Traveling east along US-50 "The Loneliest Road in America," we were seeking somewhere to camp after leaving Great Basin National Park. We stumbled upon Oak Creek Recreation Area quite by accident, but such a rewarding accident it turned out to be. It must be the best kept secret in western Utah for camping.
Oak Creek campground is located four miles east of Oak City, Utah. It is nestled in a canyon in the Fishlake National Forest. We arrived at the campground late afternoon June 5, 2023 and had our choice of ANY campsite - we were the only occupants. We selected site 19, a back-in site at the end of the loop that runs through the campground. The site is less than 100 feet or so from Oak Creek which runs parallel to the campground. The site is level and easily accommodated our 18-foot travel trailer. Using our Senior America the Beautiful pass, the cost per night was $8.00 and worth every penny. In addition to this campsite, there is additional camping further up Oak Creek Canyon Road for tents, RVs, and trailers - access is via a well-maintained dirt road beyond the campground we stayed in.
Highly recommend this campground for peace and quiet!
When it comes to camping within Mesa Verde National Park, Morefield Campground is the only game in town. As noted by at least one other reviewer, the road from the park entrance to the campground can be challenging as it winds its way around the monolith that is the first prominent geographic feature reached once in the park.
Though the campground operator makes reservations, once in the campground site selection is first-come, first-served. After driving through the loops available for RVs and travel trailers, we selected a camp site in the Waipi Loop. The site selected was just barely adequate to accommodate our 18-foot travel trailer, but it was fairly level, requiring minimal leveling of the rig. Sites are well-spaced and close to restrooms and freshwater supplies.
We visited Mesa Verde National Park in early June 2023, well before the height of the tourist season. The camp store has not yet stocked many of the items it would probably stock later in the season so we cannot comment on how well it will fit the camper's needs later. There is a Sinclair gas station within the camp store complex, with gas available 24/7, payment is by credit/debit card. The shower facilities, located in the same complex, are free and reasonably clean though the drainage system leaves something to be desired - water accumulates in the stall and on the floor of the changing area.
We recommend Morefield Campground to visitors wishing to camp near the ruins. It is still another 15-20 miles from the campground to the ruins and museum. We encountered rain on each of the three nights we stayed so plan accordingly.
Manzanita Lake Campground is the campground closest to the north entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is best accessed from California State Route 44/89. My wife and I reserved space A8 for a four-night stay beginning August 7, 2023.
While the campground is well-maintained, I cannot, under any circumstances, recommend that space for anyone camping with an RV or travel trailer. From all appearances A8 looked perfect. But appearances can be deceiving. Looking at an online map of the campground A8 appeared to be a pull-through site which it is. The problem is the site dips down from the access road, bottoms out slightly, then rises again back toward the access road. It took us nearly an hour to locate an area within the space that would allow us to attain a reasonable level so that our refrigerator would operate on propane. And our travel trailer is only 18-feet in length. Once the trailer was reasonably level, the entry step was approximately 18 inches from ground to the step (see images).
Despite the initial difficulties, once settled, we found the campground to be quiet even though there is not a lot of space between sites. The camp store offers some grocery items but is mainly dedicated to the sale of tourist merchandise. It does have a gas pump offering only 87 octane regular gas at $4.99 per gallon - cash only which is below market price for the area.
We would camp at Manzanita Lake Campground in the future but would be highly selective in our choice of sites - driving through the various loops we noted that very few are close to level.