Camping in Utah with surfing

From lakes to mountains to desert plateaus, Utah’s great outdoors comes in many flavors.

90% (16 reviews)

United States
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Utah

90% (16 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Utah

2 top campgrounds in Utah with surfing

92%

(18)

Camp Joy at Kolob Reservoir

6 sites · RVs3 acres · Kanarraville, UT

A secluded hill top camping spot with PRISTINE views of the lake and access to all that Kolob Reservoir and Zion National Park have to offer. The LARGEST and most secluded camping spot for MILES. After parking your trailer or pitching your tent, walk down to the lake with your fishing poles and kayaks or take a bike ride down Kolob Terrace road. It is the perfect home base for the all the adventures to be had at Kolob and the surrounding areas around Zion National Park. Camp Joy is the highest point around Kolob Reservoir so you will be afforded the best sunset views in all four directions. You will never experience another “golden hour” like the one you experience while at Camp Joy. Our mission is to share the “Joy” of making unforgettable memories in the mountains with friends and family. Happy Travels! Camp Joy at Kolob FAMOUS HIKES AND TRAILHEADS LOCATED BY CAMP JOY: The "Kolob Terrace" is a lesser-traveled section of Zion, accessible via the Kolob Terrace Road that heads north from the town of Virgin. The drive through the Terrace up to Lava Point offers a good sampling of wondrous views, from golden valleys to the majestic North and South Guardian Angels high in distance. The Kolob Terrace is home to one of the most popular canyons in Zion: the Left Fork of North Creek, aka. "the Subway." WEST RIM TRAIL NORTHGATE PEAKS TRAIL THE SUBWAY WILDCAT CANYON TRAILHEAD HOP VALLEY TRAILHEAD THE CONNECTOR TRAIL HOODOO CITY GRAPEVINE TRAIL LANGSTON CANYON AND LANGSTON MOUNTAIN Brief history of Camp Joy: Camp Joy is a small parcel of land given to my grandmother and her sisters by my paternal great grandfather. It was part of a larger, 2,500 acre parcel that has been used for grazing sheep the last 100 or so years. As was common in those days, the male heir inherited the larger portion to continue the family business of sheep, and the three females inherited 1 acre each. My paternal grandmother fondly recalls spending her summers exploring the flora and fauna and staying overnight in a small cabin that they called “Camp Joy.” My father, also used to visit this area during his youth and has many fond memories of when the family would “Hie to Kolob.” My grandmother, being too old to enjoy the place herself, wanted to sell her portion to someone who would be able to enjoy it in this life. She didn’t believe in restricting access to the wonderful and uniquely awe inducing land surrounding Zion National park. She knew humans are just mere stewards , temporarily living off the land that Mother Nature has so generously provided for. My father and mother also shared this vision so (with his sisters/cousins permission) he purchased her share and the two adjoining lots that were owned by his aunts and combined them so we could have a place to park our trailers in the summertime. The advent of the internet and the resurgence of people wanting to go somewhere with their families to experience the peace and tranquility one can only find in the wilds, led us to feel that sharing this slice of heaven was not only economical but the right thing to do. So much of Kolob and the surrounding areas are marked off by private property, owners who aren’t even there to enjoy it 99% of the time. So we felt divinely called to offer our humble slice of heaven to likeminded individuals, seeking tranquility and peace but for some cosmic reason didn’t stand to inherit private property in the middle of one of the most beautiful places on earth. So welcome friend. We only ask, as you leave this place, to please bring with you this spirit of abundance and joy to wherever you call home.

75%

(4)

Aguilar ranch

15 sites · RVs5 acres · Tabiona, UT

Learn more about this land:Good site for camping everything you need for good standing and family and frends taking good time and good experience for good memories.rivers lakes good for outdor sports.

Camping in Utah with surfing guide

Overview

With a wide variety of terrains ranging from dense forest to arid plateaus, Utah has been attracting campers, backpackers, and hikers for generations. It's home to five national parks, plus dozens of state parks and national forests and monuments (not to mention plenty of BLM land), making it easy to find a Utah camping experience that suits you best. While the southern and eastern parts of the state attract lovers of the great outdoors with their massive rock formations and abundance of recreation activities, you’ll also find plenty to do up in the north, from skiing and snowboarding in the winter to getting out on one of the region’s many lakes and reservoirs come summer.

Where to go

Northwest Utah

Northern Utah is where you'll find some of the state's lushest areas, with plenty of lakes and mountains, a stark contrast to the rockier, arid regions to the south. Salt Lake City is one of the region's biggest draws, and its easy access to outdoor recreation areas, such as Antelope Island State Park on the Great Salt Lake, makes it a reasonable base for those wanting to explore the region. Camping areas abound in this region—the tent-only Cottonwood Campground at Bear Lake State Park is a particularly good choice.

Eastern Utah

Eastern Utah offers some of the best opportunities for outdoor recreation in the state, and that's not just because two of Utah’s five national parks—Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park—are here, a short drive from Moab. Spots worth visiting include Dead Horse Point State Park (popular for mountain biking) and Natural Bridges National Monument, where you’ll see three natural bridge formations carved from the earth millennia ago. This area is also great for archaeology fans. Hovenweep National Monument is a great place to check out the ruins of 13th-century pueblos, while Bear Ears National Monument is full of beautifully preserved ancient cave art.

South-Central and Southern Utah

South Central Utah offers a mix of high desert and dense forest, with plenty of spots to go out and play. You can hike through the slot canyons of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, explore the fairytale-like hoodoos at Goblin Valley State Park, or try your hand at canyoning at Capitol Reef National Park. This region is also home to Lake Powell, on the Colorado River, right on the border with Arizona.

Southwest Utah

Home to both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, southwest Utah offers fantastic hiking and camping options, with a mix of beautiful rock formations, vast forests, and desert sand dunes. While the national parks are the main draw, this region offers plenty to do, from ATV/OHV riding on the massive golden dunes at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park to checking out the red rock formations at Kodachrome Basin State Park. You'll find some of Utah's best camping spots and hiking trails all through the region, and the lack of light pollution makes this area ideal for stargazing under the night skies.