Camping in the Stockton, Utah area places visitors in the western Utah high desert at approximately 5,000 feet elevation, where temperature swings between day and night can exceed 30°F even in summer months. The region's terrain features a mix of sagebrush flats and juniper-pine forests in higher elevations, with several creeks flowing through canyons that provide water access at certain campsites near Stockton, Utah.
What to do
Creek exploration: Cottonwood Campground offers creek access perfect for wading and small trout fishing. "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!" notes camper Mariah G.
ATV and off-road trails: Fivemile Pass OHV provides extensive trail networks across open desert terrain. One visitor reported, "This spot is right off the highway and it's huge! Ample camping for tons of people, lots of trails, and beautiful views." The area allows free camping for up to 14 days with outhouses available throughout.
Spring exploration: Clover Springs Campground features a small natural spring creek running through the campground. "We stayed here last summer and will probably go back again in a couple weeks. It's a nice little campground if you have a water filter," explains Naomi W. The creek remains cold year-round and provides a refreshing spot during hot summer days.
What campers like
Natural water features: Campers appreciate the small waterways available at several sites. At Intake Campground, visitors enjoy the creek access and rock formations. "Intake was a great surprise, creekside, private, and cool rock formations," says Jennifer M., who found the site worth a slight detour off the highway.
Geology and terrain: The interesting rock formations throughout South Willow Canyon receive frequent mentions. "Surrounding the campground are these amazing looking rock cliffs and outcroppings that look like volcanic flows or maybe a pyroclastic flow or tuff. Its really crumbly and doesn't make for good climbing but forms pretty 'melting mud' walls," describes a visitor to Intake Campground.
Star viewing: The clear desert air allows for excellent night sky observation. At Horseshoe Knoll dispersed camping area, one camper noted, "The views are amazing! Worth the trip off of 80 to get to. Plenty of room to find a spot." Another camper mentioned the quality of sunset and stargazing views despite dealing with gnats during daytime hours.
What you should know
Limited shade: Many campsites lack tree cover, particularly at lower elevations. At Grantsville Reservoir, one reviewer cautioned, "I wouldn't recommend staying here unless you have an RV. With that being said it is a good spot to come fish for a day trip...there are absolutely NO TREES anywhere! So it can get super windy and uncomfortable in a tent if a storm blows through."
Insects can be problematic: Several campgrounds report significant bug activity, especially during warm months. At Horseshoe Knoll, a visitor warned, "So many bugs it was awful, the mosquitoes ate us and our dogs even with bug repellents."
Water availability: Most campgrounds require bringing your own water supply. At Boy Scout Campground, the recommendation is to "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!"
Tips for camping with families
Creek access for kids: Clover Springs offers shallow water play areas ideal for children. "Great area for a picnic, or a weekend camp trip. It has a cold fresh water spring that runs through the campground," notes Tiffany M. The creek is mostly shallow with few deep spots, making it safer for supervised water play.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Settlement Canyon/Legion Park Campground provides chances to spot local wildlife. "We only stayed overnight but it was a blast! The campsites had good space between each other. Each one had a fire pit and picnic table. We woke up to see cows in the morning which the kids loved," shares Carlee G.
Spacious sites for play: Several campgrounds offer enough room between sites for children to explore safely. "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," notes Warren W. about Settlement Canyon.
Tips from RVers
Full hookup options: Settlement Canyon provides full hookup sites at reasonable rates. "Great location to camp for touring Salt Lake City. Full hook-ups at a reasonable price. Sites are tight and busy on the weekends. Limited cell service," reports Kim T. The campground serves as a convenient base for exploring the broader Salt Lake area.
Accessibility concerns: Not all campgrounds accommodate larger RVs. At Ophir Canyon Campground, a visitor observed, "Nice and somewhat isolated campground. Lots of ATVs and bikes but not super crazy." RVers report that while some pull-behinds can access the sites, the terrain favors smaller rigs.
Leveling requirements: Many campgrounds require leveling blocks. At Clover Springs, Joseph F. advises, "Sites are fairly level. However you will definitely need blocks if you bring a trailer/pull behind." This applies to most canyon campgrounds where perfectly flat sites are uncommon.
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