Between Provo And Fishlake National Forest Is Utah's Lovely State Park For Lake Fun, Beaches, And Camping

From stunning mountains to tranquil lakes, the Beehive State has a lot of natural beauty to offer. If you head about an hour south of Provo, on Interstate 15, you'll run into Yuba State Park. This park surrounds Yuba Lake, which itself stretches over 22 miles, so there's plenty of space to swim, boat, and fish during your visit. And with sandy beaches along the lake's shores, you can get a taste of being at the coast without having to travel all the way to the ocean.

The state park is conveniently located next to the highway and features an abundance of lakeside activities, including ATV trails and ziplining. Best of all, camping is available on-site, so you can enjoy the park for the weekend or an extended vacation. However, due to its relatively remote locale, make sure to bring enough supplies to last you the whole stay, as there aren't any big cities nearby.

Realistically, the main reason to visit Yuba State Park is to enjoy the beautiful lake, which is very easy to do, since there are long stretches of sand, boat ramps, and plenty of fish to catch. While fishing at Yuba Lake isn't as good as places like Strawberry Reservoir in Utah's gorgeous green valley that feels like Europe, it's a worthy angling destination. According to Fish Utah, you're likely to find catfish, carp, pike, walleye, and rainbow trout.

Both motorized and non-motorized boats are allowed on Yuba Lake, but water levels can affect the boat ramps at either Oasis or Painted Rocks Campgrounds. For example, at the time of this writing, the ramp at Painted Rocks is closed because the water levels are too low. That said, you can still launch a canoe, kayak, or rowboat from the shore. You can even rent paddleboats on-site, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Although motorboats must be registered in Utah, non-motorized craft do not. You must also register with the anti-invasive species (AIS) program and take a mussel-aware course before hitting the water.

If you don't bring a boat, you can still relax on the sandy shores of the lake. North Beach is one of the most popular, thanks in part to its soft, white sand. West Beach is another great option, and is often less crowded, depending on the season. However, if you want better access to amenities like restrooms, you'll probably want to stay close to the Oasis campground. This area also has trees and tables to make it more accommodating, especially during the summer.

Unless you happen to live in or around Utah, the best way to reach Yuba State Park is to fly into Salt Lake City International Airport, which was named the best airport in the United States. From there, it's almost a two-hour drive to reach the park. However, as we mentioned, there aren't any big cities around, so you may want to stop in a place like Richfield on the way down to stock up. There is a small store at the park, but it has limited options.

When it comes to camping at Yuba Lake, you can choose between standard campsites, primitive sites, or cabins. Primitive camping is the most prevalent, which you can find on the North and West beach campgrounds, although they're both listed as north beaches on the reservation site. These sites are perfect if you're really trying to enjoy the sand, but shade is almost non-existent, so plan accordingly. Standard campsites are available at Oasis and Eagle View Campgrounds. Oasis is the main campground, and it offers electrical hookups if you're traveling in an RV, as well as two cabins. Eagle View is mostly only accessible by water, but a reliable 4x4 rig may be able to reach the site from land. Finally, there's Painted Rocks campground on the eastern side of the lake, which offers more sites with electrical hookups.

Another benefit of staying at Yuba State Park is that you're just over an hour from Utah's aspen-filled Fishlake National Forest, which has more lakes, forests, and other natural elements. So, once you get your fill of Yuba, you can head down and see what Fishlake has to offer before going home.