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

Mackinaw

Mackinaw Campground is located next to Fish Lake and the Fishlake Scenic Byway in central Utah at an elevation of 9,000 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring local trails.

Closed for the seasonPartly reservable67 sites125 ft maxNo hookupsFires ok

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 ↗
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Photos via Recreation.gov
2fires
active
Fremont River Rd Piles Rx (prescribed burn) · 3 mi away
1 more within 50 miles
Incident details ↓

Site mix

Standard, no hookups57
Group sites6
group rv area nonelectric3
Tent-only1
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 115 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

67 sites in 4 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteLoopTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
025DOUBLEGroupPull-throughPaved20 / 2Yes
026DOUBLEGroupPull-through115Paved20 / 2Yes
027DOUBLEGroupPull-through110Paved20 / 2Yes
046DOUBLEGroupPull-through75Paved20 / 2Yes
035DoubleGroupBack-in35PavedPartial20 / 2Yes
029MACKGroup Rv Area NonelectricGravel20 / 2Yes
031MACKGroup Rv Area NonelectricGravel20 / 2Yes
032MACKGroup Rv Area NonelectricGravel20 / 2Yes
001SINGStandardGravel10 / 1Yes
002SINGStandardGravel10 / 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 length125 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 013, 014 are listed accessible

The campground contains four group sites that can accommodate up to 20 people each. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are provided. Several single-family sites are available as well. Most sites have lake views. Flush toilets, showers 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
BookingReservations required for half of the sites can be made through the Recreation.gov or by calling them toll-free at 1-877-444-6777 or visiting Mackinaw Campground on rec.gov.
FeesPlease Note: 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. Email: [email protected] Phone: 435-979-6868
RulesNo OHV riding in campground Camping is limited to 16 consecutive days. Pets are required to be on a leash.

Fishlake National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mackinaw20°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, 10 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 9 miles to the campground.

Nearest townLoa, Utah, Utah
Coordinates38.5556° N, 111.7161° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

  • Prescribed
    Fremont River Rd Piles Rx

    3 mi from the campground

  • Prescribed
    Salina Canyon East Rx

    19 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 ↗2.2 mi

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

Explore

Video

Is Mackinaw City's Most Popular KOA Worth It?

Worth a stop

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

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 1.5 mi
    Pelican Canyon
    3.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2 mi
    Right Fork Pelican Canyon
    1.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.1 mi
    Doctor Creek
    1.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.3 mi
    Lakeshore ↗
    18.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 2.4 mi
    Pole Canyon ↗
    9.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, e-bike
  • 3.3 mi
    Reflection Spring
    3.1 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 Fish Lake. Aspen trees forest the site, providing partial shade.

Recreation

Fish Lake is Utah's largest natural mountain lake, covering 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 5-mile Pelican Canyon Trail begins next door 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. The popular 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 Mackinaw?

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 Mackinaw?

Please Note: 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. Email: [email protected] Phone: 435-979-6868

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mackinaw?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Mackinaw open right now?

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

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Mackinaw have?

67 sites, including 57 standard sites without power, 6 group sites, 3 group rv area nonelectric, and 1 tent-only site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Mackinaw?

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 Mackinaw?

Flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mackinaw?

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. No OHV riding in campground Camping is limited to 16 consecutive days.

Source: Fire nearby

Are there accessible sites at Mackinaw?

Sites 013 and 014 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Mackinaw?

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

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Mackinaw?

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

Source: Getting there

What if Mackinaw is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Bowery Creek (1.8 mi), Mallard bay overflow rec site (2.1 mi, first-come), and Doctor Creek (2.5 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby