Utahns have long known that when it comes to campgrounds, the state has its share of hidden gems.
Now it appears others agree.
The list of America's "Top 100 Family Campgrounds" includes six Utah parks — Antelope Island, Bear Lake, Dead Horse Point, Red Fleet, Wasatch Mountain and Willard Bay.
The list is put together by ReserveAmerica, the largest reservation management group in the country. According to the release, the list was compiled from information gathered from park rangers, regional park managers and campers who took the time to write in testimonials and ratings.
Nearly 3,000 parks were reviewed. Selection to the elite list was based on "family-friendly criteria" ranging from educational programs, visitor centers, camping amenities and overall beauty and scenery.
The quality and availability of hot showers, laundry facilities, hiking trails, family beaches, radio-free zones, visitor centers, educational programs, children's events and location were also considered.
"Though we think all 41 state parks should have made the list, these six parks show the incredible diversity of our state and its resources," said Mary Tullius, interim director of the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.
"All six parks offer special events for families or Junior Ranger programs for children and aren't limited to summer activities. These are parks that offer year-round recreation."
ReserveAmerica handles reservations for more than 170,000 state and federal camping and day-use areas throughout the United States, including those in Utah.
According to the release, to better understand the needs of the camping public, ReserveAmerica conducted an online survey of more than 100,000 campers. Some of the key findings include:
59.6 percent believe "park amenities and detailed campsite descriptions" are the most important items when reserving a camping trip.
58.2 percent plan to camp three or more times throughout the year.
87.4 percent agree that "family bonding, fresh air and beautiful surroundings" are the most enjoyable part of camping.
45 percent selected "sitting by the campfire" as their favorite activity while camping.
The six Utah parks are:
Antelope Island long has been considered one of Utah's true gems. It is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake and the most accessible.
On the island is the historic Fielding Garr Ranch, located on the eastern shores. Park staff put on daily demonstrations of pioneer living, including candle making, spinning and blacksmithing.
The island is home to a wide range of wildlife, including more than 600 buffalo, along with antelope, deer, coyotes, bighorn sheep and thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl.
Year-round camping is available on the northern tip of the island. The campground is a primitive area with pit toilets and no shower facilities. Modern facilities, including hot showers and drinking water, are located at the day-use area, approximately one-half mile away.
Bear Lake long has been a Utah favorite for a range of activities, including camping, water sports, golfing and touring. Located on the Utah/Idaho border, the three state-owned facilities in Utah provide boating access, camping and day-use opportunities.
The sandy beaches near camping areas have added to the overall popularity of the lake.
Dead Horse Point, located northwest of Moab, comes with one of the most spectacular views available anywhere. The point is perched 2,000 feet above the Colorado River.
Along with a new visitors center there is a remote but popular campground.
Red Fleet is not as well known as the other parks, which makes it truly a hidden gem. It is located in the red-rock country 10 miles north of Vernal.
Along with a beautiful campground and reservoir, there is a 1.5-mile hiking trail that leads past dinosaur tracks and interpretive sites.
Wasatch Mountain in Midway is Utah's most popular park, partly because of its proximity to major population areas and partly because of the many activities offered, including one of the state's most popular golf courses, along with camping, picnicking, hiking and horseback riding. It is also a sister resort to nearby Soldier Hollow.
The park offers 139 camping/picnicking sites, two group day-use pavilions, modern restrooms, hot showers and utility hookups.
Willard Bay, located on the shore of the Great Salt Lake, features a 9,000-acre, fresh-water reservoir for fishing, boating and swimming.
The North Marina, 15 miles north of Ogden off I-15, is a newly renovated facility with campsites, modern restrooms, hot showers, sewage disposal station, seasonal/transient boat-slip rentals and sandy beaches. The South Marina is eight miles north of Ogden. It is open April through October and provides boat launching, seasonal boat-slip rentals and modern restrooms.
On the list of the top 100, Utah and Colorado each placed six parks. Idaho had five and New York seven. California and Florida each had 11. Wyoming and Washington failed to make the list. Oregon has one.
The 2004 Top 100 Family Campgrounds:
Allegany State Park, NY
Antelope Island State Park, UT
Auburn State Recreation Area, CA
Ausable Point Campground, NY
Bayou Segnette State Park, LA
Bear Lake State Park, UT
Benbow Lake State Recreation Area, CA
Blackwater River State Park, FL
Blanding Landing, IL
Blue Creek, OK
Bluff View, MO
Carbolyn Park, KS
Caddo Lake State Park, TX
Calaveras Big Tree State Park, CA
Quarry Cove, AR
Choctaw Lake Campground and Recreation Area, MS
Clarksburg State Park, MA
Colorado River State Park, CO
Copper Falls State Park, WI
D.A.R. State Forest (Daughters of the American Revolution), MA
Davis Mountains State Park, TX
Dead Horse Point State Park, UT
Dent Acres Campground, ID
Dworshak State Park, ID
Emerald Bay State Park, CA
Fair Haven Beach (Finger Lakes), NY
Fairy Stone State Park, VA
Fallen Leaf Campground, CA
Farragut State Park, ID
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, CO
Golden Hill State Park (Niagara), NY
Green Lake State Park (Central), NY
Guadalupe River State Park, TX
Gun Creek Campground, IL
Hawthorn Bluff, OK
Hells Gate State Park, ID
Henderson Beach State Park, FL
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA
Housatonic Meadows State Park, CT
Jonathan Dickinson State Park, FL
Juniper Springs Recreation Area, Ocala National Forest, FL
Lake D'Arbonne State Park, LA
Lake Fausse Pointe State Park, LA
Lake Louisa State Park, FL
Lake Michigan at Manistee, Huron-Manistee National Forest, MI
Lake Oroville State Recreation Area, CA
Lake Pueblo State Park, CO
Lakeview Park, AR
Letchworth State Park (Genesee), NY
Limekiln State Park, CA
Longview, KS
Macedonia Brook State Park, CT
Manatee Springs State Park, FL
Mashamoquet State Park, CT
Moffit Beach Campground, NY
Mohawk Trail State Forest, MA
Mueller State Park, CO
Nickerson State Park, MA
North Toledo Bend State Park, LA
Old Post Road, AR
Oleta River State Park, FL
Oscar Scherer State Park, FL
Otter River State Forest, MA
Outlet Area, AR
Palomar Mountain State Park, CA
Pearl Hill State Park, MA
Persimmon Hill, MS
Pickensville, AL
Washington Irving South Park, OK
Ponderosa State Park, ID
Priest Lake State Park, ID
Red Fleet State Park, UT
Ridgway State Park, CO
Robert W. Craig Campground, WV
Russian Gulch State Park, CA
Salisbury Beach State Reservation, MA
Sandy Lake Recreation Area, MN
Schwarz Park, OR
Scusset Beach State Reservation, MA
Sebastian Inlet State Park, FL
Seneca Shadows, Monongahela National Forest, WV
Smith Mountain Lake State Park, VA
South Llano River State Park, TX
Spencer Creek, OK
Staunton River State Park, VA
Steamboat Lake State Park, CO
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, FL
Taconic State Park / Copake Falls (Taconic), NY
Thibaut Point, MO
Thompson's Lake State Park (Saratoga/Capital District), NY
Tickfaw State Park, LA
Tolland State Forest, MA
Wasatch Mountain State Park, UT
Waveland Park, AR
Wellesley Island State Park (Thousand Islands), NY
Wells State Park, MA
Whitehall Bay, KS
Willard Bay State Park, UT
Wilbur D. Mills, AR
Willow River State Park, WI
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