U.S. Forest Service · Fishlake National Forest · Loa, UT

Frying Pan

Frying Pan Campground is located on the Fishlake Scenic Byway in central Utah, just 3 miles north of Fish Lake, at an elevation of 9,000 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring local trails.

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Utah · reservable in Utah · big rigs in Utah · group sites in Utah

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
FRYING PANFRYING PANFRYING PANFRYING PAN
Photos via Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups10
Group sites1
Host/management1
Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 99 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

11 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfacePeople / vehiclesFires
G1GRPGroup99Paved100 / 30Yes
002SINGLEStandardBack-in34Paved10 / 1Yes
003SINGLEStandardBack-in53Paved10 / 1Yes
004SINGLEStandard40Paved10 / 1Yes
005SINGLEStandard30Paved10 / 1Yes
006SINGLEStandardBack-in40Paved10 / 1Yes
007SINGLEStandardBack-in40Paved10 / 1Yes
008SINGLEStandardBack-in40Paved10 / 1Yes
009SINGLEStandard36Paved10 / 1Yes
010SINGLEStandard35Paved10 / 1Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsNone
Max vehicle length99 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

The campground contains one group site that can accommodate up to 100 people, with picnic tables, a campfire ring and large parking area. Several single-family sites are available as well. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved. Three resorts are located in the Fish Lake Basin, offering camping and fishing supplies, RV parks with hookups, cabin and boat rentals, marinas, gas, restaurants, groceries, laundry facilities and showers. The resorts are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

StatusClosed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
SeasonMay to September
ForestFishlake National Forest
BookingHalf of the sites are reservable, the other half are first-come, first-served.
FeesFor family sites one through 11, the recreation fee includes one vehicle. All campgrounds on the Fishlake National Forest are managed by High Country Recreation under the terms and conditions of a concession permit that was issued to them by the Forest Service in 2020.
RulesCamping is limited to 16 consecutive days. OHVs are not allowed in the campgrounds. Pets must be leashed.

Fishlake National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Frying Pan20°30°40°50°60°70°January: 0.70 inches of precipitationFebruary: 0.48 inches of precipitationMarch: 0.72 inches of precipitationApril: 0.59 inches of precipitationMay: 0.88 inches of precipitationJune: 0.55 inches of precipitationJuly: 1.29 inches of precipitationAugust: 1.37 inches of precipitationSeptember: 1.14 inches of precipitationOctober: 1.16 inches of precipitationNovember: 0.56 inches of precipitationDecember: 0.65 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 25.3°F averageFebruary: 29.3°F averageMarch: 36.5°F averageApril: 42.9°F averageMay: 50.5°F averageJune: 60.3°F averageJuly: 66.4°F averageAugust: 64.2°F averageSeptember: 56.9°F averageOctober: 45.3°F averageNovember: 34.8°F averageDecember: 25.0°F average0 in0.5 in1 in1.5 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Koosharem, 13 miles from the campground at 6,930 feet, station USC00424764 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 10 inches a year.

Getting there

From Highway 24 northwest of Loa, Utah, take Highway 25 northeast approximately 15 miles to the campground.

Nearest townLoa, Utah
Coordinates38.6089° N, 111.6789° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Fremont River Rd Piles Rx

    1 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Salina Canyon East Rx

    15 mi from the campground · 17,375 acres

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗6.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

The Best Camping Pan?

Worth a stop

Johnson Valley Reservoir is just north of Fish Lake, offering additional fishing and boating opportunities. The 5-mile Pelican Canyon Trail begins nearby at Bowery Creek Campground. It leads through meadows and dense forests of spruce, pine and aspen as it climbs to the 11,633-foot Fish Lake Hightop.

  • 1.3 mi
    Reflection Spring
    3.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.4 mi
    Rock Canyon Equestrian
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.4 mi
    Crater-Ivie Canyon ↗
    7.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.6 mi
    Crater Loop
    3.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.1 mi
    Rock Canyon (tasha Creek) ↗
    6.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.8 mi
    Pelican Canyon
    3.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Fishlake National Forest.

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.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground sits on a sagebrush-covered hillside above the valley floor and offers views of the north end of Fish Lake Basin. Aspen trees forest the site, providing limited shade.

Recreation

Fish Lake is Utah's largest natural mountain lake and covers 2,500 acres. It is famous for its 20-40 pound Mackinaw lake trout. Anglers also enjoy fishing for rainbow trout and splake. Boating, canoeing, swimming and scuba diving are popular activities. The scenic Lakeshore National Recreation Trail extends around the eastern side of the lake. Hikers are rewarded with stunning lake views after climbing 900 feet in elevation.

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 Frying Pan?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Frying Pan?

For family sites one through 11, the recreation fee includes one vehicle. All campgrounds on the Fishlake National Forest are managed by High Country Recreation under the terms and conditions of a concession permit that was issued to them by the Forest Service in 2020.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Frying Pan?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Frying Pan open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026. Season May to September.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Frying Pan have?

12 sites, including 10 standard sites without power and 1 group site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Frying Pan?

Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Are there showers or a dump station at Frying Pan?

Flush toilets and drinking water are provided.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Frying Pan?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 2 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one. Camping is limited to 16 consecutive days.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Frying Pan?

Fish Lake is Utah's largest natural mountain lake and covers 2,500 acres. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Frying Pan?

Loa, Utah. Johnson Valley Reservoir is just north of Fish Lake, offering additional fishing and boating opportunities.

Source: Getting there

What if Frying Pan is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Tasha Equestrian (1.4 mi), Paiute Campground (1.5 mi), and Bowery Creek (3 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby