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Camping in Utah: campsites, permits and passes

Camping in Utah starts in one of a few places: Utah State Parks for state park campsites, Recreation.gov for federal campgrounds, or free dispersed camping on National Forest and BLM land. Here's where to book each, plus permits, passes and licences.

Most people go to:

State park campsites

Utah state park campgrounds are booked through Utah State Parks ↗. Book as early as you can for summer and holiday weekends, and check each park's page for cabins, yurts, group sites and pet rules.

National parks in Utah

• Arches National Park
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Canyonlands National Park
• Capitol Reef National Park
• Zion National Park

Campgrounds in national parks are booked on Recreation.gov. See every park, monument and historic site in Utah on the National Park Service Utah page ↗.

National forests and free camping

Utah's national forests include Uinta-Wasatch-Cache, Dixie, Manti-La Sal, Fishlake, Ashley. Developed campgrounds are booked on Recreation.gov (some are first-come, first-served), and most national forest land allows free dispersed camping away from developed sites, usually for up to 14 days. Check the forest's rules and any fire restrictions first.

Utah also has large areas of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, where dispersed camping is generally free and allowed for up to 14 days in one spot unless posted otherwise. See BLM recreation ↗.

Permits and lotteries

• Angels Landing in Zion requires a permit through a lottery on Recreation.gov.
• The Narrows top-down and other Zion wilderness routes need permits.
• Arches has used timed-entry reservations in peak season; check the park's current rules.

Fishing and hunting licences

Licences for Utah are sold by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources ↗, online or at local retailers. Rules and seasons differ by species and water, so check before you go.

Passes

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at national parks and many federal lands in Utah. State parks usually sell their own day or annual passes; see Utah State Parks.

Best time to camp in Utah

Spring (March–May) and fall (September–November) are the sweet spots. Summer heat in low deserts is dangerous; head to higher elevations instead.

Questions

Packing checklists

Nearby states (Southwest)