Between Provo And The Arizona Border Is Utah's Scenic State Park With Mountain Views, ATV Trails, And Lake Fun

Though its landscape is largely split between deserts and mountains, Utah is famous for at least one lake. The Great Salt Lake doesn't just provide the name for Utah's capital and largest city – it's also one of America's largest lakes outside of the Great Lakes, with some truly unique features like the distinctive pink waters around Utah's Stansbury Island. Much further south, however, another Utah lake rivals the Great Salt Lake in amazing views and outdoor activities, if not in size. Piute State Park and its reservoir are rather small on paper. And yet, both park and lake are highlights of one of the more underrated corners of Utah's one-of-a-kind natural beauty. 

Piute State Park is located nearly 200 miles south of Salt Lake City and about 150 miles south of Provo. The area between Provo and the Utah-Arizona border is fairly close to Utah's famous national park country, so the modest roadside Piute State Park may get overlooked by travelers. Although it doesn't have truly extraordinary features like the nearby Bryce Canyon or Capitol Reef national parks, it does have some incredible panoramic mountain views packed into its small size. For the cost of the park's $5 day-use fee, you can find superb views of some of Utah's most underrated mountains, plus a charming reservoir that frames the Utah landscape against soft blue waters. Once there, you can have fun at Piute Reservoir or on the many ATV trails nearby before sleeping overnight at Piute State Park's primitive-yet-scenery-rich campsites.

Piute State Park sits on a relatively small stretch of land off of Utah's Highway 89. Much of the park's modest area consists of the northwestern corner of the 3,360-acre Piute Reservoir, with some undeveloped visitor amenities along the lake's shores. Piute State Park's comparative lack of amenities draws fewer visitors than most Utah state parks. A lack of visitors is not always a problem, however. With fewer crowds than more popular Utah state parks (to say nothing of tourist-heavy parks like Zion), Piute State Park is an ideal spot for enjoying the sublime Utah scenery in peace and quiet.

And Piute State Park certainly isn't lacking in scenery. The Piute Reservoir lies along Utah's Sevier River. Like many rivers in this part of the country, the Sevier River cuts a course through a network of canyons and river valleys that add to the distinctive character of Utah's terrain. Piute State Park not only features a comprehensive view of the Sevier River's canyons, but also highlights one of Utah's most under-the-radar mountain systems. The park and reservoir are both part of the broader Sevier Plateau along the eastern slopes of Utah's Tushar Mountains. 

The plateau's notable topography decorates the landscape surrounding Piute State Park with sandstone cliffs, natural springs, and even preserved lava fields, all framed against the Sevier River's canyons. Far from the more famous Uinta Mountains of northeastern Utah, the Sevier Plateau  and Tushar Range have their own collection of rugged mountain peaks, some of which reach elevations of more than 11,000 feet. Piute State Park has views of many of these peaks — like the 11,227-foot Monroe Peak, which is roughly 40 miles north of the park.

Piute State Park's location on Piute Reservoir brings water activities front and center among the park's recreational opportunities. Since the reservoir is much bigger than the park, visitors have plenty of space on the water for boating excursions. Piute State Park has convenient boat ramps that provide excellent access for both motorized boats and non-motorized kayaks and canoes. While visitors can enjoy a calm day on Piute Reservoir, more thrilling water activities — including jet skiing and wakeboarding – are also available. Trophy fishing is available year-round, as well, and the Piute Reservoir is stocked with game fish like rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout, and smallmouth bass. 

If you don't catch any fish at Piute State Park, you can always console yourself on land with a thrilling ATV ride. Piute State Park has access to Utah's 275-mile Piute ATV Trail, which forms a massive loop through the Sevier Plateau and underrated Utah settings like the awe-inspiring aspens and mountain lakes of Fishlake National Forest. Given its smaller size and lower profile, Piute State Park is an uncrowded starting point for ATV Trail expeditions, compared to more popular spots like Fremont Indian State Park. Piute State Park is quite close to major Piute ATV Trailheads at Circleville and Marysvale, from which ATV riders can access regional attractions like the 75-foot high Bullion Falls. 

Piute State Park's primitive campground has fewer amenities than others, but draws positive reviews for its "beautiful view of the lake and mountains" in a tranquil setting, with lovely Utah cottonwood trees creating shade. If you're planning a multi-day ATV adventure along the Piute Trail, Piute State Park is a small-but-convenient base camp.