Pelican Lake Campground
You must also occupy the area the day you pay for it, no advance payments. There is also an Iron Ranger on site that you can pay with cash or check Pelican Lake Campground is located at 4,800 feet and has 11 individual campsites and two group sites. Pelican Lake is well known for the outstanding bluegill and bass fishing. Bird watching is also a popular pastime in the spring, when the waterfowl come to live and rear their downy young.
Sites are first-come, first-served. Recreation.gov lists this campground for paying on site, and you may be able to pay with the Scan and Pay feature of its app.
More like this: first-come in Utah · pets allowed in Utah · group sites in Utah
Site mix
| Shelters | 11 |
| Group sites | 2 |
Site guide
13 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Loop | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | Shade | Water / sewer | People / vehicles | Fires | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site 1 | One | Shelter | 37 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 2 | One | Shelter | 35 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 3 | One | Shelter | 45 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 4 | One | Shelter | 47 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 5 | One | Shelter | 70 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 6 | One | Shelter | 75 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 7 | One | Shelter | 35 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 8 | One | Shelter | 64 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 9 | One | Shelter | 40 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard | |||
| Site 10 | One | Shelter | 64 | Gravel | 8 / 3 | Yes | Standard |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 02:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
| Pets | Allowed |
| Campfires | Allowed, subject to restrictions |
| Fees | Campsite $10.00. Group Site $35.00 |
11 individual sites and two group sites are available. Sites include picnic tables and fire rings. Vault toilets are available within the campground community. Please bring your own water.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
25 miles southwest of Vernal, UT on UT-88
| Nearest town | Vernal, Utah |
| Coordinates | 40.1824° N, 109.6940° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedD1 Pondo Rx
49 mi from the campground · 532 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Sportsman's Warehouse ↗ | 18.8 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Pelican Lake Recreation Area Review | Is It Worth the Trip?
Worth a stop
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Ouray National Wildlife Refuge lies along the Green River in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah. The Refuge provides diverse habitat types supporting over 350 fish and wildlife species and offers numerous wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities.
- 13 miMccoy Flats Trailhead ↗Trailhead
Public land it sits in
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge begins about 2.3 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 2.3 miOuray National Wildlife Refuge ↗National Wildlife Refuge · Fish and Wildlife Service · 11,940 acres
- 12.1 miAshley National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 1,401,248 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Wong Sing WarehouseBuilding · Fort Duchesne · 12.2 mi
Natural features
Pelican Lake has been a nationally-renowned bluegill fishery since the 1970’s when Jim Zumbo published an article in Outdoor Life on the potential for daily bag limits of 1.5 pound bluegill. Since then, anglers have held high expectations for Pelican Lake. Unfortunately, in 2008 and 2009, adult carp entered Pelican Lake in large numbers and turned the lake from a clear waterbody dominated by largemouth bass and bluegill to a lake dominated by carp. The carp’s ability to outcompete bluegill for food eventually led to a decline in bluegill condition and a few years later, a decline in largemouth bass condition. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and avid Pelican Lake anglers anticipated this decline and convened a working group that developed a management plan for the lakes future success.
Guidebooks for Utah
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Pelican Lake Campground?
No. Pelican Lake Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: How first-come camping works
How much does it cost to camp at Pelican Lake Campground?
Campsite $10.00. Group Site $35.00
What time is check-in at Pelican Lake Campground?
Check-in 02:00 PM, checkout 02:00 PM.
How many sites does Pelican Lake Campground have?
13 sites, including 11 shelter nonelectric and 2 group sites.
Source: Site mix
Can I bring an RV to Pelican Lake Campground?
Pelican Lake Campground is listed for tents only.
Are pets allowed at Pelican Lake Campground?
Yes, pets are allowed at Pelican Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.
Can I have a campfire at Pelican Lake Campground?
Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there is 1 active fire within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.
Source: Fire nearby
Is there cell service at Pelican Lake Campground?
FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the nearest town to Pelican Lake Campground?
Vernal, Utah. Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Ouray National Wildlife Refuge lies along the Green River in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah.
Source: Getting there
What if Pelican Lake Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Paradise Park Campground (16.7 mi, first-come), Green River Campground (28.9 mi), and Split Mountain Group Campground (29.3 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby