It’s time to gather up the kids and the camping gear and head to your favorite camping spot. Memorial Day weekend is the kick off for the summer to come, and traditionally is a very busy weekend at campgrounds and picnic areas on the national forests of Utah.
Most campgrounds are now open throughout the state. Higher-elevation campgrounds, roads and trails may still be snow covered or muddy, leaving these areas vulnerable to damage.
Safety is always a concern. Rivers, streams and creeks are running very high and fast
and are extremely dangerous. Please be careful and keep a watchful eye on children and pets while recreating in these areas.
Off-highway vehicle users are reminded to ride only where permitted. Remember to always be a responsible rider.
If you are planning to use livestock on National Forest lands, remember that you are
permitted to use only certified weed free straw, hay or pellets.
When hiking, always carry extra water and food and take along a coat and something to
make a fire with, just in case you get stuck on the mountain for the night and in case the weather turns bad. Always, let someone know where you are hiking and approximately what time you will return and don’t hike alone.
As always, please be careful with fire and always check to find out if fire restrictions are
currently in place; always clear flammable vegetation and debris 5 feet away from the fire ring; always have a full bucket of water close to the campfire; always have a shovel on hand and available; always have an adult present; never have a campfire when it is windy, hot, and dry and always make sure your campfires are dead out before leaving the campsite. Most importantly, enjoy your national forests!
The following is a listing of Forest Service campgrounds that will be open for Memorial
Day weekend. Before heading out for the holiday weekend please check with the local Ranger District offices for the most current and up-to-date information concerning the area you are planning to visit.
Please note: not all facilities are open to the public yet and it is NOT legal to use picnic
areas or campgrounds that are gated or posted as “closed.”
Ashley National Forest (435) 789-1181 or http://www.fs.usda.gov/ashley
Vernal Ranger District (435) 789-1181: All campgrounds will be open with fees. All
roads will be open except, Forest Road #043 to Hacking Lake. Grizzly Ridge, Limber Flag and Carter Military yurts will be open. Trout Creek and Colton Guard Stations will be open. All yurts and cabins may be reserved online at www.reserveamerica.com
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (435) 784-3445: All campgrounds are open
with fees, except Spirit Lake, Cedar Springs, Firefighters, Greendale West, Greendale East Group, Jarvis Canyon, Antelope Flat, Arch Dam, Dutch John Draw, Navajo Cliffs, Palisades Memorial and Red Springs. Visitors using the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area will have to pay a use fee.
Day passes are $5, seven-day passes are $15 and annual passes are $35. Passes are available in Manila, Utah and in Evanston, Rock Springs and Green River Wyoming and local businesses in and around the Flaming Gorge area.
If you are staying in a developed campground in the Flaming Gorge
National Recreation Area you are not required to pay the use fee.
Duchesne/Roosevelt Ranger Districts (435) 738-2482: All campgrounds are open with
fees except Pole Creek. Blind Stream Pass will not be open. Hells Canyon road is open. Please call for detailed information about a specific campground.
Dixie National Forest (435) 865-3700 or http://www.fs.usda.gov/dixie
Pine Valley Ranger District (435) 688-3246: All campgrounds will be open with fees.
Office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
For the most current information about these campgrounds, call the St. George Interagency Office at: (435) 688-3246.
Cedar City Ranger District (435) 865-3700: All campgrounds and picnic areas will be
open with water and fees for Memorial Day weekend. Utah State Route 14 will be open for the Memorial Day weekend starting at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 24 through Monday, May 28th.
Please call the Cedar City Ranger District for the most recent information.
Powell Ranger District (435) 826-9300: Red Canyon, Coyote Hollow Equestrian and
Kings Creek campgrounds are open with all available amenities. Please call the District office for current information.
Escalante Ranger District (435)-826-5400: All campgrounds will be open with fees and
water. Please call the Escalante Ranger District or the Visitors Center for the most recent
information. The Visitors Center is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
(435)-826-5499
Fishlake National Forest (435) 896-9233 or http://www.fs.usda.gov/fishlake
Beaver Ranger District (435) 438-2436: Little Cottonwood, Mahogany Cove, Little
Reservoir campgrounds, and Ponderosa picnic area will be open with water and fees. City Creek campground will be open with no water or fees. Kent’s Lake, LeBaron and Anderson Meadow campgrounds will likely not be open. Most roads and trails are open.
For current conditions, contact the Beaver Ranger District.
Fillmore Ranger District (435) 743-5721: Maple Grove, Oak Creek, Adelaide and Maple
Hollow campgrounds will be open with water and fees. Roads and trails at higher elevations are closed due to snow and wet muddy conditions.
Contact the Fillmore Ranger District for the most current information.
Fremont River Ranger District (435) 836-2800: All campgrounds are open with fees.
Boulder Top road will be closed until June 16, 2012.
Please call the Fremont River Ranger District Office for the most current and up to date information.
Richfield Ranger District (435) 896-9233: Gooseberry campground and Monrovian picnic area will be open for the holiday weekend.
Manti-LaSal National Forest (435) 637-2817 or http://www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal
Price (435) 637-2817 and Ferron Ranger District (435) 384-2372: All campground and
picnic areas are open with fees. All roads except South Skyline Driver are open.
Sanpete Ranger District (435) 283-4151: Lake Hill, 12 Mile, Manti Community, Maple
Canyon, Twin Reservoir, Chicken Creek campgrounds, and Spring City Picnic area are open with fees.
Moab Ranger District (435) 259-7155: Warner Lake, Oowah Lake and Buckeye Reservoir campgrounds are open with fees. All roads are open except, Geyser Pass. The LaSal Mountain Loop Road is open, but will close in June 2012 for construction.
Monticello Ranger District (435) 587-2041: All campgrounds are open with fees. All
major roads are open except, North Creek.
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (801) 236-3400 or (801) 342-5100
http://www.fs.usda.gov/uwcnf
Pleasant Grove Ranger District (801) 785-3563: All campgrounds will be open with fees, except Altamont. The Alpine Scenic Loop (USR 92) will be open for the Memorial Day
weekend. Tibble Fork road is open to Mineral Basin, but Tibble Fork Road to Silver Lake Road is closed. The Squaw Peak road is open to Rock Canyon. The North Fork road is open, but no trailers will be allowed as there is limited turn around space.
Trails in American Fork Canyon are open to bicycles, motorized vehicles and livestock. A recreation pass is required for the American Fork Canyon-Alpine Scenic Loop area and is available at Forest Service offices or at the entrance stations to the Scenic Loop. The special use fee is $6.00 for a one three-day pass per vehicle, $12.00 for a 7 day pass and $45.00 for the annual pass.
Spanish Fork Ranger District (801) 798-3571: Balsam, Diamond, Blackhawk, Payson
Lakes, Ponderosa, and Tinney Flat campgrounds are open with water and fees. Bear Canyon, Cherry, Maple Lake and Maple Bench campgrounds are open with fees, but no water. Vernon Reservoir and Cottonwood campgrounds are open with no water or fees.
The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway is open 16 miles on the north side within Payson Canyon, and on the south side (Nephi) it is open only 6 miles.
Logan Ranger District (435) 755-3620: All campgrounds and picnic areas will be open
with fees, for the holiday weekend, except Tony Grove. Low elevation roads and trails are open and dry. Mid-elevation gates (Green Canyon 2nd gate, High Creek 2nd gate, Cowley/Herd, Temple Fork, Forestry Camp, and Pole Hollow) are still closed, but scheduled to open on June 1st.
Upper elevation roads (Marie Springs, Temple Fork 2nd gate, Twin Creek and Dip Hollow) are still closed with gates scheduled to open on June 15th. Providence Canyon road remains closed until repairs are completed this fall. The best opportunities for dispersed camping will be in Franklin Basin and limited camping may be available along the Hardware Ranch to Sinks Scenic Backway.
The yearly Mountain Man Rendezvous will be in the Lefthand Fork of the Blacksmith Fork over the holiday, so expect crowds if camping there.
Ogden Ranger District (801) 625-5306: All campgrounds are open with fees, except Monte Cristo and Jefferson Hunt. Highway SR 39 over Monte Cristo is now open. The Avon to Liberty road is also open. Please TREAD LIGHTLY and avoid traveling on roads when muddy.
Salt Lake Ranger District (801) 466-6411: Spruces and Tanners Flat campgrounds will be open with water and fees on Friday, May 25, 2012. Storm Mountain, Ledgemere, Birches and Dogwood picnic areas in Big Cottonwood Canyon are open with fees but no water.
Upper, Main and South areas in Box Elder and Maple Grove picnic sites are open with fees, but no water. Remember Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are Salt Lake City Municipal Watersheds and dogs are not allowed in these canyons.
Mueller Park picnic area in Davis County is open with water and fees. Fernwood picnic area in Layton is open with water and fee. Ward Canyon road is open up to Sessions Mountain and Skyline Drive, which are still closed due to snow and muddy conditions.
Farmington Canyon road will remain closed to all uses from the Forest boundary on the west side of Farmington Canyon, east to the intersection with Skyline Drive until damage that the road sustained during the 2011 spring run-off can be repaired , which will be no sooner than late fall of 2012.
Campgrounds in South Willow Canyon (Stansbury Mountains, west of Tooele and
Grantsville) are open with fees but no water.
Heber-Kamas Ranger District (435) 654-0470 or (435) 783-4338: All campgrounds and
picnic areas within the Heber area are open with water and fees, except Mill Hollow and Wolf Creek, which are still closed due to snow. The Strawberry Visitor Center will be open 7 days a week starting May 24, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Wolf Creek Pass (Utah SR 35) is now open.
The Mirror Lake Highway (Utah SR 150) is now open from Kamas, Utah to Evanston, Wyoming.
Yellow Pine, Shady Dell, Soapstone, Cobblerest, Ledgefork and Smith Morehouse campgrounds located within the Kamas area are open with fees. All high elevation lakes are still frozen and inaccessible.
Visitors parked or camping along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway must display a fee pass. One to three day passes are $6.00, seven day passes are $12.00, and annual passes are $45.00. Passes can be purchased at the Kamas Work Center, Evanston Ranger District, and local businesses in Kamas, Utah and Evanston, Wyoming.
Evanston/Mountain View Ranger Districts (307) 789-3194 or (307) 782-6555: All
campgrounds will be open for the Memorial Day weekend with fees. The Bear River Ranger Station will be open starting, Friday, May 25, 2012. The ranger station will be open Thursdays through Mondays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Whitney Reservoir is accessible. All major roads are open.
There are still patches of snow on some roads and on Elizabeth Pass, please use care especially if you are pulling a trailer. Trails above 9000 feet are wet, muddy and some are still covered with snow. Forest crews are doing maintenance work to remove dead trees is some campgrounds, so please look up and around before choosing a campsite. Visitors parked or camping along the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway must display a fee pass. 1-3 Day passes are $6.00, 7-day passes are $12.00 and annual passes are $45.00.
Passes can be purchased at Forest Service Offices in Kamas, Utah; Evanston, Wyoming; local business in Kamas, and the Bear River Lodge.
All campgrounds within the Mountain View area are open with fees and no water, except
China Meadows, which will remain closed for maintenance.
