Last week we learned the BLM manages nearly half the land in the great State of Utah.
This creates nearly an endless list of things to see and do, plus an lifetime of free campsites to visit. Five Mile Pass near Lehi, Utah is a special recreation management area administered by the BLM. Not only can you camp and hike, but you can ride your off road vehicle over a large trail system. There is no cost to camp or use the trails. The area also makes a great base camp as you explore neighboring points of interest. Nearby is Camp Floyd / Stagecoach Inn State Park. A former military post, Camp Floyd quartered the largest troop concentration in the United States from 1858 to 1861. Nearly 400 buildings were called home by the 3,500 troops sent West to suppress a Mormon revolt that was expected. The troops returned back East in 1861 to fight the Civil War, leaving the camp to fall into ruins. Today, only a cemetery and commissary building remain as silent evidence of Camp Floyd. Nearby Stagecoach Inn served as an overnight stop for travelers on the historic overland stage and Pony Express route. The two story hotel has been restored with furnishings from the era and is open for tours. For more information visit: http://www.utah.com/stateparks/camp_floyd.htm Also, nearby Five Mile Pass are the old silver mining ghost towns of Mercur, Sunshine and Ophir. Check out http://ghosttowns.com/ for historical information and locations of these sites. If you still need something to do, there is an abundance of geocaches in the area. This link alone http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7a1d60a2-8e08-4457-8cc2-d69ed52165bc will keep you busy for a whole day! Don’t forget to save enough energy to enjoy a Western Utah sunset from the steps of your RV.
Five Mile Pass is located on Hwy 73 west of Lehi, Utah. You will find the main parking areas at 40 14.195N 112 09.730W You can camp there or choose one of the many roads that radiate into the hills and find nice campsites in the junipers. You are likely to have the whole area to yourself on weekdays. Expect company on the weekends.
For more information on camping and riding off road at Five Mile Pass visit: http://atvsource.com/articles/articles/2010/030510-places-to-ride-five-mile-pass-near-lehi-utah.htm
Camping in the Staging Area
Great Sunsets!
Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.
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