A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Bureau of Land Management campground

Simpson Springs Campground

Bureau of Land Management campground in Salt Lake Field Office, Tooele County, Utah. 5,138 feet. 18.2 miles from Vernon.

Managed by
Bureau of Land Management Salt Lake Field Office
Elevation
5,138 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
23 22 standard non-electric, 1 group standard area non-electric
Longest rig
70 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
Stay limit
14 days
County
Tooele County

Overview

The campground is situated on the eastern edge of Utah's West Desert near the historic Simpson Springs station on the Pony Express National Historic Trail. Simpson Springs was the site of a significant Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp in the late 1930s and early 1940s, just prior to the establishment of the US Army Dugway Proving Grounds during World War II.

Recreation

Hiking, picnicking, OHV riding, mountian biking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing, scenic backcountry byway, Pony Express National Historic Trail.

Facilities

Potable water (seasonally) and accessible vault toilets.

Natural Features

Campground is along the Pony Express National Historic Trail.

Nearby Attractions

Historic Pony Express National Historic Trail site and visitor interpretation.

The description, directions and fees are the Bureau of Land Management’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • camping
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • off highway vehicle
  • picnicking

The land around Simpson Springs Campground

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 1, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.