Salt Lake City is one of those unusual metropolitan areas blessed with an abundance of outdoor recreational choices.  The city is surrounded by mountains, with the smaller Oquirrh Mountains to the west (dominated by the Kennecott Copper Mine – one of the largest open pit copper mines in the world), and the Wasatch Mountains looming to the east.  In just a short 30-minute drive from downtown Salt Lake, you can find yourself outside of the busy city and in the pristine mountain wilderness of the Wasatch Mountains.  Once there, you can go hiking, fishing, mountain biking, camping and yes, even hunting (licenses or permits being required to go hunting or fishing).

Having been fortunate enough to grow up near Salt Lake, I often went camping, hiking, or fishing as a child and young adult.  After spending twelve years in Florida (which I loved, by the way), I recently moved back to Salt Lake.  Although I’ve written about some of my favorite things to do in the southern part of the state where I live, I’ve neglected my own back yard.  Now that the winter snows have receded sufficiently, many campgrounds in the Wasatch Range have opened for the summer season.

Nestled at an elevation of 7,200 feet above sea level in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Tanners Flat campground is one of those gems that remind you what camping is all about.  The setting is unadulterated mountain wilderness, with pine trees, scrub oak, and aspens embracing you at every turn.  The smell of pine is intoxicating, and the crispness of the clean air is revitalizing.  From late April through the end of June, the unmistakable roar of the spring runoff as it tumbles down the nearby Little Cottonwood Creek dominates the atmosphere, and yet one can still hear the music of birds singing as they glide from tree to tree.

Sometimes, when you stay at a commercial campground or in an RV park, you only get part of the camping experience. I’m one of those who loves my modern comforts, but when I decide to go camping, I want the full-on feel. Tanners Flat definitely delivers. I had to battle all sorts of insects while camping (both the crawling and flying type), and yet I also had the distinct pleasure of seeing chipmunks, pika, squirrels, robins, hummingbirds, sparrows, and even deer going past my tent. And although most of the campsites in Tanners Flat are huddled close to each other, I felt isolated and private. The din of the nearby creek may have helped to drown out any stray human sounds that drifted in my direction, but I still felt like I was in my own little world.

Despite its rustic setting, Tanners Flat is also a modern campground, with running water and flush toilets. While there are no electrical hookups (I have my laptop plugged into my car charger as I write this), many spaces allow you to park small to mid-sized RVs that you can run from battery power if you just HAVE to have your electrical appliances. Each campsite has a barbecue and fire pit, so you can cook over charcoal briquettes while roasting your marshmallows or hot dogs over an open campfire. Each campsite also has a designated area for you to pitch one or two tents.

Most of the campsites in Tanners Flat can accommodate from one to eight people. There are three group sites that can accommodate up to twenty-five people each. The well-designed group sites are perfect for family camping or reunions. The sites have central fire pits surrounded by numerous picnic tables, separate food preparation tables, and oversized barbecues. Tanners Flat’s group area even has an amphitheater for your enjoyment, and despite their design even the group sites feel remote and isolated from the others.

Tanners Flat is divided into two areas; an upper and a lower campground.  There are a total of 39 campsites, with each one having its own unique style and feel.  Sites 1 thru 19 are located in the lower campground, while sites 20 through 39 (including the group sites) are located in the upper section.  Since the U.S. Forest Service administers the area, you can make campground reservations in advance through www.recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.  Be aware that the Forest Service keeps roughly half of the sites set aside on a first-come, first served basis.  Fees are $18 per night for individual campsites or $65 per night for group sites.

Tanners Flat is only 30 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds if you wish. If you’re like me though, you may want to avoid the city for a while and simply enjoy the peaceful solitude one can only find in the mountains.