A Free Campground Perched At The Top Of A Mesa Near Zion National Park Offers Miles Of Red Rock Scenery

Many are drawn to Utah for its otherworldly, mountains-meet-desert nature, like the colorful and scenic Dixie National Forest. One of its most visited places is Zion National Park, renowned for red sandstone cliffs, hanging gardens, and the iconic river canyon trail called The Narrows. Because of its popularity, though, the park can get crowded, and camping there comes with a fee. Just under an hour away from Zion by car, Gooseberry Mesa offers front-row seats to Utah's red-rock beauty, without the lines or pricey lodging.

Gooseberry Mesa is a perfect basecamp for mountain bikers, hikers, and photographers alike. The mesa has an elevation of over 5,000 feet — you can drive up to the plateau and pick a spot among its dispersed campsites, which are free of charge, and sleep among the desert landscape as cows graze along the cliffside. "Almost all of the campsites on top of Gooseberry Mesa provide incredible views of the region," wrote Greg Heil for his blog Outside 365. If you are looking for something more robust, it's also possible to rent a yurt to camp in. When you're not chilling by the campsite, the mesa is full of hiking and mountain-biking trails.

Campers coming to Gooseberry Mesa have two options: free, dispersed camping regulated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), or private yurt rentals. As for dispersed camping, these are unofficial campsites on public lands that meet BLM regulations. They're free and first-come, first-served, but without any of the amenities you'd get at a designated campground. According to the BLM, dispersed camping in Utah has a 14-day limit and is only allowed on areas with signs of previous camping. Campfires are allowed, so long as they're within existing fire rings or a fire pan. There are pit toilets at the trailheads.

The yurt rentals are provided by Gooseberry Mesa Yurts, which you'll find on the North Rim of the mesa. They're not available during July or August (because of extreme heat), and you can reserve one online in advance. Though pricier than a traditional campsite, the yurts come with lots of amenities, including bunk beds, a lantern, a cooking stove, and picnic table.

Getting to the camping area can be a bit tricky, as it involves driving along a nearly 4-mile stretch of rough road. "The road is not recommended for any vehicles after heavy rain, and I wouldn't recommend it for campers / RV's unless you are fairly adventurous in your driving," travel blog We Always Wander wrote. Once you get up the mesa, though, you're rewarded with unbelievably gorgeous views of the towering sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park and the craggy desert canyons.

The mesa is home to the Gooseberry Mesa National Recreation Trail, which is actually a system of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Only designated trails should be used to protect the desert environment. The trails wind through juniper and ponderosa pines, vibrant desert ridges, and cacti. Look carefully, and you might find deer, cottontails, or even preserved dinosaur tracks.

Hikers have options for all difficulty levels. The 3-mile White Trail, for example, is an easy hike that cuts through the middle of the mesa, with firm ground and minimal obstacles. On the other end of the spectrum, the South Rim Trail is one of the most difficult: It's nearly 6 miles, with steep inclines, tight turns, and uneven ground. For mountain bikers, these also serve as great slickrock trails. Off-roading around the mesa is not allowed.

If you're making the mesa part of a trip from Zion National Park, you can reach it in under an hour's drive by turning onto Sheep Bridge Road from Route 9. Gooseberry Mesa is close to the town of Apple Valley, where there are a couple of art studios, a convenience store, and a farmer's market. For travelers flying in, the closest airport is the St. George Regional Airport, about 50 minutes away, with flights from Western cities like Los Angeles, Denver, and Phoenix. Or, you could make Gooseberry Mesa a layover on a scenic road trip to Utah's five national parks.