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Mackinaw

Fishlake National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Loa, Utah, UT, UT

Price: From $25 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (89 reviews)

Season: Memorial Day through Labor Day

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.The campground contains four group sites that can accommodate up to 20 people each. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are provided.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Drinking Water, Showers, Electric Hookups, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/mackinaw to be notified when sites open up.

Mackinaw Campground sits at 9,000 feet next to Fish Lake, Utah's largest natural mountain lake famous for 20-40 pound Mackinaw lake trout. Campers consistently praise the friendly camp host Karen and the peaceful, beautiful setting with minimal bugs and wildlife disturbances.

Wildlife alert: Mule Deer, American Beaver, Long-tailed Weasel, Rock Squirrel, Uinta Ground Squirrel, Turkey Vulture, Red-naped Sapsucker, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-headed Blackbird

Insider tips for Mackinaw: Book early — this is a popular federal campground Fish for Mackinaw lake trout (20-40 lbs), rainbow trout, and splake at Fish Lake Hike the 5-mile Pelican Canyon Trail

Skip Mackinaw if: You need RV hookups — most sites have no hookups; only suitable for self-contained RVs. You plan to visit outside Memorial Day through Labor Day — seasonal closures apply.

Best time to visit Mackinaw: Memorial Day - Labor Day — Campground operates seasonally during this period only.

Nearby campgrounds: Twin Creeks Picnic (Loa, UT), Bowery Creek (Loa, UT), Doctor Creek (Loa, UT), Frying Pan (Loa, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Mackinaw

Cell signal at Mackinaw (Loa, Utah, UT): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

    Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

    CamperWatch
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    CamperWatch›UT›Mackinaw
    Mackinaw — photo 1
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    Fishlake National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

    Mackinaw

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    Loa, Utah, UT, UT★ 4.3 (89 reviews)From $25/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
    On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

    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.The campground contains four group sites that can accommodate up to 20 people each. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are provided.

    Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
    LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

    Verified facts

    RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
    Stay limit14 days
    Max RV125 ft
    HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    ADA sites2 sites
    CampfiresAllowed
    Max/site6 people

    Amenities

    RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
    Essentials
    Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
    Recreation
    Picnic TablesShowers
    Family & Pets
    Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

    Straight talk

    CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

    Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

    Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
    Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — most sites have no hookups; only suitable for self-contained RVs✕ You plan to visit outside Memorial Day through Labor Day — seasonal closures apply

    Insider tips & when to go

    CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

    Book early

    this is a popular federal campground

    Fish for Mackinaw lake trout (20-40 lbs), rainbow trout, and splake at Fish Lake

    Hike the 5-mile Pelican Canyon Trail

    Best: Memorial Day - Labor Day

    Campground operates seasonally during this period only

    Things to do nearby

    RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

    Conditions today

    Live
    at campground coordinates

    Cell signal

    FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
    T-Mobile
    4G · 0%
    Verizon
    4G · 0%
    AT&T
    4G · 0%

    FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

    Wildlife nearby

    iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
    Alert: Mule Deer, American Beaver, Long-tailed Weasel, Rock Squirrel, Uinta Ground Squirrel, Turkey Vulture, Red-naped Sapsucker, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-headed Blackbird

    Location

    Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
    Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
    1111111111· Fishlake National Forest
    Getting there →

    From Highway 24 northwest of Loa, Utah, take Highway 25 northeast 9 miles to the campground.

    Campground entrance

    Google Maps API

    Community

    #community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

    Pro tips

    • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Fishlake National Forest fills fast in peak season.
    • Check current road conditions at Fishlake National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

    Frequently asked questions

    RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
    How much does Mackinaw cost per night?+
    Mackinaw costs $25 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What season is Mackinaw open?+
    Mackinaw is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Does Mackinaw have hookups?+
    No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
    What is the maximum RV length at Mackinaw?+
    Mackinaw can accommodate RVs up to 125 feet.
    How do I make reservations at Mackinaw?+
    Mackinaw is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
    What is the cell service like at Mackinaw?+
    According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Mackinaw is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
    What season is Mackinaw open, and what are check-in times?+
    Mackinaw is open Memorial Day through Labor Day. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
    Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
    ●Data sources on this page
    Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
    recreation.gov · RIDB API
    National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
    api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
    Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
    airquality.googleapis.com
    iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
    api.inaturalist.org
    Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
    pollen.googleapis.com
    FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
    broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
    Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
    api.sunrise-sunset.org
    Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
    maps.googleapis.com
    RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
    ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

    CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

    $25 /night★ 4.3 (89)
    SeasonMemorial Day through Labor Day
    Check-in2:00 PM
    Check-out12:00 PM
    Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
    Dates full? Get an availability alert
    FAQ
    How much does Mackinaw cost per night?+
    What season is Mackinaw open?+
    Does Mackinaw have hookups?+
    All 7 questions →

    Nearby Campgrounds

    Twin Creeks Picnic

    Loa, UT

    From $60/night

    Bowery Creek

    Loa, UT

    From $25/night

    Doctor Creek

    Loa, UT

    From $25/night

    Frying Pan

    Loa, UT

    From $25/night

    Own a campground nearby?

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