Most people have heard of Bryce Canyon National Park in Southern Utah,

but did you know there's an abundance of beautiful landscapes and free camping

just outside the park? Stay tuned to find out more.

Hey everyone here at Campendium, our goal is always to provide you with the best

camping information available to help you plan your trip and find a great

place to camp. If you enjoy getting outdoors and

sleeping under the stars please consider subscribing and hit that notification

bell so you won't miss any new videos. Fun fact: Bryce Canyon is not even a

canyon, but rather a dreamy wonderland of natural amphitheaters that are home to

one of the world's highest concentrations of rock hoodoos.

These are towering orange, red and white monoliths

dramatically carved and sculpted in the most impossible ways by millions of

years of erosion.

Hiking down the navajo loop trail is one of the quickest ways to immerse yourself

in the otherworldly passages and hallways of the Bryce amphitheater.

There's really nothing like it, so put that hike at the top of your to-do list.

Keep in mind, that most of the park is between eight and nine thousand feet of

elevation, which makes for thin air and strenuous

hiking, so take it slow and drink plenty of water. For the less

adventurous, the rim trail is going to be your easiest section of hiking and is

wheelchair accessible for a jaw-dropping half-mile section.

As far as the camping goes, there are two campgrounds within the park which

give you immediate access to Bryce and all its glory, but these campgrounds are

quite competitive during the peak season of May through September and they

have very limited options for big rigs. That leaves

Rubies Inn RV Park close by or a multitude of free and

spacious wild camping options just outside the

park. I spent several weeks hiking, biking and exploring the area and believe me

you don't need to be inside the National Park to find

glorious camping and beautiful vistas. First and foremost is the Red Canyon

in Dixie National Forest. It boasts its own array of orange and red hoodoos,

dramatic views, extensive hiking, OHV trails,

a bicycle path and ample dispersed camping options.

There is Cabin Hollow where winscott says

"Excellent free camping, it is secluded but an easy in and out,

the road is good and the spaces are spread out. Only 30 minutes from Bryce.

We would stay here again for sure." and Cassie Flores says "Private and

peaceful camping. We drove our rented camper van to Cabin

Hollow and found a great secluded very quiet camp spot with the fire pit a

few miles down the road." Nearby Red Canyon is Tom's Best Spring

Dispersed Camping Area. Skjacksonn says "Easy access from the

main road. 10 miles to Bryce great LTE coverage,

shade, level spots, rock fire pits, tons of space, quiet, clean

loved it here. Steve D said "Wonderfully spaced apart and plenty of beautiful

trees. The Red Rock trails are short and

beautiful around the visitors center and so is Moss Cave Trail."

Down the East Fork Road, there is Whiteman Bench where

Live Small Ride free said "It's a great place to boondock while you visit Bryce

and Red Canyon. It's a secluded quiet spot in the woods

and you will probably see pronghorn roaming around the area. It's a good idea

to stock up on groceries before heading here

there's not much in town." Further down East Fork Road

you'll find dispersed sites along the Sevier River where Hiker Jen

said "Site was great with beaver dams in the river

more like a stream and an elk herd was in the field across the river.

There were approximately five sites in the area." And finally

there's John's Valley on BLM land where A_Mi_Go recently reported

"Loved it. Great spot with a great sunset view.

Sangfroid reported "It was a nice quiet evening and night,

no traffic noise and the trees moderated the wind.

It was a slow but short drive off the highway but doable in my 30-foot class A."

If you're in need of a dump station or fresh potable water

I recommend checking out the Red Canyon Campground and

paying a nominal five bucks to take care of business. Another option

is the Sinclair Gas station right in Bryce Canyon City which

costs 10 bucks and they conveniently refill propane tanks there as well.

And to fully appreciate the incredible awe and mystique of Bryce in the

surrounding area, i highly encourage you to look up and

take notice of the incredible old-growth ponderosas and bristlecone

pine trees. Some of these beautifully weathered and

hardened trees have been standing here for thousands of years.

And after the sun goes down keep gazing up out beyond the treetops.

There are few places in North America where you will find skies

this dark and stars this plentiful. Over 7500 stars can be seen with the naked

eye and the galactic center of the milky way is seldom seen

this clearly. All of this adds up to one extraordinary

place to camp.

During the pandemic public lands have become more important than ever to

explore enjoy and take care of. It's up to every

one of us, so please minimize your impact camp only in

established sites and leave no trace.

For more information and to plan your trip in greater detail, navigate your

browser to campendium.com or download our easy to use ios app.

Please like, subscribe, check out some of our other videos on amazing free camping

and until next time, stay safe and enjoy the ride.

Was that the best thing ever?! Yeah! (laughing)