22 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Dispersed camping options near Wanship, Utah provide alternatives for visitors seeking more primitive accommodations. Soapstone Basin Dispersed Camping, located approximately 25 miles from Wanship, offers free camping with basic amenities including vault toilets and fire rings. The area permits both tent and RV camping with suitable sites for larger vehicles. A fire permit is required for overnight stays, and pets are welcome throughout the area. The dirt roads accessing the camping areas can become rough after rain or snow, making high-clearance vehicles recommended during certain seasons.
The dispersed camping areas connect to multiple trail systems popular with hikers and off-road enthusiasts. Dispersed camping at Mill Hollow along Forest Road 054 provides additional free camping opportunities within a similar distance from Wanship. This area features more primitive conditions with no toilets or trash services, requiring visitors to pack out all waste. Roads to these dispersed sites typically open from late May through October, depending on snow conditions at higher elevations. Visitors report excellent fishing opportunities in nearby waters and recommend arriving early on summer weekends when popular spots fill quickly. Both locations enforce the standard 14-day maximum stay limit for dispersed camping on national forest land.
"Tucked in very back. Long ways to walk from car. Water spout next to car area. Will be sharing parking with 2 other sites. 2 lakes nearby. Fire pit with grill gate. Shaded area."
"Utah is such an amazing place to visit for the outdoors. My family and I come here once a year because we love hiking and being in the outdoors."
from $27 - $355 / night
Check Availability"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!"
"There were a lot of off road vehicles and people fishing. More crowded then we were expecting, but the views were amazing! Not a lot of shade, as in bring your own. Perfect place for dogs to play!"
"Allow horses in the horse section of the campground. Lake you can canoe, kayak no motorized crafts allwed. Fishing and swimming in the lake. Nice hiking around the lake."
"Mirror lake is the most popular campground in all of the Uintas so the spots go super fast as soon as registration is opened! If you want solitude this is not the spot for you."
from $28 - $84 / night
Check Availability"This campground is well maintained and nestled into some nice pine trees in view of the backside of Mount Timpanogos, it is divided into 3 areas, one of which has horse corrals."
"Near hiking trails and reservoirs(no motor sports) Equest sites can be used by people wIthout horses too."
from $27 - $204 / night
Check Availability"The only bad part about this camp site is all the highway noise. It is close to the Provo river and there is lots of shade so that is nice. Great place to have a camp fire and cook some S'mores. "
"Close in to town, very pretty with Provo river next to it. Bike path and highway noise can be distracting."
"No bathrooms, primitive and huge families with atvs and dirt bikes everywhere nearby. They were polite and had reasonable time for no noise."
"This area has many camp sites to choose from, traveling from the highway 150 will absolutely require 4x4 but the other end could manage without."
"One of our favorite state parks in Utah is only~45 minutes away from Salt Lake City! There are bison, antelope, deer, and many other animals that call this island home."
"By far one of my favorite stops through Utah ❤️ absolutely breathtaking views, along with scenic routes to see wildlife such as the bison."
from $20 - $200 / night
Check Availability"Over Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I got away for a night and dispersed camp in the Unita National forest near the Mill Creek campground. "
"Our family really likes dispersed camping near Mill hollow reservoir. It’s very peaceful and scenic!"
"Nice campsites near a creek. It is a little close to the highway but there wasn’t much traffic. The shingle creek trailhead was close and the hiking is beautiful."
"I spent one day exploring salt lake, which is about an hours drive from the campsite."
"These campground spots are hidden within trees up the dirt road just past Silver Lake flats on the dirt road. The dirt road gets rough and rocky, but is driveable."
LegendThis campground is well maintained and nestled into some nice pine trees in view of the backside of Mount Timpanogos, it is divided into 3 areas, one of which has horse corrals. While there are many campgrounds in Utah that rival it, this one is special because it's such a short drive after work.
TravelerBeautiful higher altitude camping. RV's and tent camping. No electricity or water hookups. No showers and pit toilets. Allow horses in the horse section of the campground. Lake you can canoe, kayak no motorized crafts allwed. Fishing and swimming in the lake. Nice hiking around the lake.
GuideTimooneke is beautiful. High elevation(7400ft) campground up the popular Alpine Loop. Book EARLY- ita very popular. Near hiking trails and reservoirs(no motor sports) Equest sites can be used by people wIthout horses too.
LegendOne of our favorite state parks in Utah is only~45 minutes away from Salt Lake City! There are bison, antelope, deer, and many other animals that call this island home. On the west side of the island are extensive muds flats that give you one of the best sunset views in Utah. One of our favorite things to do on the island is hike Frary Peak which is the high point of the island. The top portion of the hike is a rocky scramble, but there are plenty of side trails to beautiful viewpoints during the hike.
As for the best season to visit the island, we are partial to winter due to the absolute lack of bugs and stunning contrast of the bison on fresh snow. Our 2nd favorite season is early spring before the bugs come out in full swarm! I wouldn't recommend visiting in late spring or summer as there are swarms of all kinds of biting bugs and the temps can be unbearable.
ScoutQuite area, lot of room. I stayed on site 58 (tent only). Enough room for 2 medium tents. Next/above stream. Tucked in very back. Long ways to walk from car. Water spout next to car area. Will be sharing parking with 2 other sites. 2 lakes nearby. Fire pit with grill gate. Shaded area. Full sun from 10am-4pm.
LegendThis is one of the first campgrounds one comes across while heading north along Mirror Lake Hwy. Like some of the other campgrounds along the Hwy it is fairly close to the road and therefore traffic noise is an issue. There is a creek that runs between the campground and the road but it was such a slow flow it doesn't really do much to drown out the noise. The only positive to this slow moving stream is that beavers have taken up residence here and have created a pretty little beaver dam and pond! To get away from the noise of the Hwy one can take the nearby Shingle Creek TH to East Shingle Creek Lake or Big Elk Lake for some fishing. As with other campgrounds, water is not available due to the dry winter so bring all that you will need. To stay here you'll need to pay $18 a night for the campground and for the Mirror Lake Rec. Pass for $6 for 3 days and $12 for the week
LegendHands down the best campground for sunset views on all of Antelope Island! The sunsets in the fall, and winter are the best as the bugs have gone down considerably and therefore you won't get eaten alive! Hues of all different kinds of colors reflect off the perfect mirror surface of the Great Salt Lake and give you an endless sunset much like at the Bonneville Salt Flats. I would have given this campground 5 stars if there was any shade whatsoever but there isn't any!
This campground is pretty primitive in that there is no drinking water available and only vault toilets available with picnic tables and a fire ring at each campsite. There are only 20 sites with 2 equestrian sites that go for 40$ a night. The closest drinking water is at Bridger Bay Campground and there is also a grill on the island that is open during the summer.
LegendThis is a great place to pitch a tent or come up and stay for the day. The only bad part about this camp site is all the highway noise. It is close to the Provo river and there is lots of shade so that is nice. Great place to have a camp fire and cook some S'mores. The bike path is close so bring your long board or bike and go for a ride. This is withing walking distance from Bridal Vail Falls so that is a great day hike and see the falls. Also great fly fishing in the Provo river so do yourself a favor and bring your fishing gear.
GuideI stayed here for three nights (July 7-9 2021) and it was great!! I’m on a road trip to Chicago from California and this was the first place I stayed and I absolutely loved it.
The campsites are hidden but close together which I loved being a solo female traveler it made me feel so safe knowing people were on both sides of me.
The roads are really rough don’t think you’ll be able to do it without 4x4 or awd my Honda CR-V did great!!
One thing though, the camp sites fill up quick my first night was a Wednesday and I got there around 6pm and I found a spot just big enough to park my car for the three nights. It was just off the road and basically no privacy but I was just looking for a safe place to sleep and that’s what I got!
I spent one day exploring salt lake, which is about an hours drive from the campsite. And I spent another day only up near the site, there’s a trail head that leads off to about 3 or 4 different trails I did trail 173 it was 2.5miles and it took you up so you have an amazing elevated view of the mountains and lake and about 2 miles in it leads you to the opposite side of the lake that you drive up next to.
This is blm land so you can stay for free up to 14 days which was a big factor into why I chose to camp here!
Overall I loved it here I totally fell I love with Utah and I can’t wait to stop by on my way home and camp here again!
Oh also if you ride dirt bikes/atvs most of the trails are motor friendly and the lake is a great spot for kayaking!!
Dispersed camping near Wanship, Utah offers primitive camping experiences at elevations between 6,400-8,000 feet. The area typically experiences summer daytime temperatures in the 70-80°F range with nighttime lows dropping to 40-50°F. Most dispersed areas remain accessible from late May through October, with higher elevation sites often requiring high-clearance vehicles for access.
Hiking to alpine lakes: At Silver Lake Backcountry, trails provide access to multiple alpine lakes. "There's a trail head that leads off to about 3 or 4 different trails I did trail 173 it was 2.5miles and it took you up so you have an amazing elevated view of the mountains and lake," reports Bethany R.
Wildlife viewing: Bison and pronghorn sightings are common at Bridger Bay Campground on Antelope Island. "The bison are free grazing all around and a few came right up to our campground in the early morning!" shares Steven M. The area also hosts "badgers, and tons of great birds to watch."
ATV and dirt bike trails: Many dispersed sites connect to motorized vehicle trails. At Kimball Campground, Connor O. notes that "this place fills up" on summer weekends due to its popularity with off-road enthusiasts. The area features "motor friendly" trails that attract riders throughout the summer months.
Cooler temperatures: Dispersed areas provide relief from valley heat. At Soapstone Basin Dispersed Camping, Taylor S. reports, "Headed up this way to escape the valley heat. Temps are significantly cooler." Sites at higher elevations can be 15-20 degrees cooler than Salt Lake City.
Private camping spots: The Mill Hollow area offers secluded sites away from crowds. Clayton M. shares that Dispersed Camping at Mill Hollow is "very peaceful and scenic! The main road in is fairly easy to navigate but if you venture off the main path you'll want a vehicle with clearance and possibly 4X4."
Dark night skies: The distance from urban areas creates excellent stargazing conditions. At Soapstone Basin, Carol B. appreciates "the dark moonless night" while Belinda H. calls the area "peaceful and serene...especially at night" with "incredible" stars.
Road conditions: Many dispersed areas require appropriate vehicles. At Kimball Campground, Bethany R. advises "don't think you'll be able to do it without 4x4 or awd" and notes "the roads are really rough." Jake T. similarly recommends "a higher clearance SUV or truck" for accessing Soapstone Basin.
Fire restrictions: Fire permits are required at most dispersed sites, and seasonal restrictions apply. Taylor I. found Soapstone Basin "extremely busy" but noted campers "were polite and had reasonable time for no noise." Always check current fire restrictions before your trip.
Limited cell service: Most dispersed areas have poor or no cell coverage. Pack adequate supplies, inform others of your plans, and consider satellite communication devices for emergencies. Some campers at Mill Hollow report using Starlink for connectivity when needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Wanship, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Wanship, UT is Granite Flat (utah) with a 4.3-star rating from 38 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Wanship, UT?
TheDyrt.com has all 22 equestrian camping locations near Wanship, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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