Steinaker State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its grounds without additional fees, offering both tent and RV campsites with electric hookups and water access for dogs needing to cool off during hot weather. McCoy Flats dispersed camping area provides free camping with abundant space for pets to explore, with multiple vault toilets spaced along the main road. Dogs must remain leashed in developed areas but can enjoy off-leash time in designated zones. Most campgrounds in the region don't impose breed restrictions, though campers report keeping pets secured during nighttime hours helps prevent wildlife encounters. Full-hookup RV parks like Fossil Valley RV Park maintain pet-friendly policies with grassy areas for dog walking between sites. The camping area remains extremely quiet with amazing sunsets and is located within 15 minutes of Vernal, which has pet supply stores and veterinary services.
Dog Valley Camp near Vernal offers secluded pet-friendly sites across from established free camping areas, providing private spots with minimal ATV traffic for sensitive pets. The camping spots drop off in noise around 11 pm, making evening walks peaceful. McCoy Flats trail system features 46 miles of trails across 15 routes where dogs can accompany hikers and mountain bikers, though bringing extra water is essential in this high desert environment. Vault toilets at trailheads provide convenience for longer stays with pets. Wildlife considerations include watching for snakes in warmer months, particularly during dawn and dusk hours. The wide-open terrain provides excellent stargazing opportunities while allowing campers to set up near trail access points without moving vehicles. Paradise campground charges only $5 per night for spots below the reservoir where dogs can access water, with clean bathroom facilities despite the remote mountain location.
$20 - $150 / night
"This is a great recreation area close to the town of Vernal, about 5 miles out. There is a lake for fishing, swimming and water sports. There is a nice beach with pavilions and picnic sites."
"Access to the park was easy as was check in. The camp hosts were super nice and very accommodating during our three night’s stay."
"Vast and accessible to all vehicles. Thanks Utah !!!"
"McCoy Flats is located about 6 miles southwest of Vernal, UT and you stay here for the proximity to amazing mountain bike trails. This trail system boasts 46 miles and 15 trials for all skill levels. "
"If you want to get to paradise, use the paradise guard Station location, then continue down paradise park road."
"It’s $5 a night for a good camping spot and nice bathrooms for how far you drive into the mountains."
"It was quiet and well maintained and just off the main road making it easy to walk about parts of town. Vernal is a nice town with several interesting drives and sites nearby."
"A good bit of road noise and located next to a tire store. The sites are level, gravel and shaded, but close together (maybe 8'). Park is run by a man named Dennis and his son."
$29 - $72 / night
"Only downside pool closed to early at 8 pm."
"Some highway noise, but quiets down by nightfall. This campground had a good feel to it IMO. Not super large, but almost all the sites were pull through."
$40 - $200 / night
"Sandy beach and hiking trails. Large parking lot for cars/boats. Dumpster, bathrooms, water hookups, and very fast WiFi (available for $3/day). $25/night for hookup spots, $15/night for regular spot."
"Very scenic lake camping. Beautiful formations, lake is clean, and not too busy, especially since we were there during July 4th weekend."
$24 / night
"Green River Campground is located inside Dinosaur National Monument - on the ‘Quarry side’ of the park, in Utah."
"You are steps away from the river. They are huge campsites that can fit a large group. Great spot to enjoy the beauty of Dinosaur National Monument"
$5 / night
"Pros: Quiet
Balance of privacy with proximity to other sites
**Inexpensive**
Unique location
Fire pits
COWS!"
"We did see several other campers near Chepeta Lake. Clean toilets, bear-proof trash, and an easy stroll down to the lake. Coming in on 117 from the west side was a little rough. "
"Lots of activities for families (pool, play area), small dog area, clean restrooms, staff was very friendly."
"It's about a 30min drive from the dinosaur fossils, but its worth it for the amenities and the cute town."
"Fun mountain biking trails. Couple of spots with fire rings. Only issue is someone is “camping” in their car right by the day use area, a non-camping area."
"McCoy Flats BLM is a mt bike focus recreation area with a network of excellent nonmotorizrd singletrack trails."
LegendThis it the KOA near Dinosaur Np on the Utah/Colorado border. They had a tough winter and were still recovering in June when we stayed.. the area with the dog park was flooded from snow melt, so it had not been mowed in some time. Mosquitoes were bad. Dog park was unusable. They have a pool. Also rent 3-wheel cycles for kids to ride up and down terrorizing everyone. I is a short drive to Dinosaur Np.
ScoutRed Fleet is a very accessible campground. There are several large RV spots with full hookups (30amp, one handicapped spot with 50amp) in addition to tent camping. Boat ramp down to reservoir. Sandy beach and hiking trails. Large parking lot for cars/boats. Dumpster, bathrooms, water hookups, and very fast WiFi (available for $3/day). $25/night for hookup spots, $15/night for regular spot. Pets allowed but must be on leash.
LegendCampground Review:
We came up here to stay for one night. Its $25 a night so for me a lil pricey but then when I walked my dog around the park I can see why it cost that much. There were like 6 bathroom facilities a boat dock and even shower facilities. There are pull through sites, tent sites, and back in camper sites. It was one of the biggest campgrounds I've been in with excellent views. They had a pavilion where we seen tons of wild turkeys. Ken came and let us know he'd seen a mtn lion in the morning and be careful with out dog he didnt want to see it harmed. He went around the entire campground to let everyone with pets know. So good customer service there. The facilities were clean when I was there and I dont know the curcumstances with the last review but I was able to stay in an "R" site just fine. The campground only had like 4 other guests though that night. I would love to go back to this campground next summer when their open again it was really great and you could walk to Flaming gorge!
Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time While I was here I am tesed the Ledlenser MT10 flashlight.
https://www.ledlenser.com/en/products/flashlights/outdoor/mt10/
When I first received this flashlight looking at it only being 5" long I though great another silly wannabe flashlight. Except it had a warning label on it to not shine it into peoples eyes. Hmmm Maybe this lil guy might pack a punch I thought. I turned it on during the day and though wow it is kinda bright. . . but the real test came when dark fell! I was astonished at how BRIGHT this light was; it blew any other flashlight or headlamp I've ever owned outta the water! If you pull the head of it u can focus it or make it wide beam its a simple press button on and off. If you press the botton twice or three in succession it gives you a dimmer light each time you push it. It claims to be 1000 lumens and I believe it! It is charged with a plug in charger and is pretty speedy at being charged; the power button turns green when it is fully charged. My only complain is the carrying case that comes with it has to be used without the belt clip you can put on the back of the flashlight. Otherwise its to tight of fit and if your hiking with it in the case it pushes the power button because of the tightness and you'll run your battery dead, without even knowing it. I'd like to see the case fit along with the clip so that you can protect the flashlight without having to remove the belt clip. Please see pictures for brightness inside my tent and outside. FYI we had friends about 200 yards away from us that could see the beam through the trees where they were camped.
GuideThis park is so amazing . Right next to starvation lake, plenty of mature trees , great view , super nice staffs , right next to Utah 40 but hardly hear any noise . 5 min away from town.
Only reason for 3 stars are internet connection was not usable , and dog&deer poops were everywhere . Kim
GuideThe campsite was a pull through, fairly large with a picnic table and fire ring. There is a nice dog walk/path with a great view of the reservoir at the end of the path. When we were there it was very windy and cold so our time outside was limited.
LegendGreen River Campground is located inside Dinosaur National Monument - on the ‘Quarry side’ of the park, in Utah. It is a short drive from the vistitors center and quarry, and is next to the Green River.
BEWARE: We trusted Siri's directions, and she steered us in the wrong direction - she sent us across the Colorado border and to the ‘Canyon side’ of the park. We saw a sign reading DNM, and passed a visitors center, so we figured we were in the right place - we should have stopped at the visitors center, we may have saved ourselves from getting a little lost. After driving 15 miles or so we came to a stopping point - you needed a 4 wheel drive vehicle to continue down a couple of the roads. There was a sign post with a map, but the Green River Campground was nowhere to be seen. Since we didn’t have 4WD we figured the campground was not accessible through the roads within the park, so we had to backtrack back to highway 40 towards Utah to the Quarry side. Lesson learned - follow the directions on the park's website, NOT SIRI!
If you have an easy-up or some sort of shade canopy, I highly suggest bringing it with you when you are camping in this part of Utah! As stadard for the area, most of the campsites do not have much in the way of shade. We camped this past July, and it was extremely hot for most of the day and well into the evening. There were a couple sparse trees in our site, but they did not provide any shade. We tried to rig up a shade canopy with an extra tarp, but there wasn't much to tie it to, nor did we have much rope.
Warning: The area does have black bears, but there were no bear bins in the campground, so you have to lock all of your food and toiletries in the car at night. There are bear-proof dumpsters for trash and recycling though. I was once told by a ranger in Yosemite NP that bears can recognize coolers when peering into car windows - he suggested putting put a towel and gear over your coolers when keeping them in the car overnight in bear territory.
The bathrooms were clean - no showers are available, though.
There were not any water spigets around by the sites, but there was a faucet outside the rest rooms for dish washing and water bottles.
The fire pit had a very nice cooking grate - we always bring a small collapsable grate in case the fire ring doesn’t have one, but no need to use it this time!
It got very windy during the day, and after coming back from a hike we found our tent blown over, despite having staked it down. Stake your tents down well!
We only saw one scorpion in our site for the two nights we stayed - one crawled up by the fire ring and hung out with us next to the camp fire. He was small. I would still suggest always zipping up your tent completely every time you open and close it, and to check your shoes if you leave them outside!
Some sites in Green River are "riverside," but are not directly next to the river - perhaps 30 yards away. We walked down to the river - we did not see any true trails to the river, but we didn't take the time to look around. The river and surrounding moutainous region was beautiful, and the cold water was a great way to cool off after a hike in the heat.
I was able to get some cell service down in the campground, but it was definitely better up near the visitors center.
Green River Campground is a great basecamp for those wishing to explore Dinosaur National Monument! Bring lots of water - it is HOT in the summer! We chose to get up early to hike and beat the heat - afterwards we packed up lunch and drove over to Josie Morris cabin. The Josie Morris cabin is an interesting historical site - what one women accomplished out in the middle of nowhere was impressive! Josie planted a lot of trees on her land, so there is a nice shady lawn with picnic benches and a view - it was the perfect lunch spot! The petroglyphs around the park are a must see, as is the quarry exhibit hall!
CAMPSITE SPECS
Fees: $18/night
Plumbed Toilets: Yes
Drinking Water: Yes
Showers: NO
Picnic Table: Yes
Firepit: Yes
Cooking Grates: Yes
Shade: Limited!
Cell Service: Limited
Animals Bins/Food Lockers: NO
Trash: Yes
LegendWe recently had our family reunion at the group site a little farther up the road. It easily accomadated 30 trailers, 8 large tents, about 70 of us, and 10 dogs. It had 2 toilet buildings that were cleaned and stocked daily by DNR, 4 horseshoe pits, the giant fire pit, a dumpster, and was in walking distance to the ponds and river. From camp it was close to a mile walk up to the old u bar ranch if you drive up to the dead end its only .4 of a mile. Beautiful wooded area with views of deer and moose.
TravelerI drove further down the road slightly over the utah border and it was silent and serene with beautiful views. All the spots available on this road were gorgeous.
TravelerWe spent one night at Antelope Flats and it was not good. The wind gusted at around 50 miles an hour for about three hours, making it impossible to stay outside. If your tent was not staked down well, it would have blown away (which we witnessed). Thankfully, the wind subsided for us to be able to sleep. The whole campground is also full of fox tails and stickers so if you are camping with dogs I would definitely stay away from this site unless you want to constantly be pulling them out of your dog. Also, at the time of our arrival they did not have any water available and the flush toilets were not working. They did issue a 50% refund for the water not working, so that was very nice. Overall, I would not stay there again.
Red Fleet State Park, located 15 miles north of Vernal, features a 750-acre reservoir at an elevation of 5,600 feet. The area surrounding Whiterocks, Utah supports diverse camping options from developed sites with hookups to remote dispersed areas on BLM land. Summer temperatures frequently exceed 90°F, with nighttime lows dropping into the 50s even during peak season.
Kayak to dinosaur tracks: The reservoir at Red Fleet State Park Campground allows visitors to paddle to view fossilized dinosaur footprints. "Our absolute favorite part of this campground is the ability to rent kayaks and kayak over to see the dinosaur footprints. This was our first time seeing anything of the like, and it absolutely blew our minds! Do NOT miss doing this while visiting," reports Angela G.
Mountain biking on single-track trails: McCoy Flats MTB Trailhead offers an extensive network of non-motorized mountain bike routes. "This trail system boasts 46 miles and 15 trials for all skill levels. If you are a mountain biker, this area is not to be missed," states Jenny R. The area allows dispersed camping along the main road for easy trail access.
Riverside hiking: The Eagle Crest trail starting at the large group site provides panoramic views of the reservoir and surrounding landscape. "Hike the Eagle Crest trail located at the large group site for beautiful views of the lake, and Vernal beyond," suggests Amanda B. The trail is accessible directly from the campground without relocating vehicles.
Dark skies for astronomy: The remote setting away from urban light pollution creates optimal stargazing conditions. "The area is wide open but is susceptible to wind, which makes this a great area for vans, RVs or trailers... The wide-open terrain provides excellent stargazing opportunities," notes one camper at McCoy Flats.
Lake activities in desert surroundings: Green River Campground offers a unique setting where water recreation meets red rock landscapes. "The campground is beautiful, and the campsites vary between desert vegetation, large shady cottonwoods, and sandy beaches. The river and surrounding mountainous region was beautiful, and the cold water was a great way to cool off after a hike in the heat," writes Amanda M.
Affordability for extended stays: Basic campgrounds offer budget-friendly options for longer visits. "Inexpensive, unique location, fire pits, COWS!" says Connor S. about Pole Creek Lake Campground. The remote setting provides balanced privacy with moderate proximity to neighboring sites.
Limited shade protection: Most campgrounds in the region have minimal natural shade. "As standard for the area, most of the campsites do not have much in the way of shade... If you have an easy-up or some sort of shade canopy, I highly suggest bringing it with you when you are camping in this part of Utah!" advises Amanda M.
Wildlife precautions needed: Bears and smaller wildlife require proper food storage. "The area does have black bears, but there were no bear bins in the campground, so you have to lock all of your food and toiletries in the car at night. There are bear-proof dumpsters for trash and recycling though," warns a camper at Green River Campground.
Seasonal weather challenges: The high desert environment creates temperature extremes. "It got very windy during the day, and after coming back from a hike we found our tent blown over, despite having staked it down. Stake your tents down well!" recommends a reviewer who experienced sudden weather changes at Paradise campground.
Junior Ranger activities: Dinosaur National Monument offers educational programs specifically designed for children. "Our family loves Dinosaur National Monument and the Green River Campground, amazing campsites close to the green river are clean and the rangers are top notch and super friendly, we love the petroglyphs and the kids love the Jr. Ranger Program," shares Christopher C.
Beach swimming access: Several reservoir campgrounds provide water recreation options during summer. "Nice campground. Fairly busy. Great for water sport and kids," reports Ali C. about Red Fleet State Park, which features a beach area with floating dock for swimmers.
Unique accommodation options: Vernal / Dinosaurland KOA offers alternative lodging beyond traditional tent sites. "They had a couple of tipis, a woody tent (don't know what that is). 15 tent sites & cabins," notes Cynthia K., making it suitable for families seeking more comfort or protection from weather.
Spacing between sites: RV parks vary significantly in site proximity. "The sites are level, gravel and shaded, but close together (maybe 8'). Park is run by a man named Dennis and his son. They are both very helpful and pleasant. The park is very clean and well kept," notes Jeff about Fossil Valley RV Park.
Access considerations for larger vehicles: Some campgrounds present challenges for bigger rigs. "Difficult, but fun drive. About an hour from the nearest town. Bring cash," advises Connor S. about remote mountain campgrounds requiring high-clearance vehicles.
Seasonal availability: Most higher elevation campgrounds have limited operating seasons. "Coming in on 117 from the west side was a little rough. We went out on the eastern route and it was smoother. No water, no showers, no power," states a reviewer regarding Pole Creek Lake, which only operates from early June through late August.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Whiterocks, UT?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Whiterocks, UT is Steinaker State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 21 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 125 dog-friendly camping locations near Whiterocks, UT, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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