Is Scofield State Park worth your trip?
Scofield State Park sits at 7,616 feet in the Utah high country, built around a 2,800-acre reservoir that drives almost everything here.
This is not a canyon-country spectacle park - it is a working mountain recreation destination where fishing, camping, and water access are the real draws. Summer temperatures stay genuinely cool at elevation, making it a legitimate escape from Utah's brutal lowland heat. Winter transforms it into one of the state's most reliable ice fishing destinations. The scenic byway connection to Moab and the Wasatch Plateau gives it value as more than a standalone stop. With an Experience Score of 86, the breadth of documented activities is real - boating, paddling, OHV, hiking, wildlife viewing, and winter sports all have a place here. It rewards visitors who come for the reservoir and the alpine setting rather than those chasing dramatic geology.
Why go
A good summer day here centers on the reservoir - launch a boat, fish for rainbow or cutthroat trout, swim, or paddle along 2,800 acres of high-mountain water. Camp overnight and the cool evenings at altitude feel like a reward compared to the heat baking most of Utah in July. Bikers and OHV riders can access Skyline Drive on the Wasatch Plateau from the Energy Loop scenic byway. In winter, ice fishing here has a serious reputation, drawing anglers who know the trout fishery stays productive under the ice. The byway itself is worth building a route around, especially as a northern approach or departure point for a Moab trip that avoids the interstate entirely.
Best for
Anglers, boaters, campers, and OHV riders will get genuine value here. Families looking for a cool summer base camp near water are well served. Visitors hoping for dramatic hiking, canyon scenery, or iconic viewpoints should look elsewhere - this park rewards those who come for the reservoir and mountain recreation, not the landscape spectacle.
Best season
Summer, roughly June through August, is peak season for boating, fishing, swimming, and camping, with the high elevation keeping temperatures manageable. Winter brings a dedicated ice fishing crowd and snow-based recreation. Spring and fall can be cold and unpredictable at over 7,600 feet - shoulder-season visitors should pack layers and check road conditions on the byway before committing.
The high points
- Fishing a 2,800-acre high-elevation reservoir for rainbow and cutthroat trout in summer and through the ice in winter
- Boating, paddling, and swimming at genuine alpine elevation with cool summer temperatures
- Camping with water access as a base for multiple days of reservoir recreation
- OHV and high-clearance vehicle access to Skyline Drive on the Wasatch Plateau
- Driving the Energy Loop - Huntington/Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway as a route connecting to Moab or the San Rafael Swell
- Wildlife viewing in a mountain reservoir setting away from Utah's heavily trafficked canyon corridors
Know before you go
This is a Utah State Park, not a National Park Service unit - entrance fees vary and camping reservations must be made through the Utah State Parks reservation system, not Recreation.gov. The park sits on a mountain road that can close or become hazardous in early spring and late fall. High-clearance or OHV vehicles are needed to access Skyline Drive from the byway.
One more thingIf you are routing toward or away from Moab, build the Energy Loop byway into your drive rather than treating Scofield as a detour - the scenic route through Huntington and Eccles Canyons adds relatively little time and the altitude change alone is worth experiencing after days in the desert.
