Top 10+ Dispersed Free Camping near Salt Lake City, UT

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. We were planning to stay at the campground but it was closed, so we took advantage of free dispersed camping right outside. This is LNT(leave no trace) camping so be sure to pack out what you pack in. There are no amenities but you are along a water source so if you have a filter, you have water. All along the road there are open fields that can accommodate trailers and bigger parties then just a single tent. Near the campground (and the site we chose) is an outdoor education center which would be fun to go back and visit later in the summer. We really enjoyed camping here as it was peaceful and private (at least when we visited).  Later in the summer that may not be the case, especially close to the road. The biggest issue may be the road. My Mazda3 was able to make it up, but the road was quite rutted and rough and you had to go through a small runoff stream. If you have a lowered vehicle, you may have a tough time but anything with a higher clearance will do just fine. Overall, I loved exploring a new area that I will definitely return to.

Campground Review: In my attempt to explore as many areas in Utah as I can, I came across this wonderful dispersed camping off Highway 40, south of Heber City toward Main Canyon. I had the intention of staying in a nearby campground. But when I felt the price was a bit too high for just one night, I sought adventure elsewhere. I randomly turned off toward Main Canyon and followed the dirt road until I found a spot I liked. I knew I was in dispersed national forest camping when there are signs indicating a 14 day limit. So all along this dirt road, which got pretty rocky at times, are spots to pull off and camp for the night. It can accommodate single tents, multiple tents, RVs (obviously no hookups) and trailers.  There are man-made fire pits so if you start a fire, be sure to put it out completely and observe LNT (leave no trace) camping principles. Whatever you bring in with you is what you have as there are no amenities to speak of. The ground was soft and there were lots of trees from which to hang a hammock. I did forget to fill my water jug before I left my house so I had to search out a small run off stream from which I could filter water. But be sure to have a good water filter if you are going to go this route.  The only real negative I have for this site (or area of sites) is that there was a lot of AVT/Side-by-side/dirtbike traffic. If that type of activity was on my list, this area would be first on my list. However, since I chose not to stay in a campground because I wanted the seclusion, the traffic was a little bit of a bummer. But, because the camping was free and everyone who passed waved and was really nice, I didn’t have too much of a problem with it. Also, the site I chose was right off the road (as majority of them are). If I wanted to hike with my stuff a little more, I found a very pretty meadow away from the road that would have been very peaceful. I guess that will have to be my next spot. OI verall, I have a love for free, dispersed camping and this area is large enough to explore for a wide variety of adventures.

Gear Review: Snapbuds

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get the opportunity to test out gear every so often from our amazing partners. I was given the opportunity to test out a new product called Snapbuds. The premise of this product is to help keep your earbud cords organized or untangled by use of magnets. They come in three different colors—grey, black, and white, so you can make them coordinate with your cords or stand out. The instructions are easy to follow and have a few options for how to set these little magnets into different configurations. It also has a really handy measuring tape/picture to make sure you can get the snapbuds in the right spot. I decided to try the standard configuration on my first pair of earbuds. These are designed to be permanent additions to your cords so be sure to pay attention to what direction you snap the magnets on. Once I got them on, I wrapped them up and threw them around in my bag. The magnets held and when I went to use them, all I had to do was pull the magnets apart and the cord was untangled. It was pretty sweet. I also used them while hiking around with my dog.

Overall, these are a pretty cool solution to a long standing annoyance of earbud cords.

Good dispersed campsite, especially if you’re on a road trip along I-80 (which we were, evacuating from a wildfire in CA). There are no hookups or services. This is really just a spot of BLM land that has some fairly level sites cleared. Some sites probably required 4WD. Looks like it would be really fun for OHV’s. We were car camping, so didn’t have to worry to much about space. From what we could tell there were probably only a couple good spots for an RV or tow-behind. There are no reservations, just find a place where your car fits and park it.

Rumor has it there’s a neat stream nearby, but we didn’t get a chance to check it out.

Great dispersed camping area with plenty of room! If going all the way to the marked location on the map, only attempt with a high clearance 4x4 or you will not make it! We have a TRX and overland camper and bottomed out on a culvert that dropped off sharply. We went to the marked location only to find a single camping spot on a moderate slope. Recommend stopping two miles earlier in the “Big Glade” meadow, flat and plenty of camping spots. We ended up a mile before that at a cross roads at 8900’. Concur with the ATv traffic from previous reviews, but overall relatively quiet

1/3 of a mile up the Mt. Aire trail there are a few premade dispersed camping spots. 1 is good for groups of 3 tents with a nice big fire pit and the others are smaller for 1 or 2 people sharing a tent. They are right off the trail but the trail is somewhat busy, you won't be completely alone until after 10pm or before 5 (trail runners are crazy). 

It's hard to walk in as if you are 'car camping' worth it to backpack everything in one go, there is a creek and it's cool in the canyon, plus you really can't beat a camp spot that is only 20 minutes outside of town and that no one ever goes to. People don't seem to camp in Millcreek that often, I'm not sure why. 

I would recommend setting up at Mt. Aire, and then camping to the summit (45 minute uphill trek) for sunset or sunrise, both are beautiful.

We go several times a year. You have to be willing to “rough it”. There are no facilities and no toilets. But it’s gorgeous. Wildflowers as far as you can see. Wide open spaces. Dispersed camp sites.

Campground Review: Mineral Basin is located in the Wasatch Mountains to the East of Salt Lake City. If you have ever skied Snowbird, this camping area is the same as the backside and keep going down. This area is beautiful and primitive camping. Resulting in two major points: It is free and in order to keep it nice, please pack out what you pack in!! We accessed this area via the east side and Wasatch State Park and Midway, UT. It is a long dirt road which is relatively maintained. There is a lot of side by side activity on these roads so some of the corners have been banked/rutted out but a non-lowered vehicle should be able to navigate the roads with only a few bottom scrapes.(If you want to drive a bit higher into Mineral Basin than our campsite, a high clearance or off-road vehicle is required). We have seen tents as well as trailers camping in this area(as long as you are comfortable pulling your trailer on unpaved mountain roads). The campsite we chose was off a small spur road which offered privacy and was along a small stream. The flowing water provided some great ambiance and white noise while we slept. As with other primitive camping, there is nothing here with regards to amenities with the exception of an established fire ring. Our site did have a nice flat spot dug out but that may not be the case for all the spots. We brought everything we needed for a one-night excursion and couldn't have had a better time. There are some hiking trails nearby (Pittsburgh Lakes trailhead was just a little farther up the road from us) and lots of open space for my husband to run the dog out by chasing his RC car. We visited in September before the leaves started to change, but fall would be a beautiful time to camp, but be prepared for cold once the sun goes down. Overall, this is my type of camping--primitive and isolated to enjoy being outside. 

Gear Review: Banner & Oak Apparel and Hats

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I get the awesome opportunity to test out gear once in a while. While I was in Mineral Basin, I had the chance to try out a shirt as well as a hat from Banner and Oak. Being a busty female, I am always hesitant to purchase female cut clothing online as sizing is so inconsistent I can never be sure of it fitting. However, I was very surprised (and pleased) to have the Coyote - Indigo shirt not only fit but was comfortable. The female cut with shorter sleeves and contoured sides made me feel like I was wearing a comfy tee without the boxy feel. The material is a soft jersey blend which didn't shrink when washed. I think this is going to be my go-to shirt for everyday summer wear as well as my outdoor adventures. I also purchased a few hats. Because I was not too excited about the ladies hats (the only design I liked was in pink and I am not a pink kinda gal), I purchased the men's Bighorn - Khaki for myself and the Switchback - Gray for my husband. The Bighorn  has a curved brim which the Switchback is a flat brim. Both have adjustable mesh backs but if you tighten it too much it will look a little funny. These are definitely men's hats as they crown is taller but I didn't mind it. The construction of these hats is very sturdy--the crown is solid and won't become misshapen if it is caught in the rain (or left out for morning dew like mine was). I also liked the color scheme which as earthy and outdoorsy--definitely that go-to hat for outdoor adventures. The only negative I found is the brim inside will need to be worn in a little as the build it rigid and the fabric is a little scratchy as it is more of a canvas material. Overall, Banner and Oak has created a great line of products which are fashionable, comfortable, and most importantly durable to keep up with the outdoor enthusiast.

Soapstone basin is dispersed camping at its best! I stayed here for three nights in July, it was quiet and secluded. The road at times was a bit rough for my little Ford escape and tab camper however the sunsets were amazing as was the dark moonless night. one night while falling asleep I hear a few little sneezes outside. It was a squirrel. Later I was told female squirrels will sneeze after mating! Not sure that's entirely true but the sneezing part was pretty cute!

Our family really likes dispersed camping near Mill hollow reservoir. It’s 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. We cherish the ability to camp like this so we always take out everything we brought in “leave no trace” unfortunately not everyone has the same respect so we typically end up taking out any trash we find from the previous campers. Overall a great place to camp if you’re equipped for dispersed camping!

The Wasatch National Forrest is beautiful. There are many hidden lakes to explore and lots of big trees to help keep cool in the summer. Lots of dispersed camping sites.

Open dispersed camping with lots of places to camp. Can get pretty crowded and noisy at times but worth not having to pay for. Can accommodate larger groups and single families. No amenities except for porta potties.

I went through Wallsburg and entered the canyon on the west side and couldn't actually go too far up the path, it's definitely 4x4 required for the entirety of the path, but the first bit can be handled by most vehicles, but have loads of pull offs for dispersed camping pretty much as soon as you enter the canyon.

Headed up this way to escape the valley heat. Temps are significantly cooler. Decent dispersed camping sites, but coming in on a Friday afternoon a lot of sites already filled. There is a lot of road traffic in the area, keep an eye out for side by sides, motorcycles and 4 wheelers because a lot of them aren’t.

Tons of dispersed camping areas along the 196. We stayed about 12 miles off of the I-80, on the east side of the 196. Beautiful views, wide open spaces and super quiet. LOTS of mosquitoes and flies. We brought a 30’ RV with a lifted Ram 2500 and had no problem driving over the washouts. Lots of ATV traffic during the day, but we rarely heard anything.

Campground Review: Dispersed camping at Pittsburg Lake, Utah

Because I am into hiking and exploring national forest camping this summer, I found a fun adventure at Pittsburg Lake in the Uinta National Forest in the Wasatch Mountains. Getting there—the hike is a 1.5 mile hike up to the lake. Getting to the trail head is a dusty, dirt road behind Midway, UT. You are driving on dirt road for approximately 6-7 miles and will encounter at least two stream crossings. One crossing is cobblestoned, the other is driving up the stream for 50 feet right before the trail head. Therefore, a high clearance vehicle is highly recommended, if not necessary. There are a lot of off roading trails back in this area so you will encounter lots of RZRs, dirtbikes, 4-wheelers, jeeps, etc on your way to the trailhead but a non-lowered car can handle the road if the driver is comfortable. The really rocky section is past the trail head. Anyway, long dusty road to the trailhead then then hike is 1.5 miles all uphill with 1500 ft of elevation gain. You are hiking on a very rocky old mining road. My husband and I decided we wanted to really punish ourselves and we hiked up with an inflatable paddle board in addition to my stuff for camping. The hike is totally doable even with a lot of gear, just go slow and be careful of your footing. To be honest, I felt sorer after the hike down then after the hike up. So you make it up the trail and you come to a beautiful, small alpine lake. The lake is approximately .33 miles around and has trout for fishing. There is even an old homestead cabin to explore. The lake has many human-made fire pits scattered all around depending if you want to be right on the lake or if you want to tuck back farther into the woods. I found a spot close to the lake for easy paddle board access where I could hang my hammock. This was my first adventure in hammock camping and I actually enjoyed it. The views are so pretty and you are on the backside of Snowbird Ski Area. The area was beautiful and I wish I saw more wildlife (I have heard rumors of elk and moose sightings).

I am giving this camping area 4 stars not because of the area itself (it is free, beautiful, relaxing, etc.) but because of the other people who were staying up there made it not the best night for a female solo camper with her dog. There was another group camping about 200 meters away but I don’t think they knew I was there and they were up late making a lot of noise. Every time I was about to fall asleep, I would hear them chop wood or yell for an echo or make some other non-natural noise that would keep me awake (plus my imagination would start to run away from me). There was also another couple who decided to camp up there and needed to borrow a lighter but ended up leaving around 2AM. So whenever they came close to my camp, my wonderful protective dog would growl and raise the alarm, again, inhibiting my ability to fall asleep. The other annoyance was the flies. I am not sure if it is just the spot that I chose that had a lot of flies or they would have followed me wherever I set up camp. They didn’t bite and were more annoying than anything. I think my dog ate a few dozen as they buzzed around her head. So due to those negatives, the spot gets dinged a star.

Overall, it was worth carrying the paddle board up to the lake as I was able to relax and float and tool around. You can’t go very far but being on the water is always a good time. I could read my book in the hammock and go for exploratory hikes in the area. Final thought, it is National Forest camping so please, please, please follow leave no trace principles to keep the area nice for future visitors.

Gear Review: Matador Camera Base Layer

As a Ranger for The Dyrt I get the opportunity to test out gear from our awesome partners once in a while. While I was camping at Pittsburg Lake, I had the opportunity to try out the Matador Camera Base Layer. Because I am a glutton for punishment, I decided to haul a bunch of gear up to Pittsburg Lake and it included by nice DSLR camera. Photography is a fun hobby I have been playing around with for a few years, but I come across the problem of how to safely get my camera places without carrying either an additional camera bag that takes up a lot of space or wrapping my camera up in a sweatshirt or other piece of clothing to protect it with a smaller profile. Well, the Matador camera base layer has officially solved my problem. Hooray! The base layer is basically a padded, contoured, dry sack for my camera. Place the camera lens down, then roll and clip the top like a dry sack. It has holes to allow your camera neck or wrist straps to come through so you can wear your camera while it is being protected. Because it is from Matador, it is super lightweight but it does not feel flimsy, thin, or not durable. I was able to stuff my camera in the top of my paddle board bag while hiking up and down and I felt comfortable that nothing would be broken when I got to the top. It protected it from the dirt and dust that gets on everything when you are camping so it helped to keep things cleaner. I also took my camera for a hike with no additional backpacks and I clipped the base layer around my wrist so it wouldn’t get in the way. Besides being a bit hot, it was a great way to keep track of the base layer. I cannot convey how happy I am to have this piece of equipment in my gear box. While I am no Ansel Adams, being able to take more pictures with my camera and not just my phone while I am out on adventures will add another dimension to my activities and help me develop a new skill. The only thing I might want to improve is a small piece of Velcro on the bottom to help keep the waterproof cover inside its little pocket. But this is so minor in the grand scheme of things. If you are into photography at all, I highly recommend looking into this product.

This is our go to camping spot when we want to get outside, but not drive too far from the city. You can still feel secluded, even though it fills up quickly on the weekends. Beware, you will be awakened by atvs fairly early.

Nearly the entire mountain to the south of the official Soapstone campground is open to dispersed camping. There are several dirt roads (best accessed with SUV's or Trucks) that wind around the mountain top, in and out of trees and meadows. Nearly every few hundred yards there are different pull-offs where you can just set up camp. There are obviously no water hookups or vault toilets, so pack-in, pack-out. 

The area is pretty busy during the summer months, and even busier during holiday weekends (Memorial Day, 4th of July Weekend, 24th of July Weekend, etc.). You'll also likely see deer and even moose wandering around your campground in the early morning and late evening. So, if you want a close getaway to do some "rough-it" camping, this is your spot!

Slate creek is right at the bottom of Mirror Lake Highway. It’s the first campground you’ll pass, even before going by the National Forest check-in Station. There are about 3-4 walk-in sites, first come first serve. No water, electric, or sewer hookups, but there are small rock fire pits that campers have used over the years. The area is big enough to get an RV or Trailer into if that’s your fancy.

There is a trail to the north that goes straight up Slate Creek for several miles. Beautiful scenery, lots of wildlife (elk, deer), and it’s only 10 minutes up the canyon!

The best part about living in Salt Lake City is that you can have brunch at Ruth's Diner at 8am, pack up your car around 10am, leave for the trail by 11am, and be on the trail by 11:30am.

This is exactly what my husband and I did when we decided to take a last minute backpacking trip to Lake Desolation. The trailhead begins at the Mill D parking lot in Big Cottonwood Canyon. From here, hikers can access three hiking trails: Reynold's Peak, Desolation Lake, and Dog Lake.

Starting out on the Mill D trail, both Fir and Spruce trees provide shade for the first mile. Once it levels out a bit, the trail follows Mill D North Fork creek until the Dog Lake/Lake Desolation junction. Lake Desolation trail weaves through an Aspen grove and along a meadow, which, if you're lucky, is a popular place to spot moose, deer, and other wildlife.

Once we got to the lake, we had the entire place to ourselves. Even if you went in the middle of summer, there are enough open, flat areas surrounding the lake to setup camp.

We lit a fire, drank some whiskey, and kept our eyes out for shooting stars.

We set out before dawn the next morning to catch the sunrise from Square Top Peak. If you continue along the Lake Desolation trail to the northeast, it joins the Wasatch Crest which leads to stunning views of the Wasatch Range.

10/10 would recommend!

There’s free camping site served our needs, but at a minimum. Very bumpy road, but doable even in our class C. The biggest problem as noted in the title, is the constant barrage of ATVs, OHVs, and dirt bikes.

Moab seems to be the Mecca for these activities, which is fine. It’s hard to complain when you have a safe quiet place to sleep, which we did. And we spent a lot of time touring Arches and canyonlands national parks. But when we returned in the afternoons, there’s a hell of a lot of dust and noise to deal with.

Not that I’m judging! If I had had the money, I would have been first in line to rent an OHV! Perhaps I was a little jealous of all of those people, and there were many, that brought their own!

The city of Moab is Perhaps 15 minutes south. There was one lane closed a few miles before Moab, and we were caught in several traffic jams.

It didn’t matter though, the city of Moab is a boomming town full of all sorts of restaurants, activities, food trucks, you name it.

There are many companies ready to set you up with a kayak, canoe, ATV, or OHV.

And it was great that you can walk into the local aquatic center and buy a hot shower for seven bucks.

I would probably only stay here again as a last resort.