Te-aH Campsite

Just returned from a three night camping trip at Te-​ah Campsite in Kane County, Utah. The campground is located on the far end (west side) of Navajo Lake. I really liked Te-​ah, the location is remote and quiet and camping sites are in a large grove of aspen trees. We reserved site number 27 which had a table, fire pit, and room for two smaller tents. Our family members had site number 28 which was also nice, there was two medium sized tent pads that were set back from the table and fire-​pit. We spent our days fishing and hiking near Navajo Lake, also made quick visits to nearby Cedar Breaks National Monument and Duck Creek Village. On our third night, we were hammered by some pretty severe thunderstorms that seemed to be centered right over the campsite. All I can say is lightning, hail, and buckets of water! Not ashamed to say that after a few hours of experiencing Mother Nature’s «gift» to us, we high-​tailed it to the Lodge at Navajo Lake for the third night. There are other campgrounds on or very near Navajo Lake, but Te-​ah was quiet and had more tree cover. The bathrooms had running water and were kept very clean. There are no showers, but the nearby Lodge has showers for about $ 6. You can purchase firewood from camp host for $ 6 a bundle. Bring your own BBQ if your going to grill, there is a grill on the fire-​pit, but it wasn’t very functional. We did not see any bears (warnings are posted), also saw a few deer near our site in the early morning, there were a few very chatty squirrels, but not too many bugs (flies, ants, mosquitos). The campground hosts were very helpful and friendly. Great time! We will return.

This was only my second time vamping at first time in Utah. I enjoyed this campsite and it was perfectly located next to a beautiful lake. The site was large and fit 3 large tents. It had a picnic table and a round fire ring that was properly situated. The surrounding trees were awesome and provided decent shade and the other campsites are within a good range away. The Stars were beautiful also. The site was somewhat managed and firewood was $ 6 a bundle. There was enough parking in the driveway for two vehicles. Overall I enjoyed this place even though we had some nasty rain our first night there.

Te-​Ah is a fantastic campground!
So I am a first time camper. I have never done it because I didn’t think it was for me. My hubby has been bugging me for years to go, so I finally caved and said I would go this time as a trial basis for future trips. I am so glad we started at such a great campground in beautiful Dixie National Forest! Here’s why you should go too:
First, the area is beautiful! Navajo Lake is located close by and you can even see it from the campground if you are in the right area. You are surrounded by a forest of Aspen, Cedar, and Pine trees in every direction you look. You hear birds singing, squirrels chirping, and just nature being nature. It is located near Duck Creek Village and about 30 miles outside of Cedar City, UT. It is an alpine setting, so you can escape the heat. It is about 9,200 ft elevation, so the highs are in the 70s. The nights were chilly, so make sure to pack warm clothes and extra blankets. One of our group didnt pack enough and actually drove to Cedar City after the first night to buy extra blankets for their tent. If you think you need 2, bring 3 to be safe! The weather is simply refreshing, especially in the summer heat of Las Vegas, where I am from.
Second, and the most important in my book. The bathrooms are so delightfully clean! This is why I never really wanted to camp. I don’t do icky bathrooms or any that have any stinky smell to them at all. I just DO NOT do dirty bathrooms. My mother scarred me as a child when it comes to bathrooms. Anyway, the bathrooms in this campground are flush toilets and are cleaned several times a day. There was always toilet paper and air fresheners every time I went to the bathroom, including a couple 3am trips.
Third, the actual campsites. You can reserve your spots ahead of time and it is recommended that you do that. By reserving, you can get the exact spot you want, instead of getting stuck with the leftovers or worse, near the vault toilet (Ewwww). We were with a big group and had reserved 6 campsites in total so that we would all be near one another. We totally took up one whole section of the park. Each campsite had its own parking area, picnic table, fire ring with a small grill inside, and a couple areas for tents. Each site will hold up to 8 people, with areas for several tents, depending on their size. Our tent is 10×10 and we had no problem setting it up with room around it in every direction and could have have room for 2 smaller tents in our site. My campsite was #37. I really liked it because we were on the end of the loop and had a view of Navajo Lake. It was also quiet because no one was walking past us at all. My second favorite site in our group was #31. It was in the center of the top loop. It was near the flush bathrooms, yet very secluded from the road and the bathrooms, so you really felt in the woods, yet close to the things you need. I was jealous of how close the bathrooms were since I made the 2 minute walk a lot during this trip! There is also fresh spring water available around the sites. The spring water tasted so sweet and pure. I wish my water at home tasted this good!
Fourth, the camp host Cloyse Smith. Mr. Cloyse totally made our stay. He and his wife stay at the campsite all season. They are always around if you have any questions, need help, or just want to chit chat. He has a golf cart and drives the campsite and checks on each campsite a couple times a day to make sure everything is going good. He was always out cleaning the restrooms (he prides himself on the cleanest bathrooms in the area!) and making sure everything is in working order around the camp. We often asked his opinion on good fishing areas, where to get medicine, a good bite to eat when we lost some of our food, and even things to do in the area. Cloyse was an encyclopedia of knowledge and so friendly on top of it! He loves to talk, so you will get a ton of info from him. Something really nice he did, and totally didn’t need to, was let people use his cell, if they needed too. Most of the area is a cell phone dead space due to its location (which is why I don’t have any check-​ins). He said only Verizon really works here and that is occasionally. He has his own cell booster antenna for his own use, but will let people come down to use it and even use his phone if they needed to call someone. I needed to call a member of the group and my phone didn’t work. Cloyse had me use his and then wouldn’t let me pay him or anything for the help. He said that is what nice people do, they help each other out. The world needs more people like Cloyse!
So I am still not a die hard camper, but after this trip and stay at Te-​Ah, I have agreed to go on one camping trip a year with my hubby. If you want to start out on an easy camping trip, go visit Te-​Ah near Navajo Lake in the Dixie National Forest. Say hi to Cloyse for me too!