The 10 Prettiest Places to Camp in the US Mountain West

Camping in the Mountain West: the options are nearly endless

To say the list below only scratches the surface is an understatement. It’s hard to overestate the beauty or the vastness of recreation areas in the Mountain West, especially as the mountainous landscape creates dramatic changes. Even campgrounds just miles from one another may have vastly different views, depending on what side of a ridgeline or crest they fall on. To the south, you’ll have vast deserts at your fingertips, whereas heading north brings you high-elevation views that rival the beauty of anywhere else in North America. Here’s a quick run-down of what to expect from state to state.

Arizona: From the Grand Canyon’s rim to the red rock canyons of Sedona and the high-altitude forests of the White Mountains, Arizona offers a wide breadth of experiences. National parks, forests, and BLM land options range from developed campgrounds to dispersed backcountry sites. Desert camping requires careful planning for water and extreme temperatures.

Colorado: Colorado boasts high-alpine camping in the Rockies, with numerous national parks, forests, and wilderness areas. Backcountry permits are often needed, and reservations are essential for popular campgrounds. From the iconic Maroon Bells to the vastness of the Great Sand Dunes, options abound.

Idaho: Idaho’s vast wilderness areas offer incredible backcountry camping opportunities, particularly in the Sawtooth, Selkirk, and Bitterroot mountain ranges. National forests and state parks also provide developed campgrounds. River access and hot springs camping are unique draws, and as a loose rule, sites are often less crowded than those in more populous states.

Montana: Big Sky Country offers vast landscapes for camping, from Glacier National Park’s stunning lakes and mountains (reservations are vital) to the expansive national forests. Backcountry camping is prevalent, but be bear aware. Consider the Bob Marshall Wilderness for a true wilderness experience.

Nevada: Much of Nevada is high desert, offering unique camping under starry skies. Great Basin National Park and numerous BLM areas provide opportunities for dispersed camping. Be prepared for extreme temperatures and limited water sources, but also extreme privacy and seclusion.

New Mexico: New Mexico’s diverse landscapes range from high-altitude mountains to deserts and ancient ruins. National parks like Carlsbad Caverns and Chaco Canyon offer camping, as do national forests and BLM land. The Gila Wilderness was the first national wilderness area in the US and is an especially remote experience inside Gila National Forest.

Utah: Utah’s “Mighty 5” national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef) offer incredible camping, but reservations are essential. National forests and BLM land provide more dispersed options, especially as red rock canyons, unique geological formations, and beautiful state parks abound across the state.

Wyoming: Wyoming is home to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, both offering stunning camping (reservations highly recommended). If you can’t snag a park reservation, nearby areas like Bridger-Teton National Forest have plenty of backcountry options. Be prepared for wildlife encounters, especially with bears.

Land managers and reservation systems

The patchwork of land managers in the Mountain West creates a diverse range of camping experiences, but can also cause a bit of headache when trying to figure out reservations and rules. The National Park Service (NPS) oversees all the region’s national parks, including Glacier, Zion, Yellowstone, and more. Frontcountry and backcountry campgrounds usually fill months in advance, and getting a last-minute site can be difficult.

The US Forest Service (USFS) manages vast national forests, offering a mix of developed campgrounds with amenities like picnic tables and fire rings, as well as dispersed camping opportunities where you can pitch your tent almost anywhere but need to carry in everything, including water. Regulations can very from forest to forest as to whether you need reservations, backcountry permits, or have an assigned site. Both the USFS and NPS usually use Recreation.gov for reservations. You can use the Recreation.gov app to notify you when reservations become available.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) oversees even larger expanses of public land, often with fewer developed campgrounds but abundant opportunities for dispersed camping. BLM land usually has fewer regulations than camping in national parks or in national forests, but regulations can vary, and you should always follow Leave No Trace principles.

State park systems in the Mountain West offer another layer of camping options, varying widely in amenities and reservation systems. Some states have robust online reservation platforms, while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

Finally, some campgrounds (like Mitten View Campground, above) are privately owned. Reservation systems for private parks can vary wildly and may or may not be available online.

The best places to camp in the Mountain West

The Mountain West is a camper’s paradise. Here, the high-altitude air can turn chilly even in the middle of summer, and the night skies can be some of the brightest in the country. The weather can change in an instant, going from nights warm enough to sleep outside to those that demand a fire and a heavy sleeping bag the next (be sure to follow fire bans posted locally). Wildlife is a constant presence, from elk bugling in the distance to seeing the fluffy tail of a coyote disappearing into sagebrush. All of this combines to make camping in this part of the country a true chance to see the untamed spirit of the West.

Jump to:

Stoney Indian Lake, MT | Lost Dutchman State Park, AZ | Valley of Fire State Park, NV | White Sands National Park, NM | Silver Bell Campground, CO | Cracker Lake, MT | Shadow Mountain, WY | Animas Forks Ghost Town, CO | Lone Rock Beach, UT | Saddle Mountain, AZ

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Stoney Indian Lake

• Location: Browning, Montana
• Campground type: Walk-in
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Glaciers, goats, and endless mountain peaks

Glacier National Park has more than 60 backcountry campgrounds, and most have pretty excellent views. But it’s hard to beat the beauty of camping at Stoney Indian Pass, especially if you’ve just made the challenging push up and over the crest to reach it. The camp cooking area is in a clearing with steep canyon walls on one side that are almost always covered in mountain goats, and as one of the highest elevation campgrounds in the Glacier backcountry (6,800 feet above sea level), the views are unbeatable. From the tent sites, you’ll have views of jagged peaks, glacial cirques, and cascading waterfalls that seem to emerge from the cliffs themselves, especially if you visit in mid summer when snowmelt is at its peak. Reservations are required and highly competitive, with a lottery system that starts in March.

Lost Dutchman State Park

• Location: Apache Junction, Arizona
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Full service
• View: Panoramic views of the Superstition Mountains

Lost Dutchman State Park’s campsites offer some of the most dramatic front-row views of the Superstition Mountains, especially from sites along the park’s outer loops. Unlike campgrounds where trees or structures limit the scenery, this park’s 134 tent sites are in open desert, giving campers uninterrupted views of the sheer rock face of the Superstitions — especially striking at sunrise, when the cliffs glow deep red. Many sites back directly onto undisturbed desert, and at night, the lack of artificial light makes for excellent stargazing, with clear views of the Milky Way. The sites themselves are spacious and well-maintained, though the desert environment means little shade. Reservations are highly recommended.

Valley of Fire State Park

• Location: Overton, Nevada
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Developed
• View: Massive outcroppings of Aztec sandstone in the desert

Atlatl Rock Campground in Valley of Fire State Park is one of two campgrounds in the pretty park, with sites surrounded by striking red rock formations. It’s a bit more developed than the nearby Arch Rock Campground, but both are still very quiet and peaceful, especially when you’re surrounded by the vivid boulders that give the park its name. Atlatl has more amenities and can accommodate larger RVs, while Arch Rock sites don’t have hook ups and the sites are a little smaller. Both campgrounds have sites tucked against massive sandstone formations, providing a level of privacy (and natural wind protection) that’s rare in desert campgrounds. Atlatl’s most provate sites are 20, 21, and 22, while Arch Rock’s best sites are probably 22, 24, 26, and 28. Reservations are strongly recommended.

White Sands National Park

• Location: Alamogordo, New Mexico
• Campground type: Walk-in
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Rolling white, otherworldly sand dunes

Backcountry sites at White Sands National Park put campers in the middle of the park’s vast, rolling sea of gypsum dunes, with no trees, roads, or artificial lights to break the view. The campsites are spaced along a one-mile loop trail, ensuring each is fairly isolated and offers prime viewing of the park’s dramatic sunsets. As the sun drops, the white sand reflects deep oranges and purples before fading into a cool, moonlit glow that makes the entire landscape feel like another planet. It’s also an International Dark Sky Park. Note that backcountry camping here is closed for restoration at the time of writing, but you can check the opening status at this link.

Silver Bell Campground

• Location: Aspen, Colorado
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Changing aspens and the famous Maroon Bells

Silver Bell Campground sits in a high-elevation valley in the Colorado Rockies, within the extraordinarily popular Maroon Bells Scenic Area. From your tent site, you’ll wake to the sight of jagged peaks piercing the morning mist. In late spring, you’ll be surrounded by fields of wildflowers, and you can spend autumn afternoons relaxing outdoors under the shade of golden aspen trees. The campground’s high elevation (around 10,000 feet) means that even partially wooded sites can still offer good stargazing opportunities. About half the 14 sites are available for advanced reservations, while the others are first-come, first-served.

Cracker Lake

• Location: West Glacier, Montana
• Campground type: Walk-in
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: A glacial lake, gorgeous cliffs, and dramatic peaks

Cracker Lake Campground in Glacier National Park has just three sites, two of which can be reserved in advance. That makes it highly competitive, but it’s worth taking a chance in the annual spring lottery to snag a spot: all three tent sites are at the far end of the glacial lake, meaning you’ll have views of the sheer cliffs of Mount Gould reflecting on turquoise water. There’s not a lot of privacy, but once day hikers have left by the late afternoon, campers are more likely to be surrounded by marmots, pika, or the occasional bear than people. As with most backcountry sites in Glacier, there’s no potable water, but there is a pit toilet. Like Stoney Indian Pass, reservations are essential, unless you want to take your chances with a walk-up permit.

Shadow Mountain

• Location: Near Jackson, Wyoming
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Majestic panoramas of the Grand Tetons

Campers venturing to the Shadow Mountain area of Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming will be rewarded with unparalleled vistas of the Teton Range, as the 50 designated sites have spectacular views of the surrounding jagged ridgelines. Because the area is so popular, dispersed camping is permitted only at designated sites to protect the natural landscape from being over trafficked. No reservations are available, so the best way to maximize your chances of getting a prime spot is to visit midweek in mid-spring or late fall, before or after the peak summer season (and get there early). Campers say sites four, nine, and 16 have excellent views. Read more at The Dyrt.

Animas Forks Ghost Town

• Location: Near Silverton, Colorado
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: A historic ghost town and fields of wildflowers

Campers who make the drive along the rugged, unpaved road to Animas Forks are treated to one of the most unique places to camp in Colorado: in a true ghost town. The site is more than 11,000 feet above sea level, situated in a high-alpine basin with no designated campsites or amenities. But campers can put their tents anywhere they’d like, allowing them to open the flap to the hauntingly beautiful sight of weathered, sun-bleached buildings from the 19th-century mining boom, standing against a backdrop of rugged San Juan Mountain peaks. Camping near the townsite offers the best historical views, but pull-offs on the surrounding forest road may offer a little more privacy. No reservations are available — just show up and find a good spot.

Lone Rock Beach

• Location: Big Water, Utah
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Basic
• View: Shimmering Lake Powell and a massive monolith

Campers at Lone Rock Beach in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Utah can count on waking up to the site of Lake Powell stretching endlessly toward the horizon, punctuated by the massive, solitary monolith that gives the beach its name. There are no designated campsites at Lone Rock — just open shoreline where you can park your rig or pitch a tent directly on the sand, with unobstructed views of the lake and the towering red rock walls that define the stunning canyon. Mornings bring soft golden light reflecting off the still water, and as night falls, the lack of artificial light makes for incredible stargazing. There are no reservations, so try to arrive early to claim a prime spot near the water. If solitude is your goal, head farther from the entrance to escape the busiest areas.

Saddle Mountain

• Location: Near Grand Canyon National Park
• Campground type: Car camping
• Facilities: Primitive
• View: Open sky and the distant San Francisco Peaks

Campers at Saddle Mountain in Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest will find themselves deep in the high country, where dense ponderosa pines give way to sweeping views of the Grand Canyon’s eastern rim. It’s a quiet dispersed camping area where you can choose your own site, as the area is connected by a network of forest roads leading to secluded clearings. It’s an excellent place to escape the crowds of the nearby national park while still having similarly breathtaking views. The roads can be rough in places, and afternoon monsoons are common in summer, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended. Read more at The Dyrt