A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Balsam

Forest Service campground in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Utah County, Utah. About 6,000 feet. 10.6 miles from Mapleton.

Managed by
Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Elevation
About 6,000 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
26 15 tent only non-electric, 9 standard non-electric, 2 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
35 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Utah County

Overview

Balsam Campground is located on the banks of pretty Hobble Creek just 12 miles from Springville, Utah, at an elevation of 6,000 feet. Visitors enjoy fishing and exploring local trails.

Recreation

Rainbow and brown trout fishing are popular on Hobble Creek. A few hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are in the area,. Deer Springs Trail begins at the top of the campground and is 1 mile long. Dry Canyon Trails are in the area. Left Fork and Days Canyon Trail can be accessed by nearby Cherry Campground. Kirkman Hollow Trail is accessed along the main road 2 miles to the south. Scenic driving above the campground is available for off road vehicles.

Facilities

The campground contains one group site that can accommodate up to 100 people. It contains picnic and serving tables, a campfire ring, and cement site pad. This group site is a walk-to site accessed by a steep, paved trail from the parking area.

Single family sites are available as well, with picnic and serving tables, and campfire rings with benches. Vault toilets are provided.

Natural Features

Maple, fir and cottonwood trees forest the area, providing partial shade, beautiful fall color and some privacy between campsites. Hobble Creek runs through the campground.

Nearby Attractions

Deer Spring Trail begins at the top of the camp and is one mile long. Left Fork Days Canyon Trail and Kirkman Hollow Trail, for hiking, biking, horseback riding and dirt biking, can be accessed at nearby Cherry Campground.

Hobble Creek road is a narrow road tunneled with thick trees and winds through steep mountains. Almost any turn of the road offers a great chance for a short hike. The paved road ends 8 miles up the canyon and continues to climb until it reaches over into Diamond Fork Canyon.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking

The land around Balsam

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated August 11, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.