activities
camp
What better way to enjoy nature's playground than pitching a tent or parking the RV and camping. There are a wide variety of options available to you, ranging from full service campgrounds to dispersed camping (pitching your tent on public land outside of designated camping areas).
Each of the State Parks around the Swell have reservable camping sites, some with water and electrical hook-ups. There are also a wide variety of regional and county managed campgrounds that offer sites with hook-ups and other amenities.
For those looking for something more primitive, the BLM manages a wide range of designated camping areas near popular tourist attraction areas. These sites are first-come, first-serve and many have fire rings and picnic tables. However, there is no running water or electricity, so preparation is key. If extreme car camping is what you are looking for, these sites are perfect.
The Swell is also known as a great place for dispersed camping. Dispersed camping is a term used for camping outside of a designated campground. For those looking to strike off and find the ideal spot to pitch your tent, keep in mind that there are no services - no trash removal, no facilities, no access to water, meaning it is NOT for the casual camper.
Designated Campgrounds
Huntington State Park
A warm water reservoir surrounded by cinnamon-colored buttes. It is a quiet desert oasis that offers water sports, boating, and fishing. The park is also a great place to spot migratory birds or head out on a hiking, biking or off-roading adventure. Completed in 1966, this popular summer destination offers 237 acres of boating, swimming…
Goblin Valley State Park
Explore Goblin Valley’s otherworldly landscape, featuring unique “hoodoo” sandstone rock formations (also known as “goblins”) formed by erosion over millions of years. Home to one of the clearest, darkest night skies in the world, Goblin Valley is a popular destination for stargazers, and has been officially designated an International Dark Sky…
Millsite State Park
Camp in the quiet campground, boat and fish on the clear blue waters of the reservoir, explore the trails on two/four wheels, or try your swing on the nearby golf course. Millsite State Park is a secluded 435-acre lake at the mouth of scenic Ferron Canyon. This Utah State Park reservoir is a popular fishery and…
Green River State Park
An oasis on the west bank of the Green River where you will find yourself resting in the shade of the tall cottonwood trees and lush green lawns. This park is the starting point for river running adventures through Labyrinth and Stillwater canyons, permits (available at the park) are required for this stretch or you…
Huntington Canyon
Huntington Canyon is a heavily wooded canyon in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. A pleasant 30-mile drive up the canyon via Utah State Route 31 is part of the state designated Huntington-Eccles Scenic Byway, also known as the Energy Loop Scenic Byway. Featuring sheer pock-marked canyon walls, the forest offers campgrounds, hiking, biking…
Swinging Bridge
The San Rafael Bridge, locally known as the swinging bridge was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938. The swinging bridge was the only bridge over the San Rafael River until the 1990s. Though you can no longer drive on the bridge, it is perfectly safe to walk on. Water height of the river…
Buckhorn Pictograph Panel
The Buckhorn Pictograph panel is over 130 feet in length and features art from two distinct cultures that have inhabited the area. The dominant artwork is a series of painted figures and symbols, called pictographs, believed to have been created over 2000 years ago by people of the Barrier Canyon Culture. This was an ancient…
Swasey’s Beach
North of Green River, this white sand beach shaded by cottonwood trees spans a bend in the river along the edge of the Book Cliffs. Shallow water gives children plenty of opportunity to frolic, and bighorn sheep frequent the water’s edge. The white sand beach spans a long bend in the river and is shaded…
Joe’s Valley Reservoir
Joe’s Valley is situated on the Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah. Juniper, pinyon pine and sagebrush cover the area, and aspens and pines dot the surrounding hillsides. The 1,170 acre reservoir is 7000 feet above sea level and offers good fishing for cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger muskie and trophy lake. Boating, water skiing and…
The Wedge Overlook
Visitors to the Wedge Overlook can take in spectacular views of the deep gorge carved over millennia by the San Rafael River. But the Wedge, also known as Utah’s “Little Grand Canyon,” isn’t just one of the most breathtaking scenic vistas in the state. Adventures abound for bikers, hikers, rafters, sightseers, and campers. When you…
Private Campgrounds
Randy’s Service
The Rochester Rock Art Panel dates back to at least 1300 AD and is one of the best examples of rock art from the Fremont Culture, a culture that included a wide range of ancient hunter-gatherer groups. The panel is at the end of a well marked, easy hike along a branch of Muddy Creek.…
KOA Campground Green River
Joe’s Valley is situated on the Wasatch Plateau in Central Utah. Juniper, pinyon pine and sagebrush cover the area, and aspens and pines dot the surrounding hillsides. The 1,170 acre reservoir is 7000 feet above sea level and offers good fishing for cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger muskie and trophy lake. Boating, water skiing and…
Shady Acres RV Park
For a short, easy hike (3 miles roundtrip) over slickrock, the Eye of Sinbad (also known as Wild Horse Window) offers a unique and surprising destination—a hollowed slickrock chamber complete with natural oculus that frames the sky above.