26 replies to this topic

[DavidinPhx]

Great Basin National Park in Nevada.  I have camped both in the park and east of the park in Utah.  Great Basin is pretty awesome and pretty isolated.
 

All true, but this year they decided to close Wheeler Peak campground for renovation all summer. The other lower elevation campgrounds are all reservation only and completely booked. I just checked last week…

[daverave]

I was going to respond to this question but every spot I know of was already mentioned! There is a bit of dispersed camping south of Kodachrome Basin that we did a few years ago that had nice views to the north. However the showers at KB make staying there well worth it... Utah puts our California state parks to shame.

[TGK]

Check out the Ruby Mountains / Lamoille Canyon SE of Elko, NV.  NFS campgrounds in the spectacular canyon.  You access the canyon from the NW side of the range.  Could be very busy.  Don't know if they do reservations.  There's also Ruby Lake Marsh National Wildlife Reguge on the SE side of the range.  Ruby Marsh campground is located there.  It's very small.  

 

You mentioned the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Toroweap is accessed by 60 miles of dirt/sand and gives you access to one of the narrowest parts of the canyon above Lava Falls, 2,800ft straight down.  We could hear people talking on the rafts as they approached Lava Falls. Now days, you may need a permit, although I'm not certain.  Camping is allowed. 18 years ago in July there was hardly anyone in there, camping was free and we never saw a ranger.  I believe those days are gone.  Well worth the drive, as long as it's not wet.

 

In Utah, The "Little Grand Canyon" or San Rafael Swell.  Remote but spectacular scenery.  Campground with pit toilet but no water or other amenities.  Went through there in mid September and no one was there.  Of course, that was then and this is now.  The overlanding thing has exploded, add in the pandemic factor and finding lonesome places is more challenging.

Edited by TGK, 17 June 2021 - 03:09 AM.

[ski3pin]

Lamoille Canyon burned a few years back.

[TGK]

Dang, I forgot about that burn in Lamoille Canyon.  

[Missing Link]

You mentioned the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Toroweap is accessed by 60 miles of dirt/sand and gives you access to one of the narrowest parts of the canyon above Lava Falls, 2,800ft straight down.  We could hear people talking on the rafts as they approached Lava Falls. Now days, you may need a permit, although I'm not certain.  Camping is allowed. 18 years ago in July there was hardly anyone in there, camping was free and we never saw a ranger.  I believe those days are gone.  Well worth the drive, as long as it's not wet.

 

In Utah, The "Little Grand Canyon" or San Rafael Swell.  Remote but spectacular scenery.  Campground with pit toilet but no water or other amenities.  Went through there in mid September and no one was there.  Of course, that was then and this is now.  The overlanding thing has exploded, add in the pandemic factor and finding lonesome places is more challenging.

 

 

 

Toroweap is definitely worth the effort but as TGK suspected, permits are required for camping..  There are 10 sites and the permits can be obtained online or at Pipe Spring NM on Hwy 389.  No permit . . . . lots of dispersed camping and cooler temps on Mount Trumbull to the northeast.  Regarding the "Little Grand Canyon" in Utah, most maps call it the "Wedge Overlook" and it is located west and north of the town of Green River.  It is a beautiful spot but for the reasons mentioned by TGK, stay away on holiday weekends, spring break, etc., it can get really crowded.   

[OutToLunch]

We were camping near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and in Fishlake NF a few weeks back.  Near the North Rim, there are some camping spots past East Rim Viewpoint on FSR 610.  Most sit on the rim with views of Vermillion Cliffs, top of Marble Canyon and the Navajo rez, no views into the Grand.  Sites fill up around five or six.  There are also a couple of sites down FSR 611 near the Nankoweap trailhead but those are normally taken.  They have views into the Canyon and better access to trails.
 

in Fishlake NF, we normally camp up near Big Meadows, but it can be a pain at times as there are often large RVs with generators.  The FS have designated parts of the area as quiet zones recently.  This year, the road up from Junction was still closed so we headed east of Junction onto the Sevier Plateau.  Not as scenic, a little dryer, but a lot quieter.  We saw no one, not a single vehicle, the whole day we were there.  Very restful.  We did find one spot with a great view looking west but the ground was covered with tiny prickly plants that would have driven our old dog nuts, so we took a sight without the view in aspens.