Your dog adores spending time in nature as much as you do. You two are overdue for a camping trip, and this time, you want to take them to the Salt Lake City/Provo area. What are the top dog-friendly camping spots there?
Here are the 9 best dog-friendly camping spots near Salt Lake City and Provo:
- Rock Canyon Campground
- Salt Lake City KOA
- Theater in the Pines
- Utah Lake State Park
- Sun Outdoors Salt Lake City
- Mount Timpanogos
- Anderson Cove Campground
- Salamander Flat Trail Head Campground
- Jordanelle State Park
In this extensive guide, we’ll take you through all 9 of the best campgrounds near Salt Lake City and Provo that welcome four-legged friends. We’ll discuss the amenities available, the activities to enjoy, and the rules about dogs for each camping spot.
Let’s begin!
1. Rock Canyon Campground
Rock Canyon Campground is located within Uinta National Forest between Wasatch, Utah, Sanpete, and Juab counties. The nearest city is Provo.
The entire forest is 880,719 acres whereas the Rock Canyon Campground is much smaller.
Offering plenty of timbered space as far as the eye can see, you’re near a trailhead on this campground so you and your dog can get some good exercise in.
You cannot roll up to Rock Canyon Campground and expect to stay without a reservation. Be sure to call ahead! You can only stay for up to seven days. Pets are allowed, but you should always keep your dog leashed up when around others for their safety and your pup’s.
The best policy when staying at any campground is to clean up and leave no trace of you have ever been there. That’s especially true when it comes to dog poop.
Water is not available on the premises, so you’ll have to bring enough not only for your dog but for yourself for each day of your camping trip.
2. Salt Lake City KOA
If you want to camp but you don’t exactly want to rough it, then you might consider a stay at the Salt Lake City KOA. KOA is short for Kampgrounds of America, a collection of campgrounds across Canada and the United States with over 500 locations.
You can access campground amenities during your stay such as a Kamping Kitchen for home-cooked meals, a sauna or hot tub, Wi-Fi so you don’t have to take a social media break and propane for an additional fee.
You can also swim in the campground’s pool from May 10th through September 15th. Cable TV access and 50-amp access are included, and you can always pay for firewood and snacks at the snack bar.
Salt Lake City KOA is dog-friendly, and you don’t have to pay extra for your four-legged friend.
However, your pup must be leashed at all times and never be left unattended. They’re also expected to be quiet and behave well.
3. Theater in the Pines
Another camping spot near Provo is Theater in the Pines, a campground in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
You’ll be adjacent to the Wasatch Mountains by the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. Close to you are Mount Timpanogos for climbing, the Aspen Grove Trail for hiking, and the Mount Timpanogos Wilderness Area for witnessing the beauty of our world.
The campground is situated 7,600 feet up and is surrounded by aspen, fir, and pine trees. In the autumn, you can see leaves in every color, and in the summer, wildflowers blossom.
Nearby, you can check out the Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Tibble Fork Reservoir, Deer Creek Reservoir, and Cascade Springs.
The Theater in the Pines amenities includes picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, tables, and drinking water available during the peak season. Pets are welcome but should be on their best behavior!
4. Utah Lake State Park
The Utah Lake State Park in Provo is another to consider for outdoor adventures with Fido. The park is on Utah Lake’s east shore and offers camping from April 1st to October 31st every year.
Unisex shower stalls are available, as are dumpsters, restrooms, a fire bit, a barbecue grill, 30 amps of electricity, and running water.
If you’d rather stay in a tent to truly experience the fun of camping in nature, those are available as well.
Dogs are expected to stay leashed and not bark much. Your favorite four-legged friend is free to go swimming around the state park, which we’re sure will delight your pet to no end.
Be sure to clean up any doggy messes as they accumulate to maintain the pristine grounds of the park!
5. Sun Outdoors Salt Lake City
In North Salt Lake, Sun Outdoors Salt Lake City is a camping resort not too far from the Jordan River. You can enter via the Jordan River Parkway Trail, which is quite convenient.
Oh, and did we mention free parking? That’s right!
The amenities are plentiful at the Sun Outdoors Salt Lake City resort. You can access Wi-Fi so you can keep up on those work emails even when you’re thousands of miles from the office.
Air conditioning is available so you can feel clean and cool by night after spending the entire day working up a huge sweat.
There’s even a pool on the premises, so if you’re camping with kids, they’ll love the Sun Outdoors Salt Lake City resort. Keep in mind that there are no other fitness facilities offered.
Pet-friendly, the resort is smoke-free so you can spare Fido’s lungs as well as those of your family (and yourself!).
Nearby, you’ll find the Donut Falls Hiking Trail, which is a 3.5-mile loop with a circular waterfall. You’re also not too far from Antelope Island State Park if you’re in the mood for more nature!
6. Mount Timpanogos
In the Wasatch Range is Mount Timpanogos, which is also known to the locals as Timp.
The mountain has a top elevation of 11,752 feet and overlooks the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
You don’t have to climb to the summit, don’t worry. That wouldn’t be a very dog-friendly activity, after all!
Instead, you can explore any of these Timp trails with your canine companion.
- Snow Gauging Trail: The Snow Gauging Trail is approximately 3.2 miles and takes about an hour and 45 minutes to get through. You could broach avalanche territory depending on the time of year, so keep that in mind!
- Big Baldy Through Trail: About seven miles, the Big Baldy Through Trail takes nearly six hours to complete. If you and your dog are seasoned outdoor vets, then this is the trail for you!
- Slate Canyon Trail: The Slate Canyon Trail is longer still at approximately 7.3 miles. The entire hike will take about five hours, and 34 minutes if you maintain an even pace. The trail starts east and then heads north.
- Timpanogos Lower Falls: A much more moderate trail, the Timpanogos Lower Falls trail through the mountainous wilderness is only 2.4 miles. You and your dog can complete it in about an hour and a half.
7. Anderson Cove Campground
About an hour removed from Salt Lake City is the Anderson Cove Campground, which is part of Ogden Valley.
The campground features a marina, a beach for daytime use, paved roads, an entry station for secure access, manicured lawns, plenty of tree cover, and a café a half-mile from the campground.
The campground cabins offer convenience items for sale, lit toilets, overhead lighting, and locked gates for your security. Since you’re bringing your dog, you’ll want to stay in the A Area West Section at the campground, which is a dog-friendly area.
Once you leave your vehicle, your dog must be on a leash that’s at least six feet long at all times.
Dogs cannot enter the B Area, and you shouldn’t leave them unsupervised either.
8. Salamander Flat Trail Head Campground
Salamander Flat Trail Head Campground in Provo is a popular spot for camping, so get there early!
The trails here cut through the campground so there are always riders and hikers in the area (by day, at least). One of the top trails here is Willow Hollow, which is moderately difficult to traverse.
The Salamander Flat Trail Head Campground is also in proximity to Mount Timpanogos, so you can easily start camping there and then make your way to Salamander Flat Trail Head when you’re done.
Dogs are welcome here, but the policy is to leave no trace. That doesn’t only go for your pup, of course, but for you as well.
Don’t leave food wrappers around, don’t dump where you’re not supposed to, and please clean up your dog poop.
9. Jordanelle State Park
Less than an hour from both Salt Lake City and Provo, Jordanelle State Park is another great place to add to your list of destinations to camp with Fido. The Heber City state park is situated on the Jordanelle Reservoir. The reservoir attracts its fair share of boaters, water skiers, and anglers looking to reel in that big catch.
You can choose from three areas of the park for your stay.
The Hailstone Recreation Area offers motorboating, canoeing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing, and camping accommodations.
You can utilize an eight-lane boat ramp, showers, campgrounds, picnic areas, a full-service marina store, wet slips, dry storage, personal watercraft ramps, showers and bathrooms, and pavilions for daytime usage (one pavilion is available for overnight group stays).
The Rock Cliff Recreation Area is on the Jordanelle Reservoir’s eastern shore near the Upper Provo River. You’ll find elevated boardwalks that take you across rivers and wetlands.
You can also use the fish cleaning station, group pavilion, and boat ramp while enjoying the reservoir as well as the Three Rocks Trail or Perimeter Trail.
The third and final park area is the Ross Creek Recreation Area on the north side of Jordanelle State Park. This is the home of The Ross Creek Trailhead that links to Perimeter Trail and the Jordanelle Reservoir.
Dogs are welcome in Jordanelle State Park but are only allowed in some areas. You cannot leave your dog unsupervised, and they’re always required to wear a leash. You must pick up after your dog immediately.
Conclusion
Salt Lake City and Provo are home to some breathtakingly beautiful dog-friendly camping spots.
If you do decide to take Fido to any of the 9 campgrounds we covered today, do be sure to leave no trace, as that’s the right thing to do for the beauty of the park and everyone who enjoys it!
Related Reading:
