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Ponderosa Campground is nestled in scenic Bear Canyon just off the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway at an elevation of 6,200 feet. Nephi, Utah, is just 10 miles away. Visitors enjoy hiking and fishing in this quiet canyon.
Salt Creek runs alongside the campground, offering rainbow trout fishing. Bear Canyon Trail, for hiking, biking and horseback riding, begins at nearby Bear Canyon Campground.
The campground contains several single-family sites with picnic tables and campfire rings. Some sites have grills. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved.
The campground is named for the towering grove of Ponderosa pines in which it lies. The beautiful trees were planted in 1914 and the campground was built in 1933.
Aspen and maple trees dot the landscape beneath the pines, providing plentiful shade and privacy between sites. Autumn leaves put on quite a show.
The Mount Nebo Wilderness Area is adjacent, brimming with beautiful mountain scenery, pristine waters, abundant wildlife, vibrant summer wildflowers and numerous trail opportunities.
The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway stretches 37 miles through high alpine terrain, dense forests and colorful meadows. Devil's Kitchen Geological Area can be found along the loop, just 6 miles from the campground. It offers a 1/2-mile round-trip trail to interesting red rock hoodoos.
For facility specific information, please call (385) 273-1100.
**Change and Cancellation Policies and Fees**
* Overnight and Day Use Facilities: To ensure fairness, reservation arrival or departure dates may not be changed beyond the booking window until 18 days after booking the reservation.
* Camping / Day Use: A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation (including campsites, cabins, lookouts, group facilities, etc.). The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount.
* You can cancel or change reservations through Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
**Late Cancellations**
* Overnight and Day Use Facilities: Late cancellations are those cancelled between 12:01 a.m. (Eastern) on the day before arrival and check out time on the day after arrival.
* Individual Campsites: If a customer cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival they will be charged a $10.00 service fee and will also forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a single night's reservation will forfeit the entire use fee but no cancellation fee will apply.
* Cabins / Lookouts: Customers will be charged a $10.00 cancellation fee and forfeit the first night's use fee if a cabin or lookout reservation is cancelled within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.
* Group Facility: If a customer cancels a group overnight facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date they will be charged the $10.00 service fee and forfeit the first night's use fee. Cancellations for a single night's use will not be assessed a service fee.
* Group Day Use Area: If a customer cancels a group day use facility reservation within 14 days of the scheduled arrival date, they will forfeit the total day use fee with no service fee charge.
**No-Shows**
* Camping / Day Use: A camping no-show customer is one who does not arrive at a campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. Reserved campsites and group overnight facilities will be held until check-out time on the day following your scheduled arrival. Group day-use facilities will be held until check-in time on your scheduled arrival date.
* If a customer does not arrive at the campground or group facility by check-out time the day after arrival or does not cancel the reservation by the times listed under "Late Cancellations" above, the customer may be assessed a $20.00 service fee and forfeit use fees.
**Refunds**
* Customers must request refunds no later than 14 days after the scheduled departure date. Recreation.gov will not grant refund requests after 14 days of departure.
* Reservation Fee: For some facilities, tours or permits an additional reservation fee is charged. For some overnight and day-use facilities, an additional non-refundable reservation fee may apply. The non-refundable reservation fee for tours and tickets is $1.00. The non-refundable reservation fee for permits varies by location.
* Refunds for Bankcard Purchases: Refunds for bank card payments will be issued as a credit to the original bank card.
* Refunds for Check or Cash Purchases: Refunds for Recreation.gov payments made by check or money order, and cash payments at selected campgrounds will be issued a check refund. A refund will be processed within 30 days of receipt and approval. Please Note: Refund requests made during or after departure can only be processed when approved by the facility management staff based upon local policy.
* Refunds for Emergency Closures: In the event of an emergency closure, the Recreation.gov team will attempt to notify users and offer alternate dates (as appropriate). If this is not possible, reservations will be cancelled and all fees paid will be refunded. Reservation fees for free tickets are non-refundable in the event of an emergency closure.
**Recreation.gov Billing Information**
* Reservation transaction will appear on customer's credit card statements as "Recreation.gov 877-444-6777."
**Changes to Policies and Procedures**
* Recreation.gov reserves the right, when necessary, to modify reservation policies. These policies were last updated July 2018.
From I-15, take Nephi exit 225. Travel about 6 miles east on Highway 132/Nephi Canyon to the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway. Turn left onto the byway and travel 3.5 miles to Bear Canyon turnoff. Turn left and drive 0.5 miles to the campground.
23 single sites - $22.00, capacity - 8 people + 1 vehicle
Picnicking (Day Use) in a campground site - $10.00
Extra vehicle - $10.00 per vehicle
What a beautiful campground this is. We went during the 4th of July and just loved the peacefulness and beauty. The hosts were great, we actually stayed in the spot right across from the hosts, it’s the first one on the left after the entrance. We will be back for sure.
One of my favorite campground near utah county. We had never been here and to our surprise it was a little oasis up Nephi canyon. The campground had an adorable "hundred acres forest" with Winnie the Pooh and his friends that my kids loved. The campground is super shaded and a lovely creek runs along the back side. There were vault bathrooms and running water which was nice.
Ponderosa is probably my favorite campsite in Northern Utah. There's just nothing like those ponderosa pines up Nephi canyon. We always see deer and squirrels. Never a hint of bear. The hosts this year went above and beyond with keeping the bathrooms well lit and smelling clean! They also come through a couple times a day to blow the pine needles off the road and even campsites! The noise of that is a bit annoying if you're a purest but, the pro beats the con when you see how many pine needles fall in just one day. Those pines are also perfect for hammocks! The campground closes Sept 25th so go quick!
This is a beautiful spot, only about 15 minutes' drive from the highway. We tent camped twice here this summer while participating in baseball tournaments in Nephi. The shady ponderosa trees are gorgeous, the temperature is several degrees cooler than town, the Salt Creek provides a great place to relax and for kids to play safely, and the camp hosts are wonderful. They chat like they have nowhere to go, while stil keeping the campsite and vault toilets the cleanest one's ever seen. We look forward to going back!
This is a campground that requires a fee and reservations. Some campsites are not deep so not all campers will fit. There’s one that is a pull through, and a could that are about a 25 ft long. You can reserve for just a tent as well. Great views, lots of shade, and a creek near to fish in.
