This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Though it hardly seems possible, the three-day July 4th holiday weekend is almost upon us, marking one of the busiest outdoor travel weekends of the summer.
With the Fourth on a Monday this year, there is a good possibility many Utahns will head to the mountains or the nearest reservoir Thursday night or Friday morning, spend the weekend camping and then get home in time Monday to enjoy traditional fireworks displays.
One result of Utah's growing population couple with the popularity of outdoor recreation is that finding an open campsite on short notice can be difficult, though not always impossible.
The days of finding a first-come, first-served spot, however, are nearly gone. Again, it is possible to luck out on a busy weekend, especially at huge camping complexes such as Strawberry or Flaming Gorge.
Some also go the dispersed camping route, though more restrictions and often designated spots to enjoy this public lands activity can often be a challenge.
If I hadn't planned ahead, the first thing I would do at this point would be to check with http://www.ReserveAmerica.com, the national site that handles Utah State Park, U.S. Forest Service and some national park and Bureau of Land Management reservation sites.
Give a general area of where you want to camp, perhaps the Mirror Lake Highway, Logan Canyon, Ogden Canyon, Strawberry, Fish Lake, Flaming Gorge or a Utah State Park Reservoir and ask what Consider potentially less crowded areas of the state as well or even private campgrounds.
A good private campground site is http://www.koa.com. Kampgrounds of America offers many campgrounds in Utah, often with camp cabins and swimming pools.
The official Utah travel website, http://www.visitutah.com, also has information on both private campgrounds and motels and hotels which, depending on the area, may be in big demand this weekend as well.
And, of course, Wasatch Front residents can simply opt for close-to-home day trips for hiking, fishing or boating in the cooler canyons and then go home for the night.
Whatever the case, nearly every park, forest and even desert will be jammed this weekend. Plan accordingly.