In the past year, we’ve all rediscovered—or discovered for the first time—the simple, safe, peaceful practice of camping. Places like Bryce Canyon Country are the cream of the crop for camping in Southern Utah. Since we all fell (back) in love with sleeping under the stars, we thought we’d put together a guide to camping in Southern Utah so you can get the most out of Bryce Canyon Country, this year, next year, and beyond.
This story was created in partnership with Bryce Canyon Country.
Whether your version of connecting with the outdoors is backpacking as far as your legs will carry you from the road or glamping with hot running water within arm’s reach, Bryce Canyon Country has you covered. All you have to do is choose your pillow and Leave No Trace. And don’t forget to swing into town to support local businesses and enjoy a fresh-made meal and some souvenir shopping. You’ll find that the businesses are all open and sustaining practices to keep travelers and locals safe. Fit your ideal camping experience into a multi-day itinerary in Bryce Canyon Country with a few tips below.
Cabins, Glamping, and RV Camping in Southern Utah
The appeal of this sort of camping is that you don’t have to acquire a lot of new gear, you don’t have to do as much intensive planning, and you get to enjoy some creature comforts during your getaway. On top of all of that, you can have a positive impact on your destination by supporting local small business owners at own RV parks and fun rentals like tipis and yurts.
If you need a place to park your RV or a cabin to park your car near, there are more than 20 options across Bryce Canyon Country, each of which will give you access to amazing outdoor adventures. For example, check out Bear Paw Resort for RV spots and cabins right next to Panguitch Lake. Or head over to Antimony Merc for year-round RV hookups, Canyon Base Camp for unique camping options like deluxe yurts or Yonder for a luxurious Airstream stay.
Campgrounds
The first consideration of camping is to be sure you’re actually setting up camp in a place where it’s allowed. Campgrounds make that easy! And there are absolutely tons of campgrounds all across Bryce Canyon Country for you to enjoy.
A truck-camper passes through a small tunnel along Highway 12 Scenic Byway in Red Canyon, Utah. Highway 12 runs from its junction with Highway 89 near Panguitch to the town of Torrey, Utah.
In Bryce Canyon National Park (fresh water & flush toilets)
- North Campground
- Sunset Campground
Outside the Park
- Ruby’s Inn RV Park & campground
- Bryce Canyon Pines Campground
- King Creek Campground (Dixie National Forest)
- Red Canyon Campground (BLM)
In Kodachrome Basin State Park
- Basin Campground
- Bryce View Campground
- Arch Campground
In Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
- Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area (restrooms & water)
- Primitive campgrounds
Dixie National Forest
- Red Canyon Campground
- Pine Lake Campground
- King’s Creek Campground
Panguitch Lake
- Panguitch Lake North Campground
- South Campground (tents only)
Hatch
- Riverside Ranch
Dispersed Camping in Southern Utah
First and foremost, be sure you find an appropriate place to camp. Make sure you’re far from a trail or water, and even better if you can find an already-established location. This will make your experience more peaceful and preserve that spot for years of return trips. Don’t forget to Leave No Trace, including packing out all your trash—all the way to a dumpster that has room. To help you plan ahead and prepare, we’ve compiled a few suggestions here for Bryce Canyon Country:
Going deeper into the National Forest or other public lands is always going to provide you with a breathtaking camping experience with solitude and connection to Southern Utah’s wild spaces. Just be sure you take care of your campsite as if it were your own backyard and be sure you have the gear and skills required to be on your own for a few days. The local Dixie National Forest Service Office is a great resource for making sure you’re all set for your adventure.
There are backpacking camping spots in Bryce Canyon National Park, and they require a permit and are limited to designated areas of Under-the-Rim and the Riggs Spring Loop Trail.
Consider planning your trip for the shoulder season, when you won’t have to worry about finding an open campsite spot or sharing your outdoors space with many other travelers. This not only gives you a peaceful, unique experience, it also helps spread the impact out on the landscape while maintaining important traffic to businesses throughout the year. For example, Boulder Mountain makes a great destination for outdoor recreation and camping year-round.
Now that you know where you’re going to sleep—and have some sustainability tips in your toolkit, you can look for even more fun ideas for your time in Bryce Canyon Country.
