Finest Bryce Canyon Tenting Choices (Together with Free Dispersed Campsites) – Bearfoot Concept

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Finest Bryce Canyon Tenting Choices (Together with Free Dispersed Campsites) – Bearfoot Concept


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Between mountain climbing, biking, snowshoeing, and an abundance of different out of doors recreation actions, there are such a lot of issues to do in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park, making it the right selection in your subsequent journey. There are numerous trails for individuals of all ranges and skills to understand the great thing about the hoodoos within the park. It’s a must-visit vacation spot for nationwide park lovers and out of doors fanatics.

Possibly you might be road-tripping round Utah’s Mighty 5 Nationwide Parks and on the lookout for a spot to camp round Bryce Canyon. Fortunately, there are many choices for tenting and sleeping underneath the celebrities close to this park.

This information consists of the perfect tenting inside and close to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park. I cowl official Nationwide Park campgrounds, paid campgrounds exterior the Park, free and dispersed tenting close to Bryce Canyon, and glamping lodging for these on the lookout for somewhat further consolation.

Necessary Reminder: Because it goes in the entire locations we share, please apply good path etiquette and keep in mind to Go away No Hint. This implies packing out your whole rubbish (together with rest room paper), being respectful to others, and following the established guidelines.


Finest Time of 12 months to Camp at Bryce Canyon

Every season provides completely different issues to do in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park. One of the best time of 12 months for tenting close to Bryce Canyon and visiting the park actually is dependent upon the expertise you’re seeking to have.

Since Bryce Canyon sits at a excessive elevation of round 8,000 ft, climate situations can range within the fall, winter, and spring. For those who’re on a giant highway journey visiting Utah’s Mighty 5 Nationwide Parks, you’ll doubtless discover that the climate in Bryce Canyon is cooler than the opposite Parks in your itinerary.

Chart showing the average temperatures and precipitation levels for each month in Bryce Canyon National Park.
Common month-to-month temperatures and precipitation ranges in Bryce Canyon

For those who’re on the lookout for snug temperatures, dry roads, and larger campsite availability, prime tenting season close to Bryce Canyon goes to be late spring and early fall.

As you method late October, put together for temperatures to start out dipping under freezing at evening and keep heat with these important fall tenting ideas. The coldest and snowiest months of the 12 months are December, January, and February – a wonderful time to go to, however possibly not the perfect time to camp.

I’d say if you’re sleeping inside a camper van or a truck camper, tenting in winter remains to be attainable. Nevertheless, it is advisable be ready for muddy, inaccessible roads, and I’d additionally suggest having the right restoration gear if you’re making an attempt to get off the crushed path.

I wouldn’t suggest tent tenting close to Bryce Canyon in winter until you will have expertise and a want to camp within the snow. Observe these ideas for staying heat whereas cold-weather tenting when you resolve to attempt it.

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In March and April, spring snowstorms may happen, however as late spring arrives, it turns into a really good time of 12 months to camp on this space whether or not you might be sleeping in a tent or a camper. The warmest time of 12 months to camp close to Bryce Canyon is between June and September the place the highs sometimes fall within the 70s and 80s, although afternoon thunderstorms are widespread in July and August.

Relying on the place you camp, it’s attainable to seek out shade. Additionally there aren’t many bugs or mosquitoes in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park in the course of the summer season (or any season), however you may pack insect repellent simply to be secure. For a full checklist of what to convey, try my Automotive Tenting Packing Guidelines.


Tenting In Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park is away from metropolis lights, that means there are clear skies and supreme stargazing situations. Relying on the evening, you may see fairly a little bit of the Milky Manner. It’s a good vacation spot to convey your tent or tenting rig to expertise the world’s pure magnificence underneath the evening sky.

Tenting at one of many campgrounds in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park is a superb strategy to have a assured campsite near the mountain climbing trails. This lets you depart your car parked at your campsite whereas using the free shuttle system from mid-April to mid-October.

Red rock hoodoo formations in Bryce Canyon National Park
Tenting inside Bryce Canyon places you closest to the hoodoos within the park

There are two campgrounds within the park: North Campground and Sundown Campground. Each campgrounds are open to tent and RV campers and embody 100 campsites to select from.

If you don’t make a reservation prematurely and there can be found campsites on the date you might be visiting, you may reserve a campsite at both campground on a first-come, first-served foundation (although these are uncommon in the course of the busy summer season months).

The payment for each campgrounds covers the usage of the RV dump station close to North Campground. There’s additionally potable water out there for campers close to the dump station. The dump station closes for the season when in a single day temperatures fall under freezing within the winter, so if you’re visiting in winter, make certain to return ready will the entire consuming water you want.

Map showing the shuttle stops in Bryce Canyon National Park
The park shuttle stops at each North Campground (14) and Sundown Campground (7)

1. North Campground

  • Reservations: reservations required Might 19-October 6; First-come, first-served tenting from January 1-Might 18
  • Variety of websites: 100
  • Normal web site payment: $30/evening
  • Accessible facilities: Flush bogs, hearth rings, picnic tables, entry to dump station with potable water
  • Unavailable facilities: Sewer, water, or electrical hook-ups; showers

North Campground in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park sits throughout the road from the Customer Middle close to the Common Retailer and Fairyland Loop/Rim Path. There’s a shuttle cease on the Customer Middle to simply get to different trailheads and viewpoints throughout the park.

It’s a couple of 10-minute stroll from this campground to the Common Retailer, which has coin-operated laundry machines, coin-operated bathe services, firewood, groceries, and tenting provides. The Common Retailer opens for the season on April 1 and closes on the finish of November.

The campground provides shade and solar inside a ponderosa pine forest. To order a spot at North Campground, guide a spot on the Recreation.gov web site.

  • What visitors like: Friends like how lots of the campsites are within the shade to maintain cool in the course of the sizzling summer season months. In addition they like how they’ll stroll to mountain climbing trails from the campground as a result of they’ll depart their car parked on the campsite and keep away from full parking tons.
  • What visitors dislike: Friends dislike how the campground is first-come, first-served from January to Might because it provides a layer of stress to the journey. Some visitors additionally say the websites are giant however not non-public since they’re so shut collectively.
An empty campsite at North Campground in Bryce Canyon National Park. It is a dirt site surrounded by pine trees.
A campsite at North Campground in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

2. Sundown Campground

  • Reservations: 14-day reservation window from Might 18-October 14; First-come, first-served tenting from April 15-Might 17 and October 15-October 31.
  • Variety of websites: 100
  • Normal web site payment: $30/evening
  • Accessible facilities: Flush bogs, hearth rings, picnic tables, entry to dump station with potable water
  • Unavailable facilities: Sewer, water, or electrical hook-ups; showers

Sundown Campground sits close to Sundown Level, roughly 1.5 miles south of the Customer Middle. This proximity to Sundown Level makes it handy to catch a sundown there earlier than heading again to your campsite for a campfire. It’s a additional stroll to Sundown Level from North Campground, and the shuttle solely runs till 6:00 p.m. within the spring and fall, which could possibly be too early to catch the sundown (relying on the month).

For hikes exterior of the Bryce Amphitheater, there may be additionally a shuttle cease subsequent to this campground entrance to get across the park. This lets you depart your car parked at your campsite.

The views of the ponderosa pine forest and the facilities at Sundown Campground are practically an identical to these provided at North Campground, although it’s a little bit of a farther haul to the dump station. Sundown Campground can be open just a few weeks longer than North Campground in the course of the fall, with the tenting season ending on October 31.

You may reserve a campsite at Sundown Campground on Recreation.gov.

  • What visitors like: Friends admire how the campground is quiet, stunning, and clear. They like how there’s a separate sink on the campground for laundry dishes, hair, and even laundry by hand.
  • What visitors dislike: Friends word that among the RV areas share an RV pad with one other RV, which isn’t indicated on the reservations. In addition they dislike how each the tent and RV spots are unlevel and too shut to 1 one other.
The Milky Way with stars and clouds over an orange rock formation at Bryce Canyon National Park at night.
The darkish sky in Bryce Canyon makes it a terrific place for stargazing close to your campsite

Free Dispersed Tenting Close to Bryce Canyon

Though it’s good to have a assured spot for the evening together with the facilities of a campground, they are often costly, particularly when you plan on staying for some time. In case your journey is spontaneous and also you don’t make superior reservations, you additionally may discover that the campgrounds inside Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park are full, leaving dispersed tenting as your solely possibility.

Fortunately, there are lots of choices for dispersed tenting close to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park, significantly on the Dixie Nationwide Forest land. For those who resolve to go this route, you may all the time pay to make use of the coin-operated showers, laundry services, and dump station contained in the park.

Once I’m touring in my van, I typically use apps and suggestions from buddies to seek out these free spots. It’s also possible to try our final information to discovering free campsites to study the sources out there to you whereas planning your journey.

Be sure to depart these campsites higher than you discovered them. Additionally, study tips on how to poop exterior and depart no hint earlier than you head to your campsite.

Listed below are 5 choices for dispersed tenting close to Bryce Canyon:

1. Closest to the park by the doorway signal (N 37.39332’, W 112.10253’)

When approaching the park on Bryce Canyon Street, you will notice a flip for a gravel highway on the appropriate simply earlier than the park entrance signal for highway 090. It’s free nationwide forest land with numbered campsites, hearth rings, shade, and cell service.

When BFT contributor Kaylin visited Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park in October 2023, she camped there along with her husband for per week. Kaylin thought this space was quiet and clear.

The highway is comparatively straightforward to drive with some bumps and ruts, and it doesn’t require 4×4 or excessive clearance; nonetheless, it may get fairly muddy within the winter and spring. There are spots originally appropriate for larger rigs. Deliver leveling blocks because the campsites are uneven.

A dispersed campsite outside of Bryce Canyon National Park with pine trees. The sky is blue with pink clouds at sunset.
A sundown view from the highest of this dispersed tenting space / Photograph Credit score: Kaylin Zittergruen @katekeepswild

2. Tropic Reservoir overlook (N 37.35036’, W 112.14832’)

You probably have 4×4, excessive clearance, and desire a spot with epic views, this one is value trying out. This single spot overlooks Tropic Reservoir and has views of mountains and valleys. There’s a hearth ring on the web site and first rate cell service.

Since this spot is excessive and uncovered, it could possibly be harmful in excessive winds or thunderstorms. Relying in your rig’s dimension, it’s possible you’ll wish to skip this spot. The highway is a slim monitor with low-hanging bushes and tight turns.

Tropic Reservoir outside of Bryce Canyon National Park with blue water and pine trees.
Tropic Reservoir exterior of Bryce Canyon

3. Johns Valley Street (N 37.43540’, W 112.5519’)

To get to this tenting space, drive out of the park by way of Bryce Canyon Metropolis and proceed on UT-63 till it turns into Johns Valley Street. These spots are 8.4 miles from the Customer Middle in Dixie Nationwide Forest land and embody a stone firepit, cell service, and shade. The realm is simple to entry and doesn’t require 4×4.

4. Toms Finest Spring Street (N 37.43411’, W 112.15147’)

This dispersed tenting space is usually essentially the most crowded, relying on the time of 12 months. It’s off of UT-12 within the Dixie Nationwide Forest land. Though there are crowds, the spots are unfold out, degree, and simple to seek out. There’s good cell service right here, and 4×4 just isn’t required to entry the spots.

5. Losee Canyon Street (N 37.7685’, W 112.3381’)

Losee Canyon Street provides quick access to Bryce Canyon whereas additionally providing proximity to among the trails in Purple Canyon, together with Losee Canyon Path. Though it’s a bit additional away than Toms Finest Spring Street, it’s nonetheless inside 20 minutes of the park. I’ve stayed at one of many websites right here earlier than and appreciated the quietness, cleanliness, and vault bogs on the trailhead.

Bearfoot Theory founder Kristen Bor in the bed in the back of her Sprinter camper van parked near Bryce Canyon National Park
Tenting off of Losee Canyon Street in my Sprinter Van
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Paid Campgrounds Close to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

Though the paid campgrounds close to Bryce Canyon are usually costly, lots of them typically have facilities you’ll not discover within the nationwide park campgrounds or at dispersed campsites.

There are an abundance of campgrounds close to Bryce Canyon, however listed below are just a few to spotlight:

1. Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground

Along with lodging, Ruby’s Inn Campground has 250 campsites for tents and rigs of all sizes. All RV and camper websites have electrical and water, or you may pay further for full hook-ups.

With actions together with procuring, horse rides, and swimming within the campground pool, this is a superb campground for households tenting with children.

Facilities embody restrooms, bathe services, dump stations, hearth pits, and a laundromat. The free nationwide park shuttle additionally stops right here.

  • What visitors like: Friends remark that they admire the proximity of Ruby’s Inn to the park entrance. In addition they like how it’s a “one-stop-shop” campground with eating places and procuring.
  • What visitors dislike: Friends want there have been grill grates over the hearth pits to make out of doors cooking simpler. Some visitors say that the areas are very shut to one another and lack privateness.
The Ruby's Inn logo on the outside of the Ruby's Inn stone building.
The skin of Ruby’s Inn in Bryce Canyon Metropolis

2. King’s Creek Campground

If you’d like a less expensive non-public campground with fewer facilities, try Kings Creek Campground. This campground is 12 miles from Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park and sits on the west facet of Tropic Reservoir.

It’s good for guests who get pleasure from boating, canoeing, fishing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, and ATV trails. Facilities embody campfire rings, a dump station, flush bogs, grills, lake entry, and picnic tables.

  • What visitors like: Friends admire the friendliness of the camp hosts, campground cleanliness, and grill stations. In addition they just like the proximity of the campground to ATV trails and a lake with boating choices.
  • What visitors dislike: Based on current evaluations, King’s Creek Campground now not has water for the foreseeable future. Friends additionally word that the 7-mile washboard highway resulting in this campground is extraordinarily dusty.

3. Purple Canyon Campground

Alongside UT-12, Purple Canyon Campground sits throughout the ponderosa pine and amongst limestone formations just like these present in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park.

This paid nationwide forest campground options 37 campsites with picnic tables and hearth pits. It provides handy entry to trails for mountain climbing, mountain biking, and highway biking. I’ve stayed right here and appreciated this handy path entry. It’s proper on the Golden Wall Path Loop, which is an incredible dog-friendly hike in Purple Canyon (with very comparable landscapes to these in Bryce Canyon).

Me mountain climbing on the Golden Wall Path, accessed from the Purple Canyon Campground

There’s consuming water, flush and vault bogs, showers, and a dump station. In contrast to the opposite campgrounds talked about above, this campground doesn’t supply reservations and is simply out there on a first-come, first-served foundation. The campground operates from Might 5-October 9. 

There are not any hook-ups out there. The campground can accommodate RVs as much as 45 ft in size.

  • What visitors like: Friends benefit from the pleasant hosts, views of the rock formations, and cleanliness of the bogs. In addition they admire how the campsites are unfold out to allow them to have extra privateness.
  • What visitors dislike: Friends dislike how the showers aren’t complementary and require quarters to make use of with no change machines close by. In addition they dislike how the campground is first-come, first-serve, as this makes it tough to safe a spot throughout common summer season months.
A white camper driving along the highway near Bryce Canyon National Park with red rock formations on both sides.
An RV driving alongside the freeway close to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

Finest Glamping close to Bryce Canyon

Tenting in Bryce Canyon doesn’t essentially imply roughing it or staying in a conventional campsite. If you wish to camp in luxurious, contemplate one of many two glamping choices under.

1. Bryce Glamp and Camp

What number of alternatives do you get to remain in a luxurious dome? At Bryce Glamp and Camp, you may keep in a one-of-a-kind escape to admire nature in consolation.

The domes function air-con and warmth, wifi, TV, kitchen with fridge, microwave, espresso maker, electrical fire, and desk. Plus, you get a non-public lavatory with a walk-in bathe together with your personal out of doors space with a picnic desk, chairs, grill, and fuel firepit.

The power additionally options an 18-hole disc golf course, volleyball nets, horseshoes, cornhole, mountain climbing path, and stargazing pad.

  • What visitors like: Friends commented that they admire the facilities, communication, and degree of service that this enterprise offers. In addition they word that the beds are snug, and the views of the evening sky from the domes are outstanding.
  • What visitors dislike: The one draw back that visitors talked about was staying right here throughout cooler climate. The chilly temperatures make it tough to take full benefit of the entire facilities like volleyball and dis golf, and there’s a lot of mud in the course of the winter and spring from snow and rain.
One of many domes at Bryce Camp and Glamp (Photograph credit score: Bryce Camp and Glamp)

2. Beneath Canvas Bryce Canyon

For those who want an expensive tent glamping expertise, try Beneath Canvas Bryce Canyon. Their tents embody king-size beds, an ensuite lavatory, and a non-public out of doors lounge area. Solely quarter-hour from the doorway to Bryce Canyon, it’s handy to the entire actions in Bryce Canyon.

Beneath Canvas provides on-site eating, nightly campfires, and different actions to maintain you entertained throughout your keep.

  • What visitors like: Friends benefit from the pleasant employees who exit of their strategy to cater to your wants. In addition they say the beds are extraordinarily snug and tents are fantastically appointed. In addition they love the meals choices and the full-bar.
  • What visitors dislike: Some visitors have commented that the meals just isn’t included and is dear. The menu additionally doesn’t cater to these with dietary restrictions. Some individuals complained that the tents obtained chilly in a single day.
Stargazer tent at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon
Stargazer Tent (Photograph: Beneath Canvas Bryce Canyon)

Different Bryce Canyon Lodging Choices

For those who change your thoughts about tenting or expertise unhealthy climate throughout your journey to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park, there are many choices for inns and lodging. There are resort chains, regionally run choices, and cabins.

Do you know there may be even a lodge throughout the park? The Lodge at Bryce Canyon is an iconic, historic construction. Together with its surrounding motels, it provides 114 rooms together with lodge suites, motel rooms, and cabins. It’s a quick stroll from the Bryce Amphitheater and sits alongside the 5-mile paved shared-use path that runs by way of the park.

To take care of the peace and historical past of The Lodge, there are not any in-room TVs, wifi, or air-con out there to visitors. Facilities throughout the rooms embody a espresso maker, hair dryer, mini fridge, and moveable followers. There’s a reward store at The Lodge and a eating room open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The primary lodge suites and motel rooms will be reserved from April 1-November 1. The cabins function from April 30-November 1.

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon National Park with snow on the ground and green pine trees.
The Lodge in Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park

For those who’re road-tripping by way of Utah, try these different must-see locations:

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The place do you wish to go tenting close to Bryce Canyon Nationwide Park? Did we depart any spots off of this checklist? Go away a remark under!



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