Camping near Summit, Utah offers proximity to several national parks and monuments, with elevations ranging from 5,200 to 10,000 feet creating variable camping conditions throughout the year. The area's unique red rock landscape contrasts with nearby alpine regions, providing campgrounds with diverse terrain and facilities. Temperatures can fluctuate by 30°F between day and night, requiring campers to pack accordingly.
What to do
Explore historic Bryce Canyon area: Ruby's Inn RV Park sits just 1 mile from Bryce Canyon National Park with shuttle access directly from the campground. "Great location. No troubles getting a spot on the last day of the season. October 30th," reports Nathan B. Many visitors appreciate the convenience: "The office personnel gave us great information on trails for some 4Wheel drive adventures."
Visit Cedar Breaks National Monument: Cedar Canyon Retreat RV Park provides easy access to this less crowded landmark. "Cedar Canyon Retreat is a cute little campground close to Cedar Breaks National Monument and to the town of Brian Head. We stayed in our 30' TT and site 20 was plenty big enough," notes Steven M. The location serves as an excellent base for exploring multiple attractions: "We split our time between Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Cedar City (for some mountain biking and a visit to the Shakespeare Festival location)."
Hike Kanarra Falls: Red Ledge RV Park offers walking distance access to this popular slot canyon hike. "We chose this place because of its proximity to the Kanarraville Falls trailhead (it is less than a half-mile away)," shares Lee D. The location makes permit access easier: "You should definitely put this hike on your list but make sure you purchase a permit in advance as they sell out most days."
What campers like
Winter access to Brian Head skiing: Cedar Canyon Retreat provides year-round camping with winter activities nearby. "We stayed here as base camp and spent our days 20 minutes up the mountain skiing at Brian Head. Great stay," explains Ryan H. This makes it a practical option for those visiting the area during colder months.
Clean facilities: Bauers Canyon Ranch RV Park maintains well-kept bathrooms and laundry facilities. "Bathrooms and laundry room were old, outdated but clean with unlimited showers. WiFi was good," notes Muriel W. Another camper confirms: "Facilities were clean and well lit. Older campground well situated for seeing the numerous national parks in the area."
Natural shade: Ruby's Inn Campground provides tree coverage at many sites. "The spaces were roomy and all of ours were pretty level. It seemed most sites had great shade trees in the area we were in," shares Pamela. Campers appreciate the natural feel: "We booked a reservation with a small group and asked to be next to each other. They accommodated that request."
What you should know
Highway noise considerations: Cedar Canyon Retreat RV Park and Campground sits adjacent to a main road. "It's right off of Highway 14 and can be noisy, however we didn't have any issues sleeping," mentions Jennifer T. Another camper confirms: "It is noisy from road traffic, so if you can get a spot away from the road that would be to your advantage to a good night sleep."
Variable Wi-Fi quality: Internet connectivity varies significantly at rv sites near Summit, Utah. At Bauers Canyon Ranch: "WiFi was good. $40 a night for a spot with full hookups, convenient location between Bryce and Zion, but in the middle no where." Cedar Canyon Retreat offers spotty service: "They do offer WIFI however the connection is hit and miss."
Reservation confirmation important: Verify site details before arrival at any rv campground near Summit, Utah. One camper at Cedar Canyon Retreat warns: "BEWARE- BE SURE TO CONFIRM YOUR SITE IS STILL WHAT YOU RESERVED. THEY MADE CHANGES WITH NO NOTICE. I made return reservations in Dec 2023 for Memorial Day weekend for a long pull through. Sometime between making the reservation and May 2024, the owners decided to turn the ONE pull through campsite into TWO back in sites with no notice."
Tips for camping with families
Pack for temperature fluctuations: Zion RV and Campground experiences significant day/night temperature changes. "We booked an RV pull through site specifically because it was labeled 'more primitive'... the site was quite literally the least primitive spot," notes Sarah T. Evening temperatures drop dramatically: "We stayed in September and by the middle of the night it was about 20 degrees so bundle up!!"
Consider tent site layout: Cedar Canyon Retreat has specific tent camping considerations. "The tent area we stayed in was a little closely packed and kinda awkward to get to because we had to walk through our neighbors campground (T5) to get into ours," explains Taleah U. Families should note: "This definitely would have been a 5 star campground but I prefer camping in areas where we have a little space from our neighbors."
Check for family amenities: Red Ledge RV Park offers facilities that children appreciate. "Gail, the host and owner, put us on a nice grassy patch under a couple of pines and invited us to make use of the free showers, the hot tub, and the communal grill and patio," explains Annie C. The communal areas provide gathering spaces: "The hot tub and community fire pit/grill is a great place to meet up with your neighbors for the night and talk about their travels."
Tips from RVers
Check site positioning: St. George / Hurricane KOA Journey has varied site quality. "We stayed for the 4th of July weekend in 2020 and it was a nice place. Easy after hours check in and the staff was very helpful," reports Ryan D. Another RVer notes: "RV sites have decent amount of room. Bathrooms were clean. Follow their directions, not GPS, if coming from the south."
Level site availability: Bauers Canyon Ranch RV Park offers manageable sites for rigs. "Level site with decent hookups, awesome WiFi, very clean bathrooms and laundry room (inexpensive too). Even a small bit of grass and shade tree on site," shares deb K. The location is strategic: "Only 20 min to Zion NP east gate. About 50 min to Bryce NP. 30 min to Kanab, which is quant little town with tons of history."
Hookup positioning: At Ruby's Inn RV Park, note the location of utility connections. "The hookups on our sites were more to one end of the site and not so much in the middle of the site which was not a problem for any of us," explains Pamela. RVers appreciate the layout: "Plenty of room to spread out. Just outside of Bryce Canyon National park."
