Looking for a rustic and comfortable horse camping experience near Sunnyside? Finding a place to stay in Utah while traveling with your horse has never been easier. Search horse campsites and discover top-rated spots, as reviewed by other campers.
Located just a few hundred yards downstream of the San Rafael campground, this was built by equestrians for equestrians. Six campsites with pullouts to accommodate vehicle and horsetrailer surround a central holding pen with 3 separate stalls.
"A mysterious red pictograph (painted) panel accompanied by petroglyphs (pecked images) lies within Black Dragon Wash in the San Rafael Swell. Within a fenced area visitors may view several elongated human and animal like pictograph images attributed to the ancient Barrier Canyon culture. Stylistically different Fremont petroglyphs are located adjacent to the Barrier Canyon pictographs. In the past someone chalked the outlines of the pictograph images, a practice now know to irreparably damage fragile rock art resources. The person chalking the images combined several figures into what appears as a Dragon-like image. This “dragon” gives the canyon its name. Visitors to the site enjoy a short hike to the panel up through the wash and into the San Rafael reef. Nearby canyons and the wash itself provide additional hiking and photography opportunities. The road to the panel is sandy in spots and requires a high clearance vehicle. Do not travel into the area unless you are familiar with desert travel and are aware of the weather conditions. "
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
Ranger
We needed a place for the night after leaving the crazy busy area of Moab and this was the perfect spot. We will absolutely return again but with the ATVs.
There were several people camping and riding their ATVs and SXSs but when the sun went down it was quiet and so dark. The night sky is beautiful.
Pack it in and out but a perfect place for us. It had rained the day we arrived and it was not muddy and no problem getting in and out.
The road getting in has a bit of wash board so just take it slow.
Traveler
Only one site I felt comfortable pulling a 27 foot trailer but it was beautiful and I wished I could have stayed longer. Watch out for rain. The dry wash beds will flood and I’m lucky I left when I did.
GuideLots of spots. Visited after a rain storm and dirt was dirt and not clay like others spots in the area. Trees in area will hide other campers.
TravelerFirst of all, the site is very big. It is quiet and ckean. Very little firewood, if You can- bridge your own.
TravelerLarge flat area with quite a few short trees scattered around. Great jumping off point to visit San Rafael swell.
Traveler
Winter hike to find an old geocache
ScoutLots of flat ground, highway noise wasn’t too loud but also wasn’t too far away from the road.
GuideWe pulled in middle of the night for some quick shuteye. Level ground, mostly quiet with some highway noise.
GuideWe have used this dispersed camp area several times off of I-70 on several occasions. Easy access whither you're traveling east or west bound. If east bound you'll have to cross over the medium which is allowed and enter the area through a BLM gate. It's always closed to keep cows off the freeway so please close it. The area has several places to disperse camp. If you follow the road it will take you to the east entrance of the Black Dragon. I once got a cell call in the canyon that surprised us as there's little cell coverage. In the Black Dragon you'll find a lot of Indian Petroglyphs. It's pretty easy hike to them or a high clearance vehicle. The San Rafael is quite interesting. The rest areas just west of the dispersed camping has a lot info about the area.
ScoutThis is a huge area. Right off the highway has dozens of good sites all levels with good views. Fire ours built in most. There are more if you continue north down the good gravel road which leads into fantastic canyon country. Bonus is good cell service. Only downside is dry and dusty in summer.
Legend
Not a horse person but checked it out. 6 nice large sites with green steel corrals. Vault toilet tables and fire rings for the humans. However NO Water for humans or horses. No dumpsters, no cell signal. Roads are good hard gravel.
LegendFirst off do not pay attention to google directions as it will take you out of the way through a wash. There is quite an easy turn off right off of highway 70 (whether heading east or west, you can turn north off the highway). Once you turnoff of the highway there is a gate that may or may not be closed so once you go through leave it how you found it.
Follow the very manageable dirt road and there will be multiple pull out areas to camp in. The closer to the highway the more busy it is so keep driving. We found a small pull out between the two trails that take you on hike to the Spirit Arches and Petroglyphs and the other up through the wash to the pictographs.
The hike to the pictographs is much more interesting as you enter the narrow canyon. There are several spots that are reachable by RV, but further back you’ll need high clearance and possible 4x4.
There is no camping allowed within the canyon. At the trailhead though there are a few large areas for camping but probably easier with higher clearance. There is no bathroom, trash or water so pack in and pack out even that which you have already digested.;)
No cell service from ATT, Verizon or TMobile, but was able to get a bar or two on Verizon with the cell booster. Oddly we did have cell reception on the hike within the canyon.
RangerAccess to this is a bit tricky as you need to take a gate from the interstate. It isn't your typical interstate exit. On the eastbound lane you've then got to drive under the interstate which there is a underpass there that they put a concrete ramp in the wash to make it possible to drive through. Most passenger cars can make this route. The campground itself is very basic there's no water there's no toilets. But it is less than a mile from the black dragon pictograph panel and that is the big plus for it. Note that driving in from the west is an extremely rough road that requires a four-wheel drive high ground clearance vehicle and some skill.
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!
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.
TravelerWe stayed this weekend (early May 2021) at the Swinging Bridge South Campground and had a great time. The campground includes:
The cost is $15 per night with a limit to 2 vehicles per site and up to 10 people per site, with half-price discounts for National Parks/Interagency Passes. There are neither trash receptacles on-site nor potable water, so plan to pack in/pack out.
This dog-friendly BLM campground made a great home base for adventuring in the Buckhorn Wash and Little Grand Canyon overlook area. There was minimal road noise at night, though you can hear neighboring campers since it's a fairly open campground. On our night it was rather windy so plan to bring strong tie-downs for your ground tent if you plan to use the tent pads.
GuideThe road getting you into this deep canyon sets the mood for the epic adventure of sleeping down by the river and surrounded by massive rock walls.
ScoutWonderful place, so beautiful!
GuideGreat little area with trees near the river. Awesome hammock trees. Swimming holes in the river.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Sunnyside, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Sunnyside, UT is Swinging Bridge Equestrian Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Sunnyside, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Sunnyside, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
