Last minute Labor Day camping? Call ahead, or, consider dispersed camping

SALT LAKE CITY — It happens. Circumstances come together that have you thinking you can fit in some Labor Day camping after all.

Park officials said earlier in the week that campgrounds were filling up fast, and when KSL Newsradio spoke with a business owner near Bryce Canyon on Friday, she urged a telephone call before you head out.

“To see if we still have some sights that would accommodate them,” said Chrisette Thompson with Ruby’s Inn. “Otherwise we do have, usually, some overflow sites and those are first-come-first-served.

“We try not to turn people away but sometimes it doesn’t quite work out.”

On Friday, a Salt Lake District ranger with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest said many of their campgrounds were full.

“We’re a forest that’s primarily in the urban interface, so easy access to folks living on the (Wasatch) front,” said ranger Ben Kraja.

He also said that recreation.gov is the best place to look for available campsites. You can visit that site here.

Utah State Parks offers this web page that enables you to look for spaces.

Utah.com may also offer some help for those looking for a campsite today.

And if you are feeling adventurous, here’s a way to find areas for dispersed camping in Utah. Note that dispersed camping means you are camping on US National Forest land but offer very few services (including tables).

 

Simone Seikaly contributed.