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BLM Camping

Hidden Lake Recreation Site

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.

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Hidden Lake Recreation Site

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal agency that manages government land throughout the United States. Many BLM campgrounds provide restrooms, fire pits, and picnic tables; the agency usually charges a small fee for overnight stays. These campsites are generally isolated, and campers are required to maintain their particular site. While most BLM sites host campgrounds to allow visitors to stay overnight to enjoy the land, the Hidden Lake Recreation Site is unsuitable for Bureau of Land Management camping. The site is a small area in the hills above Kanab, UT, where a water-filled cave peeks from beneath a red-sandstone cliff. The road deteriorates as visitors get close to it, making it almost impossible to take an RV there.

Lying close to the Utah/Arizona border, the Hidden Lake Recreation Site is a great detour for those traveling to Peek-A-Boo Canyon of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Its location puts the site close to two national parks: Zion National Park and Grand Canyon National Park.

What to See and Do

Hiking and Biking

Belly of the Dragon Trail

Located about 10 miles north of the Hidden Lake Recreation Site, the Belly of the Dragon Trail is atypical in that it is an example of a human-made structure reverting to its natural state. The tunnel through which the trail runs was constructed as a drainage culvert that eroded over time to become a wonder of nature. The walk takes visitors to an opening with spectacular views of the valleys below.

Length: 0.5 miles

Intensity: Easy

Climbing

Several locations within a short distance of the Hidden Lake Recreation Site offer challenging climbs to rock climbers. One is the Kanab Creek Crag Rock, which lies about 20 miles to the north. The rock is a basalt thrust with climbable faces to the east and west that are 100 feet high.

Wildlife Viewing

Wildlife near the Hidden Lake Recreation Site is as varied as the terrain. Visitors see occasional antelopes, mule deer, coyotes, lizards, kangaroo rats, quails, rabbits, and roadrunners along the flat desert areas. Anywhere there are cliffs, rattlesnakes occupy the small crevices, absorbing the heat from the rocks. In the higher basalt formations, wrens, peregrine falcons, condors, and great horned owls maintain their nests.

Picnicking

The Hidden Lake Recreation Site supports a picnic area about 200 yards from the cliff. Picnicking is allowed in most places around the site, though picnic tables are few and far between. Visitors often bring a portable table with them to enjoy the spectacular views while enjoying a quick meal. The two area BLM campgrounds provide picnic areas with tables for visitors at no charge.

Stargazing

The isolated country around Hidden Lake Recreation Site is free of artificial light. Those who enjoy a night boondocking along the roads near the site find that BLM RV camping brings a fantastic reward from the night sky. The color and hues of stars shine distinctly through the rarified atmosphere of this area, where elevations average over 4,500 feet.

Bureau of Land Management Camping

RV Camping

There are two RV camping possibilities within 50 miles of Hidden Lake Recreation Site. The closest is Ponderosa Grove Campground at an elevation of 6,300 feet located in the Vermillion Cliffs area just north of Kanab, UT. Its 34 primitive sites sit beneath a canopy of ponderosa pines, and views from the campground include the White Cliffs to the west and the colorful Pink Cliffs to the east. The Bureau of Land Management Camping division charges $5 per overnight stay for visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. The second BLM campground near the Hidden Lake Recreation Site is the White House Campground, located roughly 42 miles east of Kanab, which also serves as the trailhead for the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area.

Free Camping

Bureau of Land Management free camping is available in several sites near the Hidden Lake Recreation Site. Most of these free campsites are located near areas that attract visitors, such as the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. One such campground is the Stateline Campground, about 40 miles east of Kanab that provides three free RV campsites. Visitors enjoy the use of vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire pits. Other campsites sit beside dirt roads like the Hog Canyon Trail or the Kanab Canyon Roadside, allowing RV travelers to pull off the road onto level dirt spots to camp overnight.

RV Rentals Near Hidden Lake Recreation Site Plan your next adventure

Credit: Vanna Mae, @vannamaeart

Planning your Hidden Lake Recreation Site BLM trip

While planning their trip, RV campers seeking to visit Hidden Lake Recreation Site should perform an Internet search for "BLM camping near me" while using the Hidden Lake Recreation Site as their location. The search reveals the type of campgrounds available, the weather conditions to be expected, and directions on how to get to the campsites from any chosen location.

BLM camping facilities are generally more primitive than others bringing travelers closer to nature. You will want to have everything you need in case of emergency, including extra clothes, water, food, and first aid supplies. Travelers should never forget that the local wildlife calls the area around these Bureau of Land Management campgrounds home, so always keep your food secured as to not attract hungry animals.

Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.

Leave No Trace

"Leave No Trace" began as a commitment by RV campers as a courtesy to fellow travelers. Today, the BLM and other federal and state recreational organizations adopted the practice as a regulation. Always remember to leave the campsite the way you found it. Police the area before you go. Make sure that all remnants of your presence are removed. A good tip involving campfires is to carry a large frying pan with a high lip to use as a fireplace. This ensures that your ashes are not left at the campsite.