USDA Forest Service · Utah
Lower Bowns
USDA Forest Service · Utah, United States
- Sites
- 5
- Hookups
- 5 with water, 5 no hookups
- Season
- May 15 to September 29
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 7,454 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- LOWER BOWNS RESERVOIR (NFSR 30181) · native material · high clearance vehicles
- Lake
- Fishlake National Forest
- Nearest town
- Loa
- Address
- 138 South Main St., Loa, UT, 84747
- Activities
- Biking, Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
5 numbered sites are mapped one by one - the site map below shows each with its facts and pictures.
Site map
5 numbered sites are mapped one by one on the imagery, with the operator's own facts and pictures for each site where it publishes them. Tap a site to rate it, keep a note and add your own photos; press and hold the map for a pin of your own. Your ratings, notes, pins and photos are kept with the campground on your Saved list, the same list the camping map and the drive page keep.
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About
Overview
Lower Bowns Campground is located on the east side of Boulder Mountain on the shore of Lower Bowns Reservoir at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing and exploring local trails.
View Lower Bowns Campground Map
Recreation
Popular activities in the area include hiking, biking, hunting and riding the Rosebud ATV Trail. Lower Bowns Reservoir offers boating, canoeing and fishing for rainbow, brook and cutthroat trout.
Facilities
This campground contains three accessible sites: one group site can accommodate up to 50 people, and two single sites can each accommodate up to 10 people.
Vault toilets are provided, and roads and parking spurs throughout the site are gravel.
Natural Features
The campground is sparsely forested with pinyon pines and juniper, which offer only limited shade. Boulder Mountain lies to the west of the site, and Capitol Reef National Park's Waterpocket Fold and the Henry Mountains lie to the east.
Nearby Attractions
Capitol Reef National Park is just 45 minutes from the campground. This unique park offers excellent hiking trails, historic sites and breathtaking scenery.
Sightseeing along Utah Highway 12, a National Scenic Byway, is very popular. Travelers visit from every corner of the world to gaze upon stunning red rock canyons and desert landscapes.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 19° | 6° | 53° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 37° | 20° | 0° | 48° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 43° | 25° | 7° | 73° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 55° | 31° | 16° | 69° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 65° | 42° | 26° | 77° | 3 of 11 |
| June | 79° | 53° | 40° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 86° | 61° | 50° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 79° | 57° | 49° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 73° | 52° | 33° | 82° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 61° | 38° | 19° | 74° | 5 of 10 |
| November | 51° | 33° | 10° | 63° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 40° | 21° | -2° | 54° | 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.
Trails nearby
- Old Wagon Trail Loop Trailhead · 8.4 mi as the crow flies
Old Wagon Trail Loop 2.9 mi Hike · Drive there - FISH CREEK TRAILHEAD · 9.1 mi as the crow flies
Great Western Trail 26 mi Hike · Drive there - Golden Throne Trailhead · 9.2 mi as the crow flies
Golden Throne 1.8 mi Hike · Drive there - Capitol Gorge Trailhead · 9.2 mi as the crow flies
Capitol Gorge 2.1 mi Hike · Drive there
All 983 trails in Fishlake National Forest · All 42 trails in Capitol Reef National Park
Trailheads the Park Service and the Forest Service map, within 10 miles as the crow flies; each trail's page has its length, climbing and the Service's description.
Nearby campgrounds
- Rosebud Atv · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi · 4 sites
- Lower Pleasant Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Upper Pleasant Creek Campground · USDA Forest Service · 3 mi
- Oak Creek Rec Site (Boulder, UT) · USDA Forest Service · 4 mi · 9 sites
- Singletree · USDA Forest Service · 5 mi · 35 sites
All public campgrounds in Utah · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.