Linda Z.
Scout
ScoutUinta National Forest Rock Canyon Campground
Rock Canyon Camping
Great place for dispersed camping. Sometimes there are fire bans so pay attention to that. Be sure to practice leave no trace!
Tent Camping near Stockton, UT
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SUMMARY PRESENTED BY
The area around Stockton, Utah offers tent camping across several campgrounds within the nearby canyons and mountains, ranging from developed tent campsites to backcountry sites. Loop Campground and Lower Narrows Campground in South Willow Canyon provide tent sites with basic amenities, while dispersed camping options like Skull Valley Road offer more primitive experiences. Both developed and backcountry tent camping can be found within a 30-minute drive of Stockton, with several sites located in the Stansbury Mountains.
Most tent sites in the Stockton area feature dirt or gravel surfaces with minimal improvements. Fire rings and picnic tables are common at campgrounds like Loop and Upper Narrows, but campers should bring their own water and pack out all trash as these amenities are not provided. Vault toilets are available at most campgrounds, while dispersed areas require proper waste disposal. The camping season typically runs from early June through mid-September for higher elevation sites, with 14-day stay limits applying to dispersed camping areas on public lands. A visitor commented that "the road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm" when accessing some of the more remote tent camping areas.
Areas farther from town offer deeper seclusion and less noise for tent campers seeking solitude. South Willow Canyon provides creek access and proximity to limestone climbing routes. The Skull Valley Road dispersed camping area offers wide-open spaces with mountain views, though it lacks shade and can be windy. Silver Lake Backcountry camping requires at least a half-mile hike from the trailhead but rewards tent campers with alpine scenery and fishing opportunities. According to one camper, "There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so," highlighting the variety of primitive tent camping experiences available in the region.
Best Tent Campgrounds near Stockton (23)
1. Middle Canyon Campground
"I love driving through Middle Canyon. Its 5 dollars for a day pass and it's beautiful. I have never failed to see deer on the drive. I love to drive through it when the leaves change in Fall."
from $20 / night
2. Loop Campground
"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! "
"I have a small SUV, so I buy firewood and fill up water containers after I've set up camp."
3. Upper Narrows
"Stumbled upon this campground while fishing around at Grantsville Reservoir and decided to head up South Willow Canyon to review all these unreviewed campgrounds! "
from $20 - $111 / night
Check Availability4. Lower Narrows Campground
"The Narrows CG the other person is talking about is located in Zion National Park near St. George/Springville in southern Utah. There are no soaring sandstone walls here! "
from $15 / night
Check Availability5. Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping
"In fact it represents just as a reference for the highway road off the 80 highway you go along 196 and there are pull off roads leading to either straight up the side of a mountain or along the valley."
"Free to camp wherever but it’s out in a range area, trash is everywhere and the roads are quite rough. Wind is present and highway is nearby."
6. Camp Eagle Mountain
"It is a dry area and hot mid-summer, but good base for ATV, bike, and hunting areas. No ATV/bike riding or hunting on the campground - just a good base camp for those types of activities."
from $26 - $38 / night
7. Red Pine Lake
"Red Pine Lake is located up Little Cottonwood Canyon, on the south side of the road."
"wonderful place to backpack up to during the week. can access 3 different beautiful lakes from this drainage and 2 beautiful peaks!"
8. American Campground
9. Silver Lake Backcountry
"An amazing spot to drive to and spend the day or backpack in and spend a night or two. Be warned you will need a 4wd vehicle if trying to go up the road after a rain storm. "
"You can’t drive to the coordinates, you have to park at the uppermost parking lot for Silver Flat and hike up to a camping spot. Camping anywhere along that road will give you gorgeous views, though!"
10. Soldier Pass by Miner's Canyon
"This BLM area is a bit nicer than the one up the road by the lake."
Drive Time
- 38 min from Salt Lake City, UT
- 1 hr from Provo, UT
- 1 hr 5 min from Ogden, UT
- 1 hr 49 min from Logan, UT
Recent Tent Camping Photos near Stockton, UT
23 Photos of 23 Stockton Campgrounds
Tent Camping Reviews near Stockton, UT
814 Reviews of 23 Stockton Campgrounds
Jeremy H.
GuideFivemile Pass OHV
Good for free camping
Not much out here but you’ll likely see a hawk or a Golden Eagle. You will have to put up with crazy OHVers and drunk partiers in some spots but there are a lot of places to go with a few pit toilets spread about.
This is the desert and there is no water so come prepared. Please leave no trace and clean up after yourself.
Alan B.
LegendLower Narrows Campground
Beautiful Creek Access w/ Expert Level Climbing Routes a Stones Throw Away
Let me start off by saying the other review for this CG is about 250 miles off target. The Narrows CG the other person is talking about is located in Zion National Park near St. George/Springville in southern Utah. There are no soaring sandstone walls here! There are however amazing overhanging water sculpted limestone cliffs that contain some of the hardest climbing that the west desert of Utah has to offer! There are a decent amount of routes on either side of the road with the majority of the routes being near the Upper Narrows CG.
This CG is setup in much the same way as the Upper. There are metal fire rings and picnic tables at each of the campsites with a vault toilet within a couple minutes walk from any of the sites. There are only 3 sites and there are no water or trash facilities so bring all you need and then pack it all out! The creek offers a nice respite from the heat in the summer and would probably be decent fishing as well. I only saw a couple trout while wandering around but I'm sure there are more!
- AAaron M.Scout
Goshen Road Dispersed Camping
Pretty location
Site is pretty dirty, some have never heard of leave no trace . It is 7 pm and still extremely hot not much shade up here at this location
Jillian B.GuideWillow Park Campground
Campground near Provo
This campground is ok, would expect a little more since you have to pay $25. In a nice little suburban neighborhood. Spots are close together and not much privacy, our site was along the back fence. Each site had fire pit and picnic table. There are two bathrooms, no showers and no electricity. It looks like there are a couple water fill up spigots but not potable.
Mary S.LegendTanners Flat
Good location for exploring Wasatch Mountains and Salt Lake City
You really need to know this: No dogs are allowed because this campground is in the Salt Lake City watershed.
And this: As inviting as the water running through the campground may look, you are not allowed to swim, wade or wash in it.
One more thing: Gate closes at 10 pm although that didn't stop some partiers at the next site in from us. They partied and left around 11 or so. There was no payment tag on the post. The exit is open but has tire shredders if you enter over them.
A pleasant surprise at a Forest Service campground: 10 lbs of ice for $2! (There was also the usual bundle of firewood for $6.)
An unpleasant surprise: Old, dirty bathrooms. I've seen cleaner vault toilets elsewhere than these flush toilets.
There is no water for now (July 2018) in bathroom sinks or at spigots. The host said something about a pipe issue and water needing to be tested. That covers the amenities other than dumpsters.
What about the sites? We arrived on a Sunday morning when the host was putting up signs indictating which sites were reserved. We had 3 possible sites among 1 through 19 and grabbed #9, a pull through site with a buffer between the road in the parking/small RV area.
Sites in the other area (higher numbers) were becoming available, but that area's host said many of the sites were only appropriate for tents.
Our site #9: There are a few steps down to the picnic table, fire ring and grill plus a separate area to the left for a tent. See photos.
General site info:
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Some sites have a concrete pad for the picnic table, etc.
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Many sites have an area for the tent that is away from the picnic table and concealed from the road.
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Myrna G.GuideLittle Mill
Beautiful Campground
Just returned from an overnight stay at Little Mill with amazing American Fork Creek right beside my sites The campground is clean, no water, trash or electric and vault toilets. The camp host were so friendly gave us suggestions on where to hike in the area. My only reason this campground didn’t get 5 stars is due to the horrible road noise. I seriously thought I was at a truck stop off the interstate. Honking and racing cars until 3am just ruined it. If noise doesn’t bother you head on over.
- eerik C.Scout
Paul Bunyon's Woodpile
Easy to access, nice primitive sites
Road was easy enough dry, imagine it would be tough after a storm. There are a number of well dispersed sites, some with good wind protection, others less so.
Adam B.
RangerMount Timpanogos Campground
It’s like a little Switzerland
Very quiet, sites are pretty level. Currently the vault toilets are closed but they have portable toilets available that appear to be cleaned every 3 days. Host Sara is very nice. Cell service Verizon and att is decent. Road up is steep but smooth. Lots of cars parked on the road near the campsite makes for difficult driving around on tight roads in our 26.5 foot RV but we were able to do it. Mountains are very beautiful up here. As always people don’t seem to understand the concept of pack it in pack it out so there is some trash but much better than most other sites. We always end up having to pick up after others because most people just don’t seem to care and figure someone else will do it for them. Keep it Better than you found it.
Guide to Stockton
Tent campsites near Stockton, Utah sit at elevations ranging from 4,800 to 9,000 feet, creating diverse camping conditions throughout the seasons. Most backcountry sites in the Stansbury Mountains require at least half a mile of hiking from trailheads, while lower elevation areas provide more accessible camping options. The camping season varies significantly by elevation, with higher sites often snow-covered until late May.
What to do
Climbing limestone routes: South Willow Canyon features excellent climbing opportunities near Upper Narrows campground. According to Alan B., this area offers "extremely close proximity of amazing water carved bulletproof limestone climbing" with routes rated up to 5.14a that attract professional climbers.
Mountain summit hiking: From some camping areas, ambitious hikers can reach impressive peaks. When staying near Red Pine Lake, "you can gain the ridge and summit white baldy which gives one of the best views in the entire Wasatch!" according to Alan B. The hike rewards with expansive alpine views.
Fishing alpine lakes: Several camping locations provide fishing opportunities. Silver Lake Backcountry camping requires a short hike but provides excellent fishing access. Kati C. notes the area was "busy but beautiful" with "a lot of off road vehicles and people fishing" making it a popular destination.
Off-road exploration: The dispersed camping areas provide excellent access points for ATV trails. At Skull Valley Road dispersed camping, Rara B. mentions "tons of dispersed camping areas along the 196" where they "brought a 30' RV with a lifted Ram 2500 and had no problem driving over the washouts" to access the trail networks.
What campers like
Distance between sites: Loop Campground offers well-spaced campsites, which campers appreciate for privacy. One visitor, Naomi W., described it as "very peaceful, good distance between sites" with a friendly camp host who even shared treats with campers.
Mountain views: The surrounding mountains provide scenic backdrops at many camping locations. At Skull Valley Rd Dispersed Camping, Tyler C. suggests "you can hike a little ways up the mountain and watch the sun go down" for spectacular sunset views, though he warns it "gets real windy" after sunset.
Creek access: Several camping areas feature streams or creeks. Alan B. notes that at Lower Narrows Campground, "the creek offers a nice respite from the heat in the summer and would probably be decent fishing as well." These water features provide both recreational opportunities and practical benefits during hot weather.
Wildlife sightings: The Stockton area offers opportunities to observe local wildlife. While camping in the backcountry areas, Laynie R. reported they "even saw a herd of deer run by our camp" at Silver Lake, adding to the outdoor experience.
What you should know
Road conditions: Access to some camping areas requires appropriate vehicles, especially after weather events. For Millcreek Canyon, campers should note that some roads might be closed seasonally, as Sharon H. warns, "road is closed 3.5 miles into the park before where camping spots were indicated. No notice on when it would reopen."
Wind exposure: Several camping areas experience significant wind. At Skull Valley Rd dispersed camping, Conner mentioned "fucking windy night and dusty I hate dust so much. Maybe if I parked down road inside the sagebrush it would have broke the wind." Consider wind breaks when selecting your tent site.
Water availability: Most camping areas near Stockton require bringing your own water. At Loop Campground, Naomi W. found "no water" meant a "very long drive down a rutted gravel road, out of the canyon, and back to Grantsville... 40 minutes each way" to resupply.
Seasonal timing: Higher elevation camping has a limited season. For Upper Narrows, campsites are typically only accessible "during the peak season May-Sept" according to Alan B., while many other high-elevation sites follow similar patterns.
Tips for camping with families
Accessible hiking options: Choose camping areas with family-friendly trails nearby. Naomi W. noted that at Loop Campground, "We were with a bunch of kids, so we only checked out one part of the Medina trail, but it was beautiful, with lovely views," making it suitable for family outings.
Water play areas: Anderson Park provides good options for water activities that children enjoy. Michelle B. mentions "irrigation ditches run throughout the park with bridges for crossing" and it's also "good for paddleboarding and fishing" according to Becky J., providing entertainment for families.
Educational wildlife viewing: Millcreek Canyon offers wildlife spotting opportunities that can excite children. Alan B. reports "Everytime we come here we also see moose and deer," making it an excellent location for teaching kids about local fauna.
Spacious camping areas: Select sites with room for family activities. Michelle B. describes Anderson Park as having a "large grassy field, two wooded areas" with "several fire pits, large covered lighted pavilion with three rows of picnic tables" providing ample space for family camping.
Tips from RVers
High-clearance access points: Many dispersed camping areas require appropriate vehicles. For Skull Valley Road dispersed camping, Rara B. explains they used "a 30' RV with a lifted Ram 2500 and had no problem driving over the washouts" but cautions that the "dirt road is also real rough, probably not for sedans" according to Tyler C.
Water crossings: Some camping areas require navigating water obstacles. Michelle B. notes that at Silver Lake Backcountry, you "must cross a creek with 12"-18" of water at least once and up to 4 times depending on which camp site you choose," requiring appropriate vehicle capability.
Limited hookups: Most tent campsites near Stockton don't offer RV hookups. Prepare for self-contained camping at dispersed sites, as Elizabeth noted at Skull Valley Road dispersed camping that "sites are well spaced out" but lack amenities.
Seasonal road closures: RV access to higher elevation camping can be limited by season. As Ryan G. points out for Millcreek Canyon, "camping doesn't open until July 1st so take that into account" when planning RV trips to the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which is the most popular tent campsite near Stockton, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Stockton, UT is Middle Canyon Campground with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
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