Uinta Mountains fishing — Mirror Lake Highway & High Uintas lakes

141 lakes, creeks, and reservoirs · 54 roadside along the Mirror Lake Highway (UT-150) · 87 backcountry · distances from Mirror Lake.

The Uintas are the only major east–west range in the lower 48 and the roof of Utah — Kings Peak tops 13,500 feet — and they hold more than a thousand lakes, a few hundred of which the DWR manages for fishing. Brook trout dominate, with cutthroat, rainbows, tiger trout, grayling, and a few golden trout up high; most lakes are stocked by airplane on a rotating schedule, and the fish are rarely big but rarely hard to catch. The Mirror Lake Highway (UT-150) from Kamas to Evanston is the drive-up side: dozens of lakes within a mile of pavement between Trial Lake and Bald Mountain Pass. Everything else is on foot or horseback from trailheads on the North Slope, the Uinta River, Lake Fork, and Rock Creek drainages.

Getting there

UT-150 opens when the snow allows, usually late May to mid-June, and closes to vehicles with the first big storms in November. It's a fee area (Forest Service recreation pass). Trailheads at Crystal Lake, Christmas Meadows, Highline (Hayden Pass), and Bald Mountain reach hundreds of lakes; the North Slope roads out of Mountain View, Wyoming and the Uinta Basin roads out of Roosevelt and Duchesne reach the south and north drainages. The High Uintas Wilderness bans motors and bikes.

Season

Ice-off on the highway lakes is late June, higher basins into July. The first two weeks after ice-out are the easiest fishing of the year. July and August are prime, with afternoon thunderstorms nearly every day — fish mornings. September is quiet and beautiful, with the brook trout coloring up for their fall spawn; snow can close things any night after mid-September. The DWR stocks the highway lakes repeatedly through summer and the backcountry lakes by air every one to three years.

What works

A short fly rod with a Royal Wulff, a Griffith's gnat, or a small black leech covers nearly every lake; a light spinning rod with a small Panther Martin or a worm under a bobber does the same. Fish the inlets, the drop-offs off rocky points, and the shady side in the afternoon. Brook trout limits are generous — a bonus limit applies on many Uinta lakes to thin them out — and cutthroat and grayling waters can carry their own rules; check each water's regulations section.

Most recently stocked

Roadside — within 3.5 miles of the Mirror Lake Highway (UT-150)

WaterMilesRight nowFlowWater tempStockedSpecies
Mirror Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.0Good——7d agorainbow trout, brook trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Emerald Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.0Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Pass Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.0Good——2w agobrook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Moosehorn Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.1Good——2w agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Bonnie Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.1Fair——5w agobrook trout
Blythe Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.1Fair——5w agobrook trout
Scout Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.1Fair——8w agobrook trout, rainbow trout
Bud Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.1Fair——5w agobrook trout
Kamas Reservoir · reservoir, Summit Co.2Fair——14mo agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Butterfly Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.2Good——7d agorainbow trout, brook trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Lofty Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——6w agocutthroat trout
Maba Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.2Fair——5w agobrook trout
Clegg Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——6w agobrook trout
Ruth Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——5w agobrook trout
Hoover Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.2Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Reids Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——6w agobrook trout
Dean Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——24mo agobrook trout, arctic grayling
Marshall Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.2Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Notch Lake · lake, Summit Co.2Fair——6w agobrook trout
Cuberant No 4 · pond, Summit Co.3Fair——6w agocutthroat trout
Joan Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.3Fair——6w agobrook trout
Wyman Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.3Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Lilly Lake · lake, Summit Co.3Good——7d agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Star Lake · lake, Summit Co.3Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Mcpheters Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Trial Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Good——3w agorainbow trout, brook trout
Wall Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Petit Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——6w agobrook trout
Cliff Lake (Mirror Lake Hwy) · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——6w agocutthroat trout
Watson Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——6w agobrook trout
James Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——6w agobrook trout
Crystal Lake · lake, Summit Co.4Fair——6w agobrook trout
Washington Lake · lake, Summit Co.5Fair——7w agobrook trout, arctic grayling, rainbow trout, …
Abes Lake · lake, Summit Co.5Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Trident Lake · lake, Summit Co.5Fair——6w agobrook trout
Haystack Lake · lake, Summit Co.5Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Bourbon Lake · lake, Summit Co.5Fair——6w agobrook trout
Beth Lake · lake, Summit Co.6Fair——6w agobrook trout
Rock Lake · lake, Summit Co.6Fair——14mo agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Blue Lake · lake, Summit Co.6Fair——6w agobrook trout
Pot Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——6w agobrook trout
Jerry Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——6w agobrook trout
Island Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Island Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——6w agocutthroat trout
Olson Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Beaver Lake · lake, Summit Co.8Fair——6w agobrook trout
Beaver Lake · lake, Summit Co.8Fair——3mo agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Big Elk Reservoir · reservoir, Summit Co.9Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Erickson Lake, North W26 · lake, Summit Co.9Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Lily Lake · lake, Summit Co.13Fair——6w agorainbow trout
Yellowpine, Upper W65 · pond, Summit Co.14Fair——6w agobrook trout
Yellowpine, Lower W66 · pond, Summit Co.14Fair——6w agobrook trout
Upper Provo River · river, Summit Co.17Fair62 cfs—6w agobrown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, …
Deadman Creek · creek, Summit Co.17Fair——34mo agocutthroat trout

Backcountry — hike-in and 4WD

WaterMilesRight nowFlowWater tempStockedSpecies
Jordan Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.5Fair——5w agobrook trout
Pinto Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.5Fair——5w agobrook trout
Little Deer Creek · creek, Wasatch Co.6Fair——13mo agocutthroat trout
Lily Pad Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.6Fair——5w agobrook trout
Broadhead Lake · lake, Wasatch Co.6Fair——5w agobrook trout
Rainbow Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.6Fair——7w agobrook trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Buckeye Lake · lake, Summit Co.6Fair——6w agobrook trout
Sonny Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.6Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Jean Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.7Fair——5w agobrook trout
Spectacle Lake · lake, Summit Co.7Fair——6w agobrook trout
Powell Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.7Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Salamander Lake · lake, Summit Co.8Fair——6w agobrook trout
Betsey Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.8Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Alexander Lake · lake, Summit Co.8Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Heart Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.9Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Fern Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.9Fair——5w agobrook trout
Whitney Reservoir · reservoir, Summit Co.9Fair——8w agocutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Survey Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.10Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Scow Lake · lake, Summit Co.10Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Iron Mine Lake · lake, Wasatch Co.10Fair——8w agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Fall Creek · creek, Duchesne Co.10Fair——23mo agocutthroat trout
Baker Lake · lake, Summit Co.10Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Deadhorse Lake · lake, Summit Co.12Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Smith and Morehouse Reservoir · reservoir, Summit Co.12Good——2w agorainbow trout, cutthroat trout
Shingle Mill Reservoir · reservoir, Sanpete Co.13Fair——2mo agorainbow trout
Crater Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.13Fair——6w agosplake (lake × brook trout hybrid)
Upper Stillwater Reservoir · reservoir, Duchesne Co.14Fair——7w agobrook trout
Rudolph Lake No 1 · lake, Duchesne Co.14Fair——6w agobrook trout
Twin Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.16Fair——24mo agocutthroat trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Bobs Lake · lake, Summit Co.16Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Hidden Lake · lake, Summit Co.17Fair——6w agobrook trout
Oweep Creek · creek, Duchesne Co.17Fair——14mo agocutthroat trout
Upper Weber RiverBlue Ribbon · river, Summit Co.19Good99 cfs—2w agobrown trout, mountain whitefish, cutthroat trout
Bench Creek · creek, Wasatch Co.19Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Elkhorn Lake · lake, Summit Co.21Fair——6w agobrook trout
Gem Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.22Fair——6w agobrook trout
Moon Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.22Fair——7w agorainbow trout, splake (lake × brook trout hybrid), tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid), …
Red Castle, Upper G16 · pond, Summit Co.22Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Red Castle Lake · lake, Summit Co.22Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Lake Fork River · river, Duchesne Co.22Fair133 cfs—3mo agobrown trout, cutthroat trout, brook trout
Red Castle, Lower G12 · pond, Summit Co.24Fair——7w agobrook trout
Red Castle,east · pond, Summit Co.24Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Beaver Creek · creek, Summit Co.24Fair——4w agocutthroat trout, rainbow trout
Smiths Fork Pass Lake G14 · lake, Summit Co.24Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Cliff Lake (Smiths Fork) · lake, Summit Co.26Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Castle Lake · lake, Summit Co.26Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Castle Lake · lake, Summit Co.26Fair——6w agocutthroat trout
Hessie Lake · lake, Summit Co.27Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Bear Lake (Uintas) · lake, Summit Co.27Fair——7w agobrook trout
Dollar Lake · lake, Summit Co.28Fair——5w agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
China Lake · lake, Summit Co.30Fair——7w agobrook trout
Marsh Lake · lake, Summit Co.31Fair——2mo agorainbow trout
Bridger Lake · lake, Summit Co.32Fair——5w agobrook trout, rainbow trout
Stateline Reservoir · reservoir, Summit Co.32Fair——3mo agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Chain Lake No 4 · lake, Duchesne Co.33Fair——24mo agocutthroat trout
Lily Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.35Fair——6w agobrook trout
Quarter Corner Lg103 · pond, Summit Co.35Fair——3mo agorainbow trout
Fox Reservoir · reservoir, Duchesne Co.39Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Brook Lake · lake, Summit Co.40Fair——6w agobrook trout
Brook Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.40Fair——7w agobrook trout
Cedarview Reservoir · reservoir, Duchesne Co.41Fair——11mo agocutthroat trout
Queant Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.41Fair——14mo agobrook trout, cutthroat trout
Rock L, Upper · lake, Duchesne Co.42Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Rock L, Middle · lake, Duchesne Co.42Fair——12mo agocutthroat trout
Hoop Lake · lake, Summit Co.43Fair——5w agorainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Larvae Lake · lake, Duchesne Co.45Fair——5w agobrook trout
Tamarack Lake · lake, Summit Co.46Fair——7w agocutthroat trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Jesson Lake · lake, Summit Co.46Fair——7w agocutthroat trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Lost Lake · lake, Summit Co.47Fair——7w agobrook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Cliff Lake (Paradise Park) · lake, Duchesne Co.47Fair——6w agobrook trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Spirit Lake · lake, Daggett Co.48Fair——3mo agocutthroat trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Teds Lake · lake, Uintah Co.48Fair——14mo agobrook trout
Johnson Reservoir · reservoir, Sevier Co.49Fair——28mo agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Daggett Lake · lake, Daggett Co.49Fair——7w agocutthroat trout
Long Park Reservoir · reservoir, Daggett Co.55Fair——3mo agobrook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Red Lake · lake, Daggett Co.56Fair——27mo agotiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Hacking Lake · lake, Uintah Co.57Fair——2mo agocutthroat trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Ashley Twin Lake · lake, Uintah Co.57Fair——7w agobrook trout
Browne Lake · lake, Daggett Co.57Fair——3mo agobrook trout, cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, …
Weyman Creek · creek, Daggett Co.57Fair——4w agocutthroat trout
Carter Cr, West Fork · creek, Daggett Co.58Fair——14mo agocutthroat trout
Carter Cr, East Fork · creek, Daggett Co.58Fair——14mo agocutthroat trout
Ashley Cr, South Fork · creek, Uintah Co.64Fair——2mo agorainbow trout
Sheep Creek · creek, Daggett Co.64Fair——3mo agokokanee salmon, rainbow trout
Sheep Creek Lake · creek, Daggett Co.64Fair——2mo agocutthroat trout
Oaks Park Reservoir · reservoir, Uintah Co.66Fair——14mo agobrook trout, rainbow trout, tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid)
Ashley Creek · creek, Uintah Co.67Fair109 cfs——brown trout, rainbow trout

Species

brook trout · 74cutthroat trout · 40tiger trout (brown × brook hybrid) · 40rainbow trout · 30brown trout · 4arctic grayling · 2splake (lake × brook trout hybrid) · 2kokanee salmon · 1

By county

Daggett CountyDuchesne CountySanpete CountySevier CountySummit CountyUintah CountyWasatch County