San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- best months
Clear today
Weather is good · OpenWeather · checked 11 h ago
- At 5,125 ft
- Price Field Office
These campgrounds are located just outside the South end of Buckhorn Draw where Buckhorn Wash converges with the San Rafael River. Uniquely in the heart of the Northern San Rafael Swell and part of the San Rafael Recreation Area. The San Rafael River is adjacent to these campgrounds and separates Swinging Bridge North and the Equestrian Campground from Swinging Bridge South. The historic San Rafael Swinging Bridge, Utah's oldest intact suspension bridge, a 160-foot-long suspension bridge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937 was once the only bridge over the San Rafael River and used until 1990 when the bridge next to it was constructed. There are three different campground loops at this location: Swinging Bridge North, the Equestrian Loop and Swinging Bridge South. All three loops have tent pads, picnic tables, toilets, parking areas and fire rings. Swinging Bridge North Loop consists of 1 large group site and 8 individual campsites containing. It has a few cottonwood trees, which are good for shade in the hot summer months. Swinging Bridge South Loop has 11 campsites and some shade structures. The Equestrian Loop has 6 campsites as well as corrals at each site and a central corral area. There is no drinking water or trash removal services at these campgrounds. Please pack it out. Camping at each of these sites is $15 per site per night.
Local outfitters
- Castle Gate RV Park43 mi away
- Muddy Creek Mining Co.49 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Equestrian CampgroundCamping0.2 mi
Dylan WallRock climbingPhoto: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)1.3 mi
San Rafael Swell - NorthRock climbingPhoto: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)1.5 mi
Private Pizza WallRock climbingPhoto: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)1.9 mi
Little Grand Canyon TrailHikingPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2 mi
Goodwater RimHikingPhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.9 mi- Sids Mountain Wilderness - The WedgeCamping5.2 mi
- Oil Well Flat TrailHiking5.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Unit 4Camping · Next door
- Equestrian CampgroundCamping · Next door
- San Rafael CG NorthCamping · Next door
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 32Camping · ~2 min drive
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 33Camping · ~2 min drive
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 31Camping · ~2 min drive
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 30Camping · ~2 min drive
- Wedge Overlook Campsite #1Camping · ~5 min drive
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 29Camping · ~5 min drive
- Buckhorn Draw Campsite 28Camping · ~5 min drive
Also worth it near here
- Personal Watercraft Take-outBoat launch · Next door
Assembly Hall PeakSummit · ~1 min drivePhoto: Sandy Brown Jensen, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Dylan WallRock climbing · ~2 min drivePhoto: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Little Grand Canyon TrailHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground
Best months: April–June and September–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
40° / 10°
5 wet · 2 snow
Feb
47° / 16°
4 wet · 2 snow
Mar
58° / 25°
4 wet · 1 snow
Apr
66° / 31°
4 wet
May
75° / 40°
5 wet
Jun
85° / 47°
4 wet
Jul
91° / 54°
5 wet
Aug
89° / 52°
7 wet
Sep
81° / 43°
6 wet
Oct
68° / 32°
5 wet
Nov
53° / 20°
4 wet · 1 snow
Dec
41° / 11°
4 wet · 2 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Castle Dale, UT, 20.7 mi away at 5,629 ft. The station sits about 500 ft higher than this place, so expect it a little warmer here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
San Rafael Swinging Bridge Campground
Book on Recreation.gov