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

Forest Service campground

Spruces - Big Cottonwood

Forest Service campground in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Salt Lake County, Utah. About 7,500 feet. 2.7 miles from Brighton.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Elevation
About 7,500 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
96 82 standard non-electric, 5 rv non-electric, 4 yurt
Longest rig
80 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Salt Lake County

Overview

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.

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.

Facilities

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.

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.

Nearby Attractions

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.

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

What people do here

  • backpacking
  • biking
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • mountain biking
  • rock climbing
  • scenic drive
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Spruces - Big Cottonwood

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

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.

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