The Best Kayaking Lake In Utah Is One You May Never Have Heard Of
By Catherine Armstrong|Published August 03, 2021
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Utah kayakers enjoy paddling in all kinds of incredible spots around the state, from the mighty Colorado River to the quiet, alpine lakes of the High Uintas. There’s a lesser-known state park and reservoir in Vernal, and it has some unique features that kayakers love.
Red Fleet State Park is located in Vernal, and it's a pretty playground for hikers, mountain bikers, boaters, anglers, and kayakers. You'll find it just north of Vernal.
Red Fleet Reservoir covers 750 acres. It got its name from the vibrant red-rock formations along its banks, some of which look like ships tilting into the water.
You'll find tons of interesting rock formations around the reservoir, and you'll want to keep an eye out for local wildlife on the shore. Bring along a fishing pole and try your luck at landing a rainbow or tiger trout or a yellow perch.
Red Fleet Reservoir also offers a unique feature that you won't find at other kayaking spots in the state - dinosaur tracks! You can take a strenuous, three-mile hike out and back to the dinosaur trackway, or you can simply pull your kayak right up on the shore and hop out!
These tracks are around 200 million years old! It can be hard to see them when the sun is directly overhead, but in the early morning or late evening hours, they're much easier to discern on the trackway.
Enjoy the park's grassy, shaded picnic spots, or stay overnight in one of the campsites so you can kayak on the reservoir in the morning. Sites range from just $15 to $28 per night.
