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Price
$20/night
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Sites
48 campsites
Season
Operates seasonally;...
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Unknown
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Select a month, then check for open campsites
Price
$20/night
Booking
Check Site
Sites
48 campsites
Season
Operates seasonally;...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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38.6175, -111.6530
RV campers who want immediate reservoir access and don't mind close neighbors will get the most out of this place. The pull-throughs are easy to navigate, Fish Lake's Mackinaw trout run 20–40 pounds, and summer days stay in the 60–75°F range with cool nights.
Privacy matters? Reviewers consistently call the sites cramped and exposed, with minimal tree cover and neighbors a few feet away. Tent campers hoping for a quiet forest feel will leave disappointed.
Reference information about Paiute Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p><strong>Overview</strong><br />Piute Campground is 29 miles north of Loa, Utah, on Highway 25 adjacent to Johnson Reservoir at 8,800 feet elevation. With 48 pull-through camp sites, Piute campground is ideal for large groups or individual campers looking for a secluded experience.</p><p><strong>Recreation</strong><br />Visitors enjoy hiking the non-motorized trail from the campground to nearby Tasha Creek and beyond. Johnson Reservoir has a boat ramp and nearby Fish Lake has many more amenities.</p>
The elevation is 8,800 ft. The campground, one of six in the Fishlake Recreation Area, is a converted parking lot that is slowly being upgraded. The parking aprons are paved side-by-side pull throughs. Sage and grass separate the camp sites providing no privacy. There are nice views of the Johnson Valley Reservoir on one side and spruce and Aspen covered mountains on the other three sides. The dense sage brush and rocks may make pitching a tent somewhat of a Fishlake National Forest 301 challenge. Johnson Valley Reservoir is a quiet man-made lake. The campground is pack it in, pack it out. Fish Lake is a natural cold-water lake occupying a graben (a down-faulted valley). The size and depth of Fish Lake suggest great conditions for sailing and water skiing but the water temperature discourages such activities. There are privately operated resorts within the Recreation Area that offer various services such as boat and slip rentals, bait, limited groceries and showers.
Open May 17 through September 15
Fish Lake is 2,500 acres. Boat ramps are available at private resorts - no fee. There are primitive boat ramps scattered throughout. Fishlake National Forest 302 Johnson Valley Reservoir is 500 acres and has one free boat ramp on its eastern shore. Hiking: Lakeshore Trail (Sections 1 and 2 - foot, horse & mountain bike) - 5.5 miles Lakeshore Trail (Sections 3 and 4 - foot and horse) - 5.5 miles Doctor Creek (foot and horse) - 3 miles Pelican Canyon (foot and horse) - 5 miles Tasha Creek (foot and horse) - 8 miles Crater loop (foot and horse) - 6 miles Fishing: Fish Lake - Rainbow, Splake, Lake and Brown trout Johnson Valley Reservoir - Rainbow, Cutthroat and Brook trout
Fish Lake is 2,500 acres. Boat ramps are available at private resorts - no fee. There are primitive boat ramps scattered throughout. Fishlake National Forest 302 Johnson Valley Reservoir is 500 acres and has one free boat ramp on its eastern shore.
The parking aprons are paved. The waste station is available for no fee at the Fish Lake Recreation Area at the turn into Doctor Creek campground.
From Loa, UT, take State Rt. 24 west 12.7 miles to Fish Lake and State Rt. 25 signs. Turn right at signs onto Rt. 25 and go 16.1 miles to campground sign. Turn left at sign into campground.
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Best season: summer. Summer delivers the most reliable conditions at 8,800 ft — expect warm, sunny days (typically 60–75°F) with cool nights (35–45°F), full campground services, and open water on Johnson Reservoir. Boating, fishing, swimming, and trail hiking are all at their peak, and facilities (drinking water, toilets) are available during the regular season. Weekends and holiday weeks are moderately busy, so midweek stays are best for solitude. Peak months: July, August, June, September Avoid: December, January, February
Summer is main season with reliable weather and full services available.
Paiute Campground has 48 pull-through, single-family campsites with paved roads and parking spurs. Pit (non-flush) toilets and drinking water are provided during the regular operating season; water is shut off during shoulder seasons and campground access can be limited by snow.
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