A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

Forest Service campground

Mackinaw

Forest Service campground in Fishlake National Forest, Sevier County, Utah. About 9,000 feet. 9.4 miles from Koosharem.

Managed by
Forest Service Fishlake National Forest
Elevation
About 9,000 ft As the Forest Service states
Sites
67 57 standard non-electric, 6 group standard non-electric, 3 group rv area non-electric
Longest rig
75 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Sevier County

Overview

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.

Recreation

Fish Lake is Utah's largest natural mountain lake, covering 2,500 acres. It is famous for its 20-40 pound Mackinaw lake trout. Anglers also enjoy fishing for rainbow trout and splake. Boating, canoeing, swimming and scuba diving are popular activities.

The 5-mile Pelican Canyon Trail begins next door at Bowery Creek Campground. It leads through meadows and dense forests of spruce, pine and aspen as it climbs to the 11,633-foot Fish Lake Hightop.

The popular Lakeshore National Recreation Trail extends around the eastern side of the lake. Hikers are rewarded with stunning lake views after climbing 900 feet in elevation.

Facilities

The campground contains four group sites that can accommodate up to 20 people each. Picnic tables and fire rings with grills are provided. Several single-family sites are available as well. Most sites have lake views.

Flush toilets, showers and drinking water are provided. Roads and parking spurs are paved.

Three resorts are located in the Fish Lake Basin, offering camping and fishing supplies, RV parks with hookups, cabin and boat rentals, marinas, gas, restaurants, groceries, laundry facilities and showers. The resorts are open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Natural Features

The campground sits on a sagebrush-covered hillside above the valley floor and offers views of Fish Lake. Aspen trees forest the site, providing partial shade.

Nearby Attractions

Johnson Valley Reservoir is just north of Fish Lake, offering additional fishing and boating opportunities.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Mackinaw

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated May 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.