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Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park

6 ReviewsAdd Review
SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile

Red sand roads wind through the dispersed primitive camping area at Sand Hollow State Park, where campers drive directly onto sandy terrain to claim their spots. This free camping option attracts off-road vehicle enthusiasts drawn to the adjacent Sand Mountain sand dunes, creating a lively atmosphere that contrasts with typical state park quietude.

The camping area operates as an open canvas where RVs and tents scatter across the landscape without designated sites. Campers can position themselves among scattered trees for some privacy or stay in open areas to maintain group cohesion. The sandy access roads require four-wheel drive capability, as several visitors have discovered when their vehicles became stuck in the soft, deep sand. Those without appropriate vehicles often park on harder-packed dirt roads and walk to their camping spots.

Sand Hollow's reservoir provides water access for kayaking and swimming, while the nearby dunes draw ATVs and other off-road vehicles throughout the day. The on-site store rents equipment for both water and sand activities. "You'll probably get awoken by the birds before the drivers start in," notes David H., capturing the daily rhythm here. Evening brings impressive bat activity as insects emerge, requiring campers to prepare for significant bug populations after dark.

For a more structured camping experience with hookups, Eastside Campground — Sand Hollow State Park offers traditional sites nearby.

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All Reservations that extend beyond The Furthest Arrival Date Must Wait 21 Days Before Changes Can Be Made

Visit stateparks.utah.gov to learn current conditions, fire restrictions, and other important information for each individual state park. Refunds are not given for changing park conditions such as changing water levels or fire bans.

  • STD Time to - Daylight Savings Winter Hours 7AM to 9PM, Mountain Standard Time. - Daylight Savings - STD Time Summer Hours 6AM to 10PM, Mountain Standard Time.

We do not offer after hour accommodations for park reentry. You will not be able to come back in after hours. Please be sure to be inside the park once the front gate closes.

All campsites and yurts are available for reservation on a four-month rolling basis. For example, on January 10 individual sites are available for reservation through May 10. You can book a maximum of 13 days beyond the last date of the reservation window. For more information please contact our Reservation Call Center at 800-322-3770 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) Monday through Friday. The call center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

No refunds given for no-shows or late arrivals Customers must occupy their reserved campsite by 10 a.m. on the day after the scheduled arrival date, the site may be made available to other campers. Please contact the park if you are going to be late arriving at the park for your reservation. Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm until 6:00 am, Summer hours and 9:00 pm until 7:00 am, Winter Hours.

By a vehicle having a camper or RV, that means it is a camping unit, not an extra vehicle.

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Map & DirectionsPrimitive Camping is located in Utah near Hurricane

Detail location of campground
Public Campground

Directions

From Interstate 15 take the Hurricane Exit (#16). Travel east on Hwy 9 for about four miles to Sand Hollow Road and turn right. Travel south for about three miles and turn left at the park entrance.

Address

3351 Sand Hollow Road
Hurricane, UT 84737

Coordinates

37.114577421678234 N
113.36194739600295 W

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Connectivity

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    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 4 users
    Last on 7/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 6 users
    Last on 7/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 8 users
    Last on 7/19/26

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Connectivity

Presented byT-MobileT-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More
  • signal strength bars
    T-Mobile5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 4 users
    Last on 7/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    VerizonLTE
    Some Coverage
    Verified by 6 users
    Last on 7/19/26
  • signal strength bars
    AT&T5G
    Excellent Coverage
    Verified by 8 users
    Last on 7/19/26

Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Dispersed
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Reservable
  • Electric Hookups
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Sewer Hookups
  • Water Hookups
  • 30 Amp Hookups
  • 50 Amp Hookups

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.

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Reviews6 Camper Reviews - Primitive Camping

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5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

33%
50%
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17%

4.0

out of 5

6 Reviews

Guests frequently mentioned the unique desert scenery and abundant facilities, though noise from OHV activities and sandy terrain requiring 4WD were common concerns. Many found secluded spots available despite busy periods.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BYT-Mobile
Reviewed Apr. 25, 2025

Warm, but loud and buggy

Nice place for a day or two, even better if you're here for the OHV park. You can park in the trees for a little privacy, or in the open to stay with a group, or to get that extra solar kick.

There are no designated sites, so it's kind of a free for all, show up and plop down wherever makes sense. Which seems to have some people stopping "in the road" and calling it good.

The bugs were impressive. As night falls you will see so many bats. That's your first indication. After that if you've got a light on, prepare to be swarmed. Seems to be a mix of mosquitoes and gnats at least at this time of year. Your trash will also get some roaches pretty quick, so plan to take care of that for any containers you plan to reuse.

I said a lot of bad things, but once the parties and drivers calm down, it's pretty darned nice and peaceful. No lights and a little bug spray and you're going to have a good night. You'll probably get awoken by the birds before the drivers start in.

Sitep13
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by David H., April 25, 2025
  • Play button icon
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by David H., April 25, 2025
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 23, 2022

Quiet and cold

Pulled into here, and it was so quiet. No one there. We had a wind storm and a snow storm. But still very beautiful

Sitedispersed
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Tracy , June 23, 2022
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Tracy , June 23, 2022
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Tracy , June 23, 2022
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Apr. 13, 2022

Out of this world scenery

The scenery is something out of an outer space movie, making you feel more like your on a distant planet of bright red sand, black mountains, and crystal blue water.

This is a great place if you are looking to combine fun in the water with 4x4ing in the sand. This is not the place for quiet solitude, there are a lot of camping groups out here, looking to have a loud and rowdy time.

I stayed in the dispersed primitive camping. I thought I had found a quieter place away from most of the big groups. However, out here people are used to camping right next to their neighbors, so within a few hours a caravan of huge diesel motor homes with super long trailers pulled in within 5 feet of the bumper of my truck. Walking the area, this happens a lot. But, the people are super friendly and made sure I had a clear exit for my vehicle.

I drove through the camp grounds. One is close to the entrance with full hookups and level hard packed parking areas. The other is directly across from a pedestrian only beach. Both are nicely laid out, with typical spacing for a state park.

Put toilets re abundant, as are fire rings and picnic tables. There is a cute beach side store for any odds and ends you might need, a quick bite, or to rent off road and on the water toys. This is truly a wonderful family get away!

Make sure to mind the signs about staying on the road. There are designated trails you must take until you are out in the sand dunes. I saw two different groups trying to get vehicles unstuck that had dug in to the sand up to their frames by going in undesignated areas. The sand is super deep and very soft.

The vegetation is mostly low, with very little protection from the wind. There are larger trees right on the waters edge. If the wind picks up, you will find out if your rig is air tight. I had a pretty thick layer of red dust everywhere in my pop-up A-Frame. But, it’s light and soft, so nothing felt gritty… again another example of how this place is out of this world.

Siteprimitive
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by stephanie , April 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by stephanie , April 13, 2022
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by stephanie , April 13, 2022
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Jun. 12, 2021

Expensive and hard camping

They charged us 25 dollars for a primitive campsite. Trails to campsite were completely sand so we had to park on dirt road and hike to our spot. Beach was muddy. Water was muddy. Mud was sticky. Bugs were actually swarming. Don’t go here if you don’t have 4 wheel drive. Sunset was really pretty though

Siteprimitive
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by morgan , June 12, 2021
Reviewed Jun. 12, 2020

Excellent Primitive Tent camping.

The primitive camping area is quite large, we found a really secluded spot despite the site being "Full". Clean beaches, well taken care of, but crowded in most areas. Lots of fun toys to rent while your there to play in the dunes. Temperatures were perfect during the last week of April.

  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Casey W., June 12, 2020
  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Casey W., June 12, 2020
Reviewed Jul. 12, 2019

Review for dispersed camping

You can camp at the rv campground (I have not camped there)  there are also group site available that are not in the sand.   The rest of the camping is dispersed primitive camping.   You can bring your rv or a tent and find a spot near the water.   Keep in mind that you will be driving in sand and can easily get stuck. 

Sandhollow state park is next to sand mountain sand dunes which makes the lake very popular for off road vehicles and can get noisy and dusty from them.   

There is a store located at the lake that rents atvs, kayaks etc. 

Its 25.00 a night for primitive camping there is water and a dump station available.

  • Review photo of Primitive Camping — Sand Hollow State Park by Wendy E., July 12, 2019
Showing results 1-6 of 6 reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find a map of primitive camping areas at Sand Hollow State Park?

Maps of Sand Hollow State Park's primitive camping areas are available at the park entrance station when you check in. For advance planning, you can visit the Utah State Parks website or call the park directly to request information about the primitive camping layout. The primitive camping area is quite extensive, with numerous spots along the shoreline and throughout the dunes. There are no designated sites within the primitive area, so having a map will help you navigate the sandy terrain and find suitable spots for your camping setup.

What is the difference between primitive camping and regular camping at Sand Hollow State Park?

At Sand Hollow State Park, the main differences are facilities and accessibility. The RV campground provides developed sites with amenities, while primitive camping is dispersed with no designated sites or facilities. Primitive camping allows you to find your own spot near the water or in more secluded areas, offering more privacy despite the park being busy. However, primitive camping requires you to drive through sand, so 4-wheel drive is highly recommended. The primitive camping fee is approximately $25 per night, and you'll need to be self-sufficient as you won't have access to hookups or nearby restrooms.

What are the rules and regulations for primitive camping at Sand Hollow State Park?

Primitive camping at Sand Hollow State Park requires payment of a camping fee (approximately $25 per night). You must camp in designated primitive areas only, with no specific assigned sites within these areas. Vehicles must stay on established trails to minimize environmental impact. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is strongly recommended due to the deep sand. Pack-in/pack-out principles apply for all trash and waste. Campfires may be restricted depending on seasonal conditions, so portable stoves are advisable. The park enforces quiet hours, though some areas can be noisy due to OHV use. For current regulations, check with park staff upon arrival.