Camping with Amenities
Fee campsites typically feature paved parking, tamed/landscaped tent sites, and are near restrooms and water sources. With so many visitors to the Saint George area, these “tamed” sites are very desirable and can be filled to capacity easily. We recommend that you do not plan your trip assuming that these sites will be available. Come prepared with a back-up plan. Be prepared to either pay for hotels or to “dispersed camp”(bringing your own water, trash bags, etc, as featured below)
Zion National Park
National Parks are all pretty much the same as far as camp sites go. First come, first serve. The exception is group sites, which can be reserved months in advance. Zion is one of the top destinations on visitors’ lists and its popularity grows every year. The campsites are extremely desirable in the busy season (March-September). They allow two vehicles, or one RV per site. They feature nearby restrooms, potable water and tamed/landscaped terrain for your tents.
Zion has two campgrounds, but only one (the Watchman campground) lies within the more popular Zion canyon.
The following link to Zion’s campgrounds also has its own great links to other paid camp sites in the areas outside of the park as well as links to some dispersed camping sites on surrounding BLM lands(which are also featured further below on this page.
http://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/campgrounds-in-zion.htm
Sand Hollow State Park
Sand Hollow is only about a half hour drive from Zion National Park, between Saint George and Zion. It is known for its boating in the reservoir and ATV riding in the surrounding red sand dunes. As a result, it has a variety of camping options, from group sites, RV sites with hooks-ups, and primitive camping.
http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/sand-hollow/park-fees/
Gunlock State Park
This small but scenic reservoir surrounded by red rocks lies within a half hour west of Saint George. It is great for boating activities, fishing, hiking and camping. Though not next to the more popular east side (closer to Zion), this park is close to a huge span of BLM land, the Beaver Dam wilderness(featured below in this page).
http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/gunlock/park-fees/
Snow Canyon State Park
Just ten minutes northwest from downtown Saint George, this gorgeous red rock park has one main campground, and two group sites with spectacular views. It is well-worth the visit. It is a must-see if you are in Saint George. It consists of the iconic “Navajo Sandstone,” or “Red Rock” of southern Utah. It is also covered by “lava flows,” spans of igneous rock.
http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon/park-fees/
Pine Valley Reservoir
Roughly 45 minutes up the highway 18(Bluff Street) from Saint George is Pine Valley Reservoir, a much-needed haven from the summer heat of the desert. At about 7,000 feet elevation, it is usually 10-20 degrees cooler than Saint George. Add the shade of pine and aspen trees to that, as well as a reservoir and creeks and you have the perfect summer getaway. This is one of the only areas within the Dixie National Forest that charges fees for camping. There are several camping areas within the Pine Valley District.
Pine Valley Reservoir’s main site:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=71836
Crackfoot Campground:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=71883&actid=29
Dean Gardner Campground:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=71882&actid=29
Ebenezer Bryce Campground:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=24792&actid=29
Equestrian Campground:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=24806&actid=29
Mitt Moody Campground:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=71884&actid=29
Yellow Pine Loop:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recreation/recarea/?recid=71844&actid=29
Baker Dam Reservoir
Approximately 25 miles north of Saint George, Baker Dam is one of the BLM’s few fee areas. The camp sites have few amenities. It is a small scenic lake surrounded by Juniper and Pinyon forest. Fees are $6 per night per vehicle and is limited to 14 consecutive days.
http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/camping/baker_dam_campground.html
Red Cliffs Recreation Area
This gorgeous gem of Southwest Utah lies just twenty minutes north along the I-15 from Saint George. It is within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area and features newly-built camp sites with a stunning backdrop of Navajo Sandstone. Day hiking here is among some of the best in the county. Fees are $15 per vehicle per night. They feature parking, fire rings, picnic tables and nearby restrooms and even an archaeology site.
http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/st__george/recreation/camping/red_cliffs_campground.html
Veyo Pool
Veyo Pool resort is approximately twenty minutes north from Saint George along the Highway 18(Bluff Street). This privately owned section of the Santa Clara River offers great amenities, including a warm spring-fed pool, hiking, hot meals and fishing for crawdads! The canyon is also filled with over 200 well-bolted rock climbs.