U.S. Forest Service · Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest · Alta, UT

Albion Basin

Albion Basin Campground, just 15 miles from Sandy, Utah, is set among shady white pines and aspens in its beautiful namesake basin in Little Cottonwood Canyon at an elevation of 9,500 feet.

Closed for the seasonPartly reservable34 sitesFrom $10 per night25 ft maxNo hookups

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Utah · reservable in Utah

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Albion BasinALBION BASINALBION BASINALBION BASIN
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov
4fires
active
Thaynes Canyon 2026 Piles Rx (prescribed burn) · 7 mi away · 73 acres
3 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups26
Host/management8
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 25 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

26 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehicles
001Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
002Back-in25GravelNone8 / 1
003Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
004Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
005Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
006Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
007Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
008Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
009Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1
010Back-in25GravelPartial8 / 1

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length25 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
FeesThe maximum number of vehicles allowed on a site is 2 on a single with 1 included in the site fee, 4 on a double with 2 included in the site fee, and 6 on a triple with 3 included in the site fee. Extra Vehicle Fee: $10.00/car per day.

The campground contains 24 "reservation" sites (22 single sites, one double and one triple site). All come with picnic tables and campfire rings. Vault toilets are provided. Roads and parking spurs are dirt. One single site is available on a First Come, First Served basis, site #2.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
ForestUinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
BookingReservations must be made at least 5 days in advance.
Fees16 Single Sites 2 Double Sites 1 Triple Site There is a fee or a extra vehicle
Rules7-day stay limit

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Albion Basin20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 6.37 inches of precipitation, 74.7 inches of snowFebruary: 5.40 inches of precipitation, 81.2 inches of snowMarch: 6.17 inches of precipitation, 71.4 inches of snowApril: 4.78 inches of precipitation, 50.0 inches of snowMay: 3.47 inches of precipitation, 15.9 inches of snowJune: 1.96 inches of precipitation, 4.4 inches of snowJuly: 1.48 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 2.07 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 2.58 inches of precipitation, 2.6 inches of snowOctober: 3.50 inches of precipitation, 24.4 inches of snowNovember: 4.17 inches of precipitation, 53.9 inches of snowDecember: 5.13 inches of precipitation, 79.8 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 22.9°F averageFebruary: 23.0°F averageMarch: 28.5°F averageApril: 33.6°F averageMay: 43.0°F averageJune: 53.3°F averageJuly: 61.6°F averageAugust: 60.2°F averageSeptember: 51.7°F averageOctober: 40.3°F averageNovember: 29.1°F averageDecember: 22.3°F average0 in20 in40 in60 in80 in100 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Alta, 2 miles from the campground at 8,710 feet, station USC00420072 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 47 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 458 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-215, take the 6200 South exit and travel a mile east to Wasatch Blvd. Take Wasatch Blvd 3 miles south to the junction with Little Cottonwood Canyon/Highway 210. Take a left at the junction and travel up Little Cottonwood Canyon 10.2 miles to the campground.

Nearest townAlta, Utah
Coordinates40.5764° N, 111.6111° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Thaynes Canyon 2026 Piles Rx

    7 mi from the campground · 73 acres

  • Prescribed
    Mill Creek State Piles Rx

    8 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Mill Creek Piles Rx

    8 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Pepperwood Rx

    10 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Outdoor gearPowderhorn Adventure Center ↗3.1 mi
Dump stationDump station ↗6.9 mi
RV sales & serviceCamping World ↗15.3 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Albion Basin Utah: Campground Heaven #utah #albionbasin #utahmountain

Worth a stop

Little Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful area known for its soaring peaks, unique geology, pristine hidden lakes and cascading streams. Numerous additional hiking and mountain biking trails are found throughout the canyon. Rock climbing and fly-fishing are popular activities as well. Snowbird Resort is just a few miles down-canyon, offering scenic tram rides, hiking, mountain biking, restaurants, groceries, an Alpine Slide, zip line rides, concerts and various festivals.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Albion C.g. - Catherine Link
    0.09 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.1 mi
    Cecret Lake
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.1 mi
    Devils Castle Loop
    0.9 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Cecret Lake Spur
    0.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Albion Meadows
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Catherines Connector B
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Lone Peak Wilderness begins about 3.6 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

Albion Basin is renowned for its vivid summer wildflowers. The basin hosts the Wasatch Wildflower Festival annually in late July or early August, complete with guided nature walks. Moose and deer frequent the basin and mountain goats can often be seen on the precipitous face of Devils Castle, just south of the campground. A small stream runs through the basin.

Recreation

Hiking and mountain biking are very popular activities. Hikers enjoy the path to Cecret Lake, which begins at the campground, as well as the Catherine Pass/Sunset Peak Trail just down the road. Mountain bikers often ride the Albion Basin Road and the trail to Germania Pass. Other trails include the Albion Meadows Trail and Cardiff Pass/Twin Lake Pass.

Guidebooks for Utah

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Albion Basin?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Albion Basin?

The maximum number of vehicles allowed on a site is 2 on a single with 1 included in the site fee, 4 on a double with 2 included in the site fee, and 6 on a triple with 3 included in the site fee. Extra Vehicle Fee: $10.00/car per day.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Albion Basin?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 1:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Albion Basin open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Albion Basin have?

34 sites, including 26 standard sites without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Albion Basin?

The longest site here provides 25 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Is there cell service at Albion Basin?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Albion Basin?

Hiking and mountain biking are very popular activities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Albion Basin?

Alta, Utah. Little Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful area known for its soaring peaks, unique geology, pristine hidden lakes and cascading streams.

Source: Getting there

What if Albion Basin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Redman Campground (2.9 mi), Tanners Flat (4.6 mi), and Spruces - Big Cottonwood (4.6 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby