Spruces - Big Cottonwood
Spruces Campground is located in scenic Big Cottonwood Canyon at an elevation of 7,500 feet. Salt Lake City is conveniently close. Visitors enjoy hiking, biking and fishing.
More like this: reservable in Utah · big rigs in Utah · group sites in Utah
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗



Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 82 |
| group picnic area | 6 |
| RV, no hookups | 5 |
| Yurts | 4 |
| Group sites | 3 |
| Tent-only | 2 |
| Host/management | 8 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 80 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
102 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | People / vehicles | Fires | Pets | Accessible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRP2 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | 100 / 20 | Yes | No | Yes | |||
| GRP3 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | Full | 100 / 20 | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GRP4 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | Full | 50 / 10 | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GRP7 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | Partial | 150 / 30 | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GRP8 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | Partial | 50 / 10 | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GRP9 | GRUP - DAY USE | Group Picnic Area | Paved | Full | 100 / 20 | Yes | No | Yes | ||
| GRP1 | GRUP - OVERNIGHT | Group | 35 | Paved | Full | 50 / 10 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| GRP5 | GRUP - OVERNIGHT | Group | 35 | Paved | Full | 50 / 10 | Yes | No | ||
| GRP6 | GRUP - OVERNIGHT | Group | 35 | Paved | Full | 50 / 10 | Yes | No | Yes | |
| 001 | LOWR | Standard | Back-in | 20 | Paved | 16 / 2 | Yes | No |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 7:00 AM, checkout 10:00 PM.

Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 80 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | Cash, Check, or Scan & Pay. 80 Single Sites- $33.00, Capacity - 8 people + 1 vehicle. 8 Double Sites - $67.00, Capacity - 16 people + 2 vehicle. 2 Triple Sites - $94.00, Capacity - 24 people + 3 vehicle. 4 Glamping Sites - $119.00, Capacity - 8 people (deposit required) + 1 vehicle. |
| Accessibility | Sites GRP2, GRP3, GRP4, GRP7 and 8 more are listed accessible |
This large campground contains several group overnight campsites and day-use picnic sites, as well as numerous single and double-family campsites. All sites have picnic tables, campfire rings and grills. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. A baseball field, volleyball court and horseshoe pits are located within the campground. Firewood is available for purchase from the host. All roads, parking areas and parking sites are paved and all walkways are concrete or paved.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Status | Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date. |
| Forest | Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest |
| Rules | This campground is located Big Cottonwood Canyon, which is in the Salt Lake City Watershed. Special regulations apply and are strictly enforced. No pets allowed. This area is closed to swimming. |
Weather by month
Getting there
From I-215, take the 6200 South exit and travel a mile east to Wasatch Blvd. Take Wasatch Blvd a mile south to junction with Big Cottonwood Canyon/Highway 190. Make a left at the junction and travel up Big Cottonwood Canyon 9.7 miles to the campground.
| Nearest town | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Coordinates | 40.6406° N, 111.6358° W · Directions ↗ |
Charges and cancellations
- Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees
- Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation.
- Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount.
- You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
- Late Cancellations
- Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival.
- Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply.
- Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.
- Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.
- Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge.
- No-Shows
- Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival
- If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees.
- Refunds
- Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure.
- Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location.
- Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card.
- Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy.
- Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure.
- Recreation.gov Billing Information
Fire nearby
- PrescribedMill Creek State Piles Rx
3 mi from the campground
- PrescribedMill Creek Piles Rx
3 mi from the campground
- PrescribedThaynes Canyon 2026 Piles Rx
6 mi from the campground · 73 acres
- PrescribedParleys/Lambs Canyon Piles Rx
6 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 gear | Powderhorn Adventure Center ↗ | 2.7 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 10.3 mi |
| RV sales & service | Parris RV ↗ | 13.2 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Camping at the Spruces | Big Cottonwood Canyon | Silver Lake | 2025
Worth a stop
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful area known for its soaring peaks, pristine hidden lakes and cascading streams. Numerous hiking and mountain biking trails are in the area. Rock climbing is a popular activity as well. Solitude Mountain Resort is 3 miles up-canyon, offering scenic chairlift rides, hiking, a few dining options and a challenging 18-hole disc golf course. Silver Lake is another mile past Solitude. Fishing and canoeing are popular activities. An easy trail loops around the small lake.
- 3.7 mi
- 4.5 miClover Springs Picnic Area ↗Day use
- 5.9 miTerraces Trailhead #006 ↗Trailhead
Trails nearby
- 0.2 miDays Fork3.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.3 miGreen Basin1.1 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.5 miDonut Falls Connector0.7 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.7 miJordan Pines Connector0.5 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.8 miCardiff Boardwalk Connector0.2 mi trail · hiking, bike
- 0.8 miCardiff Fork1.8 mi trail · hiking, bike
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
Mount Olympus Wilderness begins about 2.4 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 2.4 miMount Olympus Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 15,291 acres
- 3.2 miTwin Peaks Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 11,436 acres
- 6.3 miLone Peak Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 30,632 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Anne P. Marriott HouseBuilding · Sandy · 3.1 mi
- Wasatch Mountain Club LodgeBuilding · Salt Lake City · 4.1 mi
- McPolin FarmsteadBuilding · Park City · 6.2 mi
Natural features
The campground is set among a forest of shady spruce and aspen trees. Vivid summer wildflowers are abundant and autumn leaves put on quite a show.
Recreation
Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities on canyon trails, including the Donut Falls Trail, which begins in the nearby Jordan Pines Campground. Fly-fishermen enjoy casting on Big Cottonwood Creek.
Guidebooks for Utah
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Sites at Spruces - Big Cottonwood are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
How much does it cost to camp at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Cash, Check, or Scan & Pay. 80 Single Sites- $33.00, Capacity - 8 people + 1 vehicle. 8 Double Sites - $67.00, Capacity - 16 people + 2 vehicle.
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Check-in 7:00 AM, checkout 10:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount.
Source: Charges and cancellations
Is Spruces - Big Cottonwood open right now?
Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.
Source: Forest Service status
How many sites does Spruces - Big Cottonwood have?
110 sites, including 82 standard sites without power, 6 group picnic area, 5 RV sites without hookups, and 4 yurt.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
Are there showers or a dump station at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Flush toilets and drinking water are provided.
Source: Recreation.gov
Can I have a campfire at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. This campground is located Big Cottonwood Canyon, which is in the Salt Lake City Watershed.
Source: Fire nearby
Are there accessible sites at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Sites GRP2, GRP3, GRP4, and GRP7 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 12 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.
Source: Recreation.gov
Is there cell service at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is there to do at Spruces - Big Cottonwood?
Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities on canyon trails, including the Donut Falls Trail, which begins in the nearby Jordan Pines Campground. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation



