About Payson Lakes
Number of accommodations: 63
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Parking
Restrooms
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
- Restrooms
Cooking and Fire
- Firewood Available
Parking and Transport
- Parking
Water Access
- Lake Access
Report Incorrect Information
Help us improve by reporting any incorrect amenity information for Payson Lakes.
Rates, Sites & Availability
63 Sites Available
No sites found matching your criteria.
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Site Details
Select a site to view details
63 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (159)
What Guests Are Saying
Payson Lakes boasts beautiful scenery, clean campsites, and friendly hosts, making it a great spot for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Many guests enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, lake access for activities like fishing and kayaking, and well-maintained facilities. However, noise from nearby campers and the proximity of sites can detract from the experience, with some guests reporting disturbances during quiet hours.
What Guests Are Saying
Payson Lakes boasts beautiful scenery, clean campsites, and friendly hosts, making it a great spot for families and outdoor enthusiasts. Many guests enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, lake access for activities like fishing and kayaking, and well-maintained facilities. However, noise from nearby campers and the proximity of sites can detract from the experience, with some guests reporting disturbances during quiet hours.
Review Summary
Katie C
August 1, 2024
Great hosts. Very clean.
allen s
VerifiedJuly 24, 2024 • Stayed at: B30, Loop: B
We didn't like our first camp site that we reserved so they let us pick out a better one and didn't charge us. It was such a quiet campground and so peaceful.
Dean S
VerifiedJuly 19, 2024 • Stayed at: C27/28, Loop: C
The campground is beautiful, lush and full of beautiful trees and bushes. The sites were all very nice too. It was quite pleasant to the eyes.
The neighbors were very close, and very loud into all hours of the night. Not to many adhering to the rules of the campground, and didn’t seem the hosts did anything about it. Also people all over letting their dogs run free, one pooped in the middle of our campsite. We had neighbors that made us not want to use a campground again.
Lake was beautiful and the water level was very high, we were able to jump off the dock which was fun! It was the middle of the week and it was very busy still, probably close to 60 kayaks or paddle boards all in the lake at the same time.
It was good to get out of the heat and into some water. It was nice to have big picnic tables at our site. We had a double site number 27/28 and it had great shade in the late afternoon early evening. The site has no electricity and no water hook ups, and for the cost of the site it really should have those. We camped in a popup camper with 3 little kids and 2 adults and got a double site because we wanted more space, I’m glad we did.
There were mostly tent campers here, and from the sounds of things they were very urban, not many used to sharing a facility and being respectful of others and their space and sleep. So be aware.
As beautiful as it was, we won’t use the campground again. We will just boondock up the road a little ways and just buy a day pass to go play at the lake next time. Much cheaper and hopefully a little quieter at night.
Rita E
VerifiedJuly 17, 2024 • Stayed at: B22, Loop: B
The area is very beautiful and 20 degrees cooler than the valley. The walk around Payson Lake is lovely with plenty of butterflies, dragonflies, and duck families to watch. The camping site was clean and shady. Bathrooms were close and clean. Driving up the canyon to see Devil's Kitchen was a nice surprise to see a "mini Bryce Canyon". Very scenic areas to pull over to see and take pictures. Down the canyon as you leave stop at The Grotto and hike to the falls. I would say the hike is a medium one about a mile up, wear hiking shoes and a hiking pole are helpful.
Kristen K
VerifiedJuly 16, 2024 • Stayed at: B23, Loop: B
We had a horrible night of no sleep! The campsites are so close together we could hear the millennials blasting their music and having a conversation until 2 AM. No camp host insight. We will never never never go there again and will tell everyone we know this place sucks.
Lindsey H
VerifiedJuly 7, 2024 • Stayed at: B06, Loop: B
Clean, quiet, near lake, friendly camp hosts & staff
Zara A
VerifiedJune 3, 2024 • Stayed at: B38, Loop: B
EXCELLENT!!!! Ready to go back now. The water was turned off which made water supply tight but we managed. The rest was AMAZING!!!
Lacey G
VerifiedSeptember 4, 2023 • Stayed at: C18, Loop: C
Beautiful location. Yurt was great (one broken zipper and a hole in the side, but it wasn’t bad). Plan on coming back!
Sarah L
VerifiedAugust 20, 2023 • Stayed at: B32, Loop: B
Site was clean and well-maintained. Only complaint is that the space was a little too small for our tent. We made it work though!
Evan C
VerifiedAugust 18, 2023 • Stayed at: C10, Loop: C
Nice camp site, great to see the lake full. Nice paved trail around the lake.
Need to get the tables refinished or replaced BAD. Very rough and can cause bad slivers. But WORSE thing of all is all the many cattle and cow manure everywhere in the campground. Need to get them out!!!!
Location Payson Lakes
Address:
Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest
Salem, UT, 84653
United States
From I-15, take exit 250 toward north Payson/Salem and proceed south on Main Street to 100 North/Highway 198. Travel east to 600 East. Turn south onto 600 east, which becomes the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway/Payson Canyon Road. Travel up the canyon to the campground.
Payson Lakes Campground is accessible via I-15, with the nearest exit (250) located approximately 4 miles away. Travelers can proceed south on Main Street to Highway 198, which leads east to the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway.
Latitude & Longitude: 39.9297 / -111.642
Elevation: 2435 feet
Policies & Rules
General
- This Campground is in Bear Country Always store food and trash securely to avoid attracting wildlife -Failure to comply may result in fines up to $5,000, removal from your site and/or imprisonment Remember, a fed bear is a dead bear; your actions can save lives
- Dogs or Domestic Pets Owners must -Control dog by leash not to exceed six feet (6’) at all times -Clean up dog feces immediately -Limit two dogs per site Do not allow dogs to -Threaten or attack people/animals -Interfere with people, vehicles, or property -Cause damage to vegetation or harass wildlife Dogs are not allowed on beaches or in water, but can be on the trails in the Day Use area
- Gates open at 7am, close at 10pm; No generators after 10pm; Camping is allowed only within the designated space provided. Do not go beyond site boundaries; Max occupancy is 8 people per single site; Reserved sites will be held until 12pm the day following your arrival date; Horses/Off-road vehicles are prohibited in the campground; Leave No Trace; Put all trash in dumpsters, if provided, or properly stored in your vehicle or bear box; Remove all personal property and trash when leaving; Unclean sites will be reported to the District Ranger LEO; Leaving food/trash in an unoccupied site may result in a $5,000 fine; This is a 'pack it in, pack it out' facility; bring trash bags; Cleaning fish or bathing where drinking water is supplied is strictly prohibited; Fireworks, discharging of firearms, or other explosives in the campground is not allowed; No boisterous behavior. Be courteous to your fellow visitor. Keep noise at a reasonable level; No amplified music is allowed in USDA Forest Service campgrounds and facilities. People come to the campgrounds for peace and quiet; Max Vehicle Length includes tow vehicle;
- There is a 2-night minimum stay on weekends; 3-night minimum stay on holiday weekends
- Trailers/Campers and RVs: Come with water tank filled. Hooking up to spigots or the power in the restrooms, even for medical devices is strictly prohibited
- First Come First Served (FF) sites A Loop is FF through entire season For reservable sites, reservations must be made at least 5 days in advance FF site must be claimed in person on the day you wish to check-in A site listed as FF does not guarantee availability, Recreation.gov does not update FF occupancy The only way to know if an FF site is available is to arrive at the site on the day you plan to check-in Availability cannot be predicted Many sites are in remote locations, we cannot contact hosts about availability Recommended arrival times vary by day. Weekends and holidays fill more quickly To claim an FF site, you must be present, occupy the site, and pay at that time There is no waiting list for FF sites
- Extra Vehicle -$10 per vehicle, per day (paid on-site cash/check) Firewood -$9
- If you booked at a discount without a Senior or Access pass, you'll need to pay the difference in cash/check upon arrival. Only Senior or Access passes qualify for discounts and proof of ownership upon arrival is required
- Please understand that camping/picnicking is an outdoor experience; we do not give refunds or credits for weather or natural conditions Cancellations within 24 hours prior to arrival date will forfeit the entire use fee and a $10 cancellation fee No-shows, early departures, or cancellations after the arrival date will not be refunded Failure to arrive at the site by 12pm the day after scheduled arrival and does not cancel, will be charged a $20 service fee and forfeit the first-night use fee
- For more info on visiting Bear Country visit wildawareutah.org wildlife.utah.gov For campground Rules and Regulations visit gocamputah.com/rules
- Click here for more info about the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest For more info, call Spanish Fork Ranger District at 801-798-3571 or Utah Recreation at 385-273-1100 Visit our website gocamputah.com or Facebook facebook.com/letsgocamputah To reserve a site call Recreation.gov reservation line 1-877-444-6777
- Don't Move Firewood: Help prevent the spread of tree-killing pests in our national forests by obtaining firewood within 10 miles of your destination and burning it on-site. For more info click here
- Please note: Utah Recreation is not responsible for accident or injury to any person or property resulting from the use of this facility and is not responsible for the loss of money or valuables of any kind. The user of this permit assumes full and complete responsibility for the conduct and actions of all members in their party
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 4, 2026
