5 close-to-home camping spots near SLC

5 close-to-home camping spots near SLC

(Harry Hu/Shutterstock)


Save Story
Leer en español

Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — The other day my husband and I, in need of a mild camping adventure with the kids, decided to set up the tent in the backyard. Not being avid campers — aside from “roughing it” on my family’s houseboat — we knew we needed to start somewhere that wouldn't be too taxing on the kids. Or us.

Camping in our own backyard held several benefits. If the kids got fussy we'd be mere seconds from a comfortable bed. We wouldn't have to pack or drive. And we'd be comfortably fenced off from any strange noises we might hear during the night.

As it turned out, our backyard camping adventure went better than expected, with five out of our six kids begging for more, and now they wanted to camp for “real.”

We didn't know where we wanted to go but we knew that we still wanted to stay close to home. In our quest for the perfect family camping spot we polled friends and family on social networking sites, receiving lots of great advice and we were even given advice from the man who literally wrote the book on “How to Take Your Family Camping."

Here were five recommended places to take your family camping near Salt Lake City.

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Just a 30 mile drive from Salt Lake, Big Cottonwood Canyon has two wonderful campsites to choose from. With both sites located at altitudes above 7,000 feet, either option is sure to help you escape the summer heat.

Spruces campground is the lower of the two and is named for the hundreds of spruce trees that shade the area. With amenities including a baseball field, horseshoe pits, a volleyball court, hiking trails and fishing, Spruces campground is a great place for a family getaway.

Albion Basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Just 6 miles from Big Cottonwood Canyon, and the same 30 mile drive from Salt Lake, Albion Basin campground is a popular campground for many locals. Opening late in the summer, due to snow drifts, Albion Basin is known for its wildflowers opening from the end of July through the beginning of August. It's also great for fall camping.

With easy hikes such as the Cecret Lake hike, kids will enjoy it, too. I’m told that people may even see a moose.

Mirror Lake Highway

If you're looking to escape the summer heat, the higher altitude and cooler temperatures of Mirror Lake Highway may be just what you’ve been looking for. Located near the town of Kamas, Mirror Lake Highway is a national scenic byway.

With 15 campgrounds to choose from — ranging from small to large and close to remote — you can pick the type of adventure your family would like to have for as low as $14 per night.

Antelope Island

Located in the Antelope Island State Park, this camping retreat is a quick 50 mile drive from Salt Lake City, but right in the center of the Great Salt Lake.

With buffalo and antelope roaming all over the island you will be sure to feel one with nature. One visitor described the Great Salt Lake as “looking just like an ocean.”

There are also many activities offered at the park, including mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. Junior Ranger programs are also offered for kids (and adults) to learn more about the area.

Jordanelle State Park

Found just above Heber Valley, along the shores of Jordanelle Reservoir, Jordanelle State Park offers two spectacular recreation areas: Hailstone and Rock Cliff.

While camping at Jordanelle, visitors can take advantage of the great fishing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, canoeing or boating along the serene waters of Jordanelle Reservoir.

With many indigenous animal species, you may see golden eagles, red- tailed hawks, hummingbirds, mule deer, elk or moose. With the location well away from civilization, the soothing sounds of hooting owls, rushing water and wind blowing through the trees are sure to lull you to sleep.

For more places to camp, and information on how to reserve many of these camping spots, go to http://stateparks.utah.gov/.


Arianne Brown is a mother of six who loves running the beautiful trails around Utah. For more articles by her, "like" her Facebook page by searching "A Mother's Write" or visit her blogs, timetofititin.com or thestoriesofyourlife.wordpress.com.

Related links

Related stories

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

UtahOutdoors

STAY IN THE KNOW

Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

KSL Weather Forecast