Camping in NP campgrounds...

[smlobx]

I was looking at the campground information for Bryce NP and it appears that all vehicle camping is in designated campgrounds of which there are two.

In both campgrounds there are areas for RV's with generators and tent, no generator sections. The tent only area also has a length restriction of 20' or less but allows multiple vehicles per site.

So I'm wondering if a truck camper who is longer than 20' would be allowed to camp in the tent areas....I guess we could pitch a tent to be legal but I was ordering if anyone has dealt with this before.

I hate generators as much as most people

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

My guess is if detected, you would get busted for camping in the TC in a tent area. About 10 yeas ago, we had a person join his brother at Furnace Creek (DVNP). The Rangers saw him camping in his van, and asked him to leave.

Check generator hours for the CGs, as they vary between parks. It might not be as bad you think.

 

[Stalking Light]

I camped in a tent only site at Zion and the rangers said it was ok. I am probably over 20' with my Aluminess rear bumper but I would be just as long if I just had a bike rack on the back.

 

[Bosque Bill]

I camped at Bryce with my truck camper a couple of years ago in the tent area, no problem. I got a very nice spot. There was another truck camper and a van, too.

If you want to make double sure, ask the campground host (not the rangers) when you drive into the campground. Be aware that all the sites will fill early in the day during high season.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I have found that there are "tent sites" and "tent only sites". Usually the tent only are park near the site and walk in your stuff.So no campers there. But tent sites have a parking pad and also a tent pad. But like Bill said check with the host.
There is a nice camping spot about 20 miles from Bryce, Kodachrome Basin SP,very nice camp spots didn't seem to be on top of each other.
Also check areas west of Bryce I think there a couple small campgrounds.
Frank

 

[mitch h]

We stayed in Red rock campground [ I think that's the name ] last fall. Nice campground, even had pay hot showers. I think it was west of Bryce. Might want to do the google thing. I'll try to check. Mitch

 

[Tuff Guy 62]

Shouldn't be a problem as long as it's not a tent only walk in area.

 

[Alley-Kat]

Here's someplace that most people don't know about, right next door to Bryce.
Try this, provided it is not covered in snow (best when it's late Spring, Summer and early Fall).

Go west on Hwy 12 almost 3 miles from the Bryce Canyon entrance road where it meets Hwy 12. Look for the campground sign on the left and turn left at East Fork Road from Hwy 12. Go South on East Fork Road, which turns to graded gravel/dirt within a short distance, to Tropic Reservoir about 7 miles, turn right on FS 572 that goes just below the dam, follow the signs to a Forest Service campground, with pit toilets. It's Utah so a lot of times this campground is used by ATV'ers. If that is the case and you don't want to stay there... continue South on East Fork Road to find many, many dispersed camping sites. Oh yeah, a couple of miles from Hwy 12 on East Fork Road there is an information station with a couple of display boards with info that is important to know about the area.

Red Canyon, about 10 miles west of Bryce on Hwy 12, is pretty neat, however, it's right next to Hwy 12 and a bit noisy with traffic at night on the weekends for my taste. Not too bad during the week with a lot less traffic.

 

[iowahiker]

All NP campgrounds have different definition of "tent camping". Sometimes it means no generators and sometimes it means a non-level parking spot and sometimes it means no RV including no truck campers. Some NP rangers directed our truck camper to a "tent" only campground without us even asking. Last time we were at Bryce NP, "tent only" was no generators and non-level parking spot, aka truck campers were ok so long as you fit on the parking spot and there were a few spots which could handle a truck camper over 20 feet.

At the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, "tent only" was a level back-in site up to 50' long and RV's were not allowed. RV's including truck campers had to be in a pull through site. A large number of rented RV's with newbie drivers.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

We stayed in Red rock campground [ I think that's the name ] last fall. Nice campground, even had pay hot showers. I think it was west of Bryce. Might want to do the google thing. I'll try to check. Mitch

When we were leaving Kodachrome SP headed west we went through that campground.Looks like a nice area.
Frank

 

[iowahiker]

We camped in Red Canyon Campground west of Bryce in October 2015. Lots of large paved sites and very clean flush toilets but the highway and highway noise are very close. The highway noise stopped around 8pm. The paved Red Canyon bike trail goes past this campground. Mid week in the very busy October season Red Canyon Campground filled in the late afternoon after Bryce NP filled. You could check Bryce NP campgrounds and use Red Canyon as an out if you arrive mid-day. Check opening and closing dates for Red Canyon which closes to prevent freezing pipes during the winter. Our last two trips to Bryce were summer trips and mid week mid day arrival had a good selection of sites in the NP.

 

[mitch h]

It was Red Canyon not Red Rocks. I have that geezer thing.

 

[Advmoto18]

According to my bro-in-law (a retired NP Superintendent) waiver of camp rules is left up to the discretion of the park's Superintendent. Expect no waiver at NP's during high season at many of the big name NPs.

The rules are often designed to segregate different types of campers thus allowing each type of camper to enjoy the camp and park according to their style of "use". Frankly, if in a "tent only campground", who wants to be camping in a 2 person tent next door to a 26' truck rig with LED lights shining and all the conveniences of home? While there is absolutely nothing "wrong" with either style of camping, and I enjoy both, it is simply a matter of camp ambiance for most folks who make a long and perhaps once in a lifetime trip to some of the more glamorous NPs.

Sometimes, the rules regarding OAL into a camp site are to help protect those "who think they can" from getting stuck on a tight, twisty trail. When we camped at Sublime Point, North Rim, GC, we were stopped by a Ranger at the beginning of the trail who stepped off my short bed Super Duty. While I had no issues getting to the Point, a long wheel base, crew cab with a in the bed camper would have done some serious twisting and flexing at several points on the trail.

 

[Kolockum]

Sometimes, the rules regarding OAL into a camp site are to help protect those "who think they can" from getting stuck on a tight, twisty trail. When we camped at Sublime Point, North Rim, GC, we were stopped by a Ranger at the beginning of the trail who stepped off my short bed Super Duty. While I had no issues getting to the Point, a long wheel base, crew cab with a in the bed camper would have done some serious twisting and flexing at several points on the trail.

I used to work for the park service and a lot of the issues we had to deal with involved people "who thought they could" with no experience. The rent an RV group is notorious for ignoring signs and crashing into things. Most rangers you deal with are going to (for better or worse) assume your a rental RV person. Some parks have RVs hit the fee booths so often that the roofs are actually completely remove able to speed up repair.

Also as Advmoto said camping regulations are up to the Superintendent. A small park I worked in had a small campground (40 sites) with hike in sites on one end and the rest of the sites were open to any vehicle or person. The one time in the last 10 years that the campground got full we just parked people on the grass lawn and in a corner of the picnic area, something that a large park would never do and really could never do.

 

[clikrf8]

We have camped several times at the one campground that is open in the off season at Bryce in the tent section. We are 23.5' long including Ranch Hand bumper. Never any problems. No generators, thankfully. And, the folks who tent are usually nicer.