowers are plentiful, and autumn leaves put on quite a show. Due to the guard station's high elevation, guests should be prepared for all types of weather including snow or hail, especially after September.
John August Lake is less than three miles from the guard station, with fishing and scenic high alpine views. Pete's Hole and Soup Bowl are less than eight miles away, offering fishing and a hiking trail.
$50 / night
Tasha Equestrian Campground is located in central Utah, just 4 miles north of beautiful Fish Lake at an elevation of 9,000 feet. Visitors enjoy horseback riding and fishing for famous Mackinaw lake trout.
Many miles of horseback riding, hiking, biking and off-road vehicle trails crisscross the area. Johnson Valley Reservoir is just a half-mile from the campground, offering boating, fishing and a boat ramp.
Tasha's high mountain setting is beautiful but remote and is prone to rapid weather changes due to its elevation. The site is forested with a mixed stand of aspen, spruce and pines, which provides partial shade. Most sites provide sweeping mountain and valley views.
Fish Lake, Utah's largest natural mountain lake, is less than 10 minutes from the campground. The lake is famous for its 20-40 pound Mackinaw lake trout. Boating, swimming and scuba diving are popular activities on the lake. Boat ramps, rentals, a marina, fuel, groceries, restaurants and fishing and camping supplies can all be found at Fish Lake. The Mytoge Mountain Trail, a 25-mile hiking/biking loop, offers everything from easy cruising to challenging singletrack in the mountains around Fish Lake.
$75 / night
Blackhawk Campground sits just off the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway at an elevation of 8,000 feet. Visitors enjoy the campground for its beautiful panoramic views and great trail opportunities.
Numerous hiking, biking and horseback riding trails crisscross the area, including Blackhawk and Loafer Mountain Trails. Trailheads for each are located within the campground.
The campground is studded with groves of fir, pine, aspen and Gambel oak trees, which provide partial shade and nice fall color. Broad grassy meadows cover the areas around the trees. Summer wildflowers and wildlife are abundant.
The Payson Lakes Area is just 5 miles away, with rainbow and brown trout fishing, canoeing, swimming and picnicking. The Mount Nebo Wilderness Area is adjacent, brimming with beautiful mountain scenery, pristine waters, abundant wildlife, vibrant summer wildflowers and numerous trail opportunities. The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway stretches 37 miles through high alpine terrain, dense forests and colorful meadows. Devil's Kitchen Geological Area can be found along the loop. It offers a 1/2-mile round-trip trail to interesting red rock hoodoos.
For facility specific information, please call (385) 273-1100.
Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation. Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Late Cancellations Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival. Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply. Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee. Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge. No-Shows Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date. If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees. Refunds Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure. Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location. Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card. Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy. Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure. Recreation.gov Billing Information Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as "Recreation.gov 877-444-6777." Changes to Policies and Procedures Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July 2018.
Traveler
Perfect place to stop for the night. Road is fine. A few ruts. Super quiet.
ScoutWe pulled in after sunset to stop before going all the way north to SLC. The road was pretty doable in our truck, but it think it would be easy in a sedan too. There was a roundabout at the coordinates and another van was there, but there looked to be 3-4 more small spots for tents or vans. Not sure how many could accommodate a bigger rig. Lots of bugs, none biting. About a 7-10 min drive to the freeway. No freeway noise though. Some broken glass and trash, but nothing unexpected.
TravelerThis wasn't where we planned to camp but got too tired to drive any further. We are in a Toyota Camry and just hammocking. This spot worked out nicely. There was someone in the actual place of the coordinates. But we found a spot near by.
Traveler
Winter hike to find an old geocache
Scout
The view would distract anyone one who was traveling on the dirt road and when you get to the campsites it was so amazing to see how many people was up there and how much fun they where having. the campsite we chosen was perfect for out big tent. the camp ground had place you could go hiking and do a lot of exploring as well.
each campsite had running water and had a gate that you had to open and close which i thought was pretty neat.
the bathrooms where nice as well even though they didn't flush they where nice and didn't have that smell that some of them do. The water was nice and cold which made washing your face exhilarating to start my morning.
at night the stars where so beautiful while sitting around the campfire and being together while roasting marsh mellows.
I have to admit it was one of the best camping trips I have ever had with my family.
TravelerThis was a nice place to stop. Not far off the main roadway. Lots of shade. Open fields, so watch out for cows and cowpoo! I would camp here again. There was one other camper and it was very quiet.
Scout5 mile rough gravel road for access. Could not find a site in the camp itself, but many pull off on the way up. We found a great spot about 1/2 mile back down the access road and spent a couple of beautiful days. Hardly a passerby.
RangerMuch bigger climb than expected, so if towing a heavier trailer be aware. Gravel road is well maintained with minimal washboard.
Looks like there was a flood in the past - destroyed site #1. Remaining 11 sites are nicely shaded among the trees. Limited space for small trailers/campers. Good for campervans or tent campers.
Water supply is turned off at all water sites - unsure whether this is related to flood damage or something else.
11 sites with nice fireplaces, fire rings and picnic tables/benches.
ScoutCamped overnight. We had the whole place to ourselves. There are several fire ring/picnic table spots in the campground. Maple trees, evergreens and oak trees throughout. Beautiful fresh air. Plenty of shade. Two vault toilets for the whole camp area.
Guide
We stayed here four nights for a conference getting nearby town. It looks like they are doing work on the land on the southwest shore near the dam. So the only place available was the gravel parking lot near the picnic table and toilets. The vault toilets are clean. There was a steady stream of people stopping to use the toilet. But other than that it was pretty quiet.
LegendWe were blown away at how tranquil and beautiful the surroundings are at Potters Pond Campground. The abundant trees and brush truly make one feel like they are a million miles away from home. The journey to the campground starts at Millers Flat Road which is a dirt road that is for the most part well groomed/maintained. It is very bumpy, but can be done with most vehicles. We were towing our 24' TT so we were going slow. It is about 8.3 miles of dirt road to the campground from UT 31. The sites are spaced far enough from each other which gives you plenty of room to spread out and relax. The short walk to the pond is easy and you will appreciate the stillness of the water. Most people were either fishing or enjoying the pond on a row boat. Not 100% sure if the pond is okay to swim in as there are no signage and the presence of blue algae is apparent. Potters Pond is part of the USDA national forest and is wide open and plenty of trails to hike/bike. The campground is adjacent to the Appain Trails where one has access to 300+ miles of off-road enjoyment.
The campground does not have any potable water or any services. There are vault toilets spread out throughout the grounds. Also, there are no dumpsters....so what you bring in, you have to take with you. The campground is situated above 9000ft elevation so the days are mild warm and the nights can be cool to cold. If you're looking for solitude and nature, this is the place to go!
TravelerThis was a great little area off the road free to sleep. The sunrise was beautiful here with a great view of the mountains and the reservoir. Hope you don’t mind the sound of cows though.
RangerThis campground is very remote. There are pit toilets, but no water so you have to bring your own in. Also, you have to haul out your garbage since there aren’t any dumpsters onsite. The campground is in great shape and well taken care of. I love that the sites will accommodate more than one vehicle and family per site. The campground is right on a main access road for OHV’s to drive up to Skyline Drive which is good if that’s what you are there for. If not, the noise and traffic of those groups might be annoying for you especially on the weekends. Choose a campsite that off of the main road. The ponds are great for kayaks, paddle boards, and fishing.
GuideBeen here for a couple days now , parked in a nice flat spot above the reservoir. They stock this with rainbow trout if your a fisherman. Great Verizon service here , mountains are beautifull. There is some road noise from 24 at times as it is quite close. But the scenery here is exceptional.
Guide
Was unable to get in, this whole area was under closure. No for sure for how long. It wasn't a normal seasonal closure. Cuz all the areas around it are opened.
TravelerEasy to drive to & set up a tent. No shade but it got chilly at night & in the early morning.
RangerMy favorite thing is how secluded it is. Definitely would recommend
RangerGreat fishing spot I highly recommend. Picnic areas and tent areas too
LegendThis is a very easy place to throw a tent up or park an RV close to lake and good fishing. In some beautiful country.
There are some primitive bathrooms, and nice tables. The campsites are big. The only downside to this campsite is the road is close by and can be noisy.
Legend
This is a fun place to visit while in Wayne County. The fishing is awesome and there is always lots of wildlife to see. You can also camp in the aspen tree.
Big campsites with tables, close to Fish Lake and lots of mountain views.
ScoutSuch a beautiful campground! Very private and not crowded, even during the busiest weekends. Access to lots of pretty places to run around and explore. Great places for kids to play. Lots of tall pine trees. I definitely recommend!
Guide
Perfect for trail enthusiasts. Plenty of places to explore. Some sites have corrals and some only have hitching posts. Clean bathrooms. There is water, however there are no showers. You can pay 3 dollars at a lodge about 10 minutes away and take a shower there.
GuideBlackhawk is great if you can’t find reservations elsewhere. we booked equestrian sites up at the top - highest elevation. Good views, pavilions, fire pits and pit toilets. Don’t have to have horses to book equestrian and they seem to be more available since I don’t think people k ow this.
ScoutWe had a great overnight stay! We camped in our 4Runner and parked just feet from the waters edge, it was gorgeous!! We’d certainly visit again!
ScoutI would reserve a spot ahead of time, avoiding any site in loop 'E'. That loop is for those planning to camp with horses. There are hitching posts at every site, therefore, lots of horse poo. And not the best place to take a dog because of all the horses in the area.
The camp host at loop 'E' and 'D' is very nice, and is willing to split up group areas to individuals who have no where else to set up camp. If you do this, expect to get to know new people as you will share a fire pit and eating area.
The fee to camp for one night is $20, but that includes access to any of the Payson lakes, which is $8 for day use.
We didn't go on any hikes during our stay, as we bummed at the beautiful lakes (only the middle of the three lakes is dog friendly) all day. However, there is plenty of hiking in the area.
Very hot. Around 90 degrees. Wake up and get breakfast early. Then enjoy the water in the heat!
P.S. 3 stars due to the fact that I had to camp in horse crap.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Sterling, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sterling, UT is Maple Hollow with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Sterling, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 equestrian camping locations near Sterling, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
