Trial Lake Campground

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: Pleasant Grove, UT, UT

Price: From $28.06 per night

Price range: $28.06–$56.12 per night

Rating: 4.3 out of 5 (127 reviews)

Season: May through October

Trial Lake Campground is located just off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway on the shores of Trial Lake at an elevation of 9,500 feet. The byway cuts through the Uinta Mountains, which are known for their abundant recreational opportunities and scenic beauty.Trial Lake offers canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout. Popular trailheads for Crystal Lake and Bald Mountain are located a mile away at Washington Lake Campground.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Trial Lake Campground sits at 9,500 feet on the shores of Trial Lake along the scenic Mirror Lake Byway in the Uinta Mountains, offering excellent fishing, boating, and access to nearby hiking trailheads. Campers consistently rate it highly (4.5/5 stars) for its beautiful setting and well-maintained facilities.

Wildlife alert: Wapiti, Mountain Goats, Yellow-bellied Marmots, Osprey, Boreal Owls, and Bald Eagles have been documented in the area.

Insider tips for Trial Lake Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with limited availability. Many sites have short parking pads; request a site suitable for your RV/trailer length when booking. Bring a kayak or canoe; campers report seeing bald eagles while on the water. Firewood is available for purchase on-site. Crystal Lake and Bald Mountain trailheads are located one mile away at Washington Lake Campground.

Skip Trial Lake Campground if: You need RV hookups—no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.. You require winter camping—seasonal operations end in October.. You're unprepared for high elevation weather—expect cold nights and rapid weather changes including rain, hail, and wind..

Best time to visit Trial Lake Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.. July-August — Higher elevation means cold nights and rapid weather changes at other times; summer provides most stable conditions..

Nearby campgrounds: Lilly Lake Campground (Pleasant Grove, UT), Lost Creek Campground (Pleasant Grove, UT), Washington Lake (Pleasant Grove, UT), Moosehorn (Pleasant Grove, UT).

Cell Phone Coverage at Trial Lake Campground

Cell signal at Trial Lake Campground (Pleasant Grove, 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
CamperWatch›UT›Trial Lake Campground
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Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Trial Lake Campground

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Pleasant Grove, UT, UT★ 4.3 (127 reviews)From $28.06/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Trial Lake Campground is located just off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway on the shores of Trial Lake at an elevation of 9,500 feet. The byway cuts through the Uinta Mountains, which are known for their abundant recreational opportunities and scenic beauty.Trial Lake offers canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow trout. Popular trailheads for Crystal Lake and Bald Mountain are located a mile away at Washington Lake Campground.

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

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV40 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsCamp Host
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsFirewood for Sale

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—no hookups available; only self-contained RVs suitable.✕ You require winter camping—seasonal operations end in October.✕ You're unprepared for high elevation weather—expect cold nights and rapid weather changes including rain, hail, and wind.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with limited availability.

Many sites have short parking pads; request a site suitable for your RV/trailer length when booking.

Bring a kayak or canoe; campers report seeing bald eagles while on the water.

Firewood is available for purchase on-site.

Crystal Lake and Bald Mountain trailheads are located one mile away at Washington Lake Campground.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Best: July-August

Higher elevation means cold nights and rapid weather changes at other times; summer provides most stable conditions.

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: Wapiti, Mountain Goats, Yellow-bellied Marmots, Osprey, Boreal Owls, and Bald Eagles have been documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From Salt Lake City, Utah, take I-80 east for approximately 30 miles to Exit 146 for Highway 40 toward Park City/Heber City/Vernal. Take Exit 4 onto Highway 248 toward Kamas. Take left onto UT 32 then right onto Highway 150 (Mirror Lake Scenic Byway). Go 25 miles to campground. From Salt Lake City, Utah, take I-80 east for approximately 30 miles to Exit 146 for Highway 40. Go south on Highway 40 for approximately 13 miles and take left onto UT Highway 32. Stay on UT-32 for 16 miles (there will b

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 — Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Trial Lake Campground cost per night?+
Trial Lake Campground costs $28.06–$56.12 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Trial Lake Campground open?+
Trial Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Trial Lake Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Trial Lake Campground?+
Trial Lake Campground can accommodate RVs up to 36 feet.
How do I make reservations at Trial Lake Campground?+
Trial Lake Campground 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 Trial Lake Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Trial Lake Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Trial Lake Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Trial Lake Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapUtah Recreation CompanyUinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest
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.

$28.06 /night★ 4.3 (127)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Trial Lake Campground cost per night?+
What season is Trial Lake Campground open?+
Does Trial Lake Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Lilly Lake Campground

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $28.06/night

Lost Creek Campground

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $28.06/night

Washington Lake

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $27.75/night

Moosehorn

Pleasant Grove, UT

From $28.27/night

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