USDA Forest Service · Utah
Barker Recreation Area
USDA Forest Service · Utah, United States
- Sites
- 18
- Hookups
- 3 with water, 16 no hookups
- Season
- May 28 to September 6
- Max RV length
- 35 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 9,304 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile weak · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- NORTH CREEK (NFSR 30149) · crushed aggregate or gravel · suitable for passenger cars
- Lake
- Dixie National Forest
- Nearest town
- ESCALANTE
- Address
- PO BOX 246, ESCALANTE, UT, 84726
- Phone
- 435-826-5499
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Horseback Riding, Hunting, Mountain Biking, Wildlife Viewing
18 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Barker Recreation Area is located high on the Colorado Plateau at an elevation of 9,300 feet. Visitors enjoy canoeing, fishing and exploring local trails.
Recreation
Upper Barker Reservoir provides canoeing, kayaking and fishing for rainbow and brook trout. Numerous hiking, biking and horse trails can be accessed from both the Upper and Lower Barker Reservoir trailheads. Trails, including the non-motorized Great Western Trail, lead to nine backcountry fishing lakes and beautiful mountain views. The area also has excellent stream fishing and spectacular fall colors.
Facilities
This recreation area contains 13 single-family sites, three group campsites and a day-use area. Horses are permitted in the Porter group site.
Drinking water is provided from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Amenities include accessible vault toilets and bear-proof food storage lockers. Fishing docks are located at Upper and Lower Barker Reservoirs. Roads and parking spurs are gravel.
Natural Features
A dense canopy of aspen and spruce trees forests Barker Recreation Area. Summer wildflowers are plentiful and a variety of wildlife frequents the area, including black bear, blue grouse, golden eagle, ducks and wild turkey.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (801) 226-3564.
Nearby Attractions
Both the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park are located approximately 45 minutes away. Sightseeing along Utah Highway 12, a National Scenic Byway, is very popular. Travelers visit from every corner of the world to see the stunning red rock canyons and desert landscapes.
Bryce Canyon National Park, Kodachrome Basin State Park and Anasazi State Park are also located in the area.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 28° | 11° | -1° | 47° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 30° | 10° | -6° | 42° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 35° | 19° | -8° | 67° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 47° | 25° | 10° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| May | 58° | 35° | 20° | 70° | 8 of 11 |
| June | 74° | 47° | 32° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 53° | 44° | 86° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 72° | 50° | 41° | 85° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 67° | 45° | 28° | 76° | 1 of 11 |
| October | 55° | 31° | 10° | 67° | 9 of 10 |
| November | 46° | 26° | -2° | 58° | 10 of 10 |
| December | 34° | 16° | -16° | 51° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Posey Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi · 23 sites
- Blue Spruce Campground · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi
- Cowpuncher Guard Station · USDA Forest Service · 10 mi · 1 sites
- Escalante Petrified Forest State Park · Utah State Parks · 14 mi · 52 sites
- Pine Lake Campground · USDA Forest Service · 14 mi · 32 sites
All public campgrounds in Utah · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-05-22. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.