When I lived in Chicago, kayaking was a regular hobby of mine. I was out paddling nearly every weekend and sometimes on weeknights. Then I moved to Tucson, and while there are endless cool things to do in Tucson, there is no water. Now that I live in Utah, I’m so happy to be out on the water again! Even if it is only for 2-3 months of the year. Shortly after moving here, a friend from work invited me out paddleboarding. It only took one night on the lake; I was sold and ended up buying an inflatable paddleboard the next day! While Jordanelle State Park is our regular Park City paddleboarding spot, there are places all over the state that are perfect for paddleboarding in Utah.

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Please note that entry fees may vary by season, day of the week, and whether you are a Utah resident or not. Please check the websites for the most up-to-date entry fees! Additionally, if you are visiting Utah from a lower elevation, be prepared for higher elevations with these altitude tips. The sun and alcohol are both stronger at higher elevations, so be careful!

Bear Lake State Park

Bear Lake State Park straddles the Utah/Idaho border and is a popular weekend destination for many families from Idaho and Utah. It’s sometimes called the Caribbean of the Rockies because of the beautiful turquoise water. Most of the action is on the west side of the lake in Garden City, also known for its raspberry shakes in the summer months! There are several outfitters that rent paddleboards, kayaks, jet skis, and boats.

• Nearest Town: Garden City
• Entry Fee: $15-$25 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Bear Lake Fun

Causey Reservoir

Causey is a local’s favorite as it’s a bit remote and motorboats are prohibited, which makes it the perfect spot for paddling. There are several arms of the reservoir, so you can paddle for quite aways, enjoying the views and beaches. There are also some popular cliff-jumping spots near the main parking area. The reservoir is located up Ogden Canyon, past the town of Huntsville. It’s also a bit rustic, so there are no on-site rentals or facilities.

• Nearest Town: Huntsville (25 miles from Ogden)
• Entry Fee: no fee or pass required
• Motorized Boats: Not Allowed
• Rentals: available in Huntsville at various places along the road

There are many more fun things to do in Ogden, Utah!

Deer Creek State Park

Just outside Heber City, Deer Creek State Park is a popular weekend boating destination for Utahns. The scenery of Deer Creek Reservoir is unparalleled, as Mount Timpanogos looms overhead. All of Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range is beautiful, but there’s something special about Timp. Deer Creek gets super busy with speedboats on the weekends, but there are quiet spots to be found, or go during the week.

At 3,000 acres, Deer Creek is a fairly large reservoir and while it’s often busy with boats and kiteboarders, it’s possible to find quiet spots for paddling. There’s also a campground, swimming beach, and Rainbow Bay Aquapark, an inflatable water park. The Lakehouse at Deer Creek is a fantastic restaurant on the eastern shore. This is not a beach concession stand; they have an incredible menu and reservations are strongly recommended!

• Nearest Town: Heber City (10 miles)
• Entry Fee: $20 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Deer Creek Island Resort rents boats, wave runners, and paddle craft.

East Canyon State Park

East Canyon State Park is a beautiful spot for paddleboarding near Salt Lake City. This 680-acre reservoir is surrounded by foothills with views of mountain peaks, at an elevation of 5,700 feet. I rarely paddle on weekends, but I visited East Canyon Reservoir on a Sunday, and it was super busy, even though I waited until 3 pm to launch. At the south end, there is a small beach and day-use area near the campground, which is much less crowded, especially if you go on a weekday.

The campground at East Canyon looks pretty cool, with Conestoga wagons, yurts, cabins, and a hammock site with a structure that accommodates 8 hammocks. There are also glamping tents you can rent near the beach. Given the weekend crowds I experienced, I think I would only try this mid-week.

• Nearest Town: Morgan (15 miles)
• Entry Fee: $20 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: East Canyon General Store rents ski boats, jet skis, kayaks, canoes, and SUPs.

Along the road to East Canyon, you’ll pass Little Dell Recreation Area, which looks like a nice place to paddle. Because it’s in the watershed, stand-up paddleboarding is not allowed, nor are dogs. Kayaks and other non-motorized boats are allowed.

Echo State Park

Another beautiful spot for paddleboarding near Park City is Echo Reservoir. From my place in Kimball Junction, it’s just under 30 minutes to the park. It’s amazing how quickly you can go from granite peaks to red rock cliffs in just 20 miles! The main entrance to the park has a boat launch and a beach, and they are building another day-use beach. We found plenty of little cove areas within the no-wake zone that were perfect for swimming on a hot day. On a late July Friday, we had 90-degree temperatures and the water was around 75 degrees. Did I mention the scenery?

• Nearest Town: Park City (27 miles)
• Entry Fee: $20 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Jet Skis, personal watercraft, and PFDs are available for rent

Swing through Coalville and grab a pizza from Annie B’s Pizzeria on your way home from Echo. You won’t regret it! The bar next door, Bunny’s, is a hoot. According to the bartender, Bunny’s was one of the honkytonks featured in the Yellowstone series. Love it!

Jordanelle State Park

if you’ve ever been skiing at Deer Valley, you’ve probably seen Jordanelle Reservoir. Halfway between Heber City and Park City, Jordanelle State Park is a great spot for boating in Utah. Jordanelle has become our weekly after-work paddle spot. While weekends are busy with power boats, weeknights are calm and peaceful! This is a popular destination for fishing, so watch out for lines if you are paddling close to shore! The state park also has a campground and a few cabins available for overnight stays.

• Nearest Town: Heber City (9.5 miles) or Park City (9 miles)
• Entry Fee: $20 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Jordanelle Rentals

Find more Park City summer activities!

Mirror Lake

My favorite hot weather escape is to drive up the Mirror Lake Highway. The highway peaks at 10,687 feet at Bald Mountain Pass before descending to Mirror Lake, which is at 10,400 feet. So, expect cold water if you decide to paddleboard on Mirror Lake! It’s often up to 20 degrees cooler at Mirror Lake than in Park City. That said, it’s pretty remote, so don’t plan on having cell service past Kamas. You can buy snacks and drinks at the Samak Smoke House; that is the last bit of civilization you’ll see! Mirror Lake does get busier on the weekends, but with no motorized boats allowed, it’s a gorgeous place to paddle!

• Nearest Town: Kamas, UT (32 miles) or Evanston, WY (47 miles)
• Entry Fee: $6 for a 3-day Forest Service Pass; purchase at the Kamas ranger station, or have cash or check to pay at the self-pay stations
• Motorized Boats: Not allowed
• Rentals: Uinta Adventures in Kamas is the nearest place to rent kayaks. You will have to transport them to Mirror Lake in your car.

The Mirror Lake Highway is also one of the most scenic drives in Utah!

Quail Creek State Park

Quail Creek State Park is one of the lakes in Southern Utah that is perfect for paddleboarding. If you’ve ever been to Southern Utah in the summer, you know it’s HOT! Water sports are about the only outdoor activity that is tolerable in the summer months. Even on the water, it can be hot. At 300 acres, this Utah reservoir is on the smaller side, but as you can see, the scenery is fantastic! If you want to paddle in warm water, the mid-summer temperature of the lake is nearly 80 degrees!

I took a kayak tour at Quail Creek, and highly recommend Dig Paddlesports for a guided kayak tour of Quail Creek Reservoir. At one end of the lake, we paddled through mangrove tunnels, and at the other end of the lake, we beached our boats and took a short hike to some petroglyphs. I can’t wait to bring my stand-up paddleboard here next time I’m visiting St. George Utah.

• Nearest Town: St. George (13.5 miles)
• Entry Fee: $15 per vehicle or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Dig Paddlesports rents kayaks and paddleboards, and Mad Moose Rentals rents boats and jet skis.

Red Fleet State Park

Red Fleet State Park is located in Northeastern Utah, near Vernal aka Dinosaurland. Unfortunately, the park is closed this year for major renovations, but it’s a great spot for hiking, fishing, paddling, and camping. You can even hike to some dinosaur tracks along the shoreline of the lake! Definitely one of the best things to do in Vernal Utah. (The Dinosaur Tracks trail is still open during the renovations as it’s on the other side of the park.)

• Nearest Town: Vernal (12.2 miles)
• Entry Fee: $10 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: The park rents canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, and paddleboards with paddles and PFDs on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sand Hollow State Park

Another reservoir near St. George is Sand Hollow State Park. This park is best known for ATV trails and tours, but there’s also a 1,300-acre reservoir that is perfect for paddlesports. The water temp in summer is nice and warm, and the reservoir is even a popular spot for snorkeling and diving! The Dive Shack rents diving gear so if you are certified, you can go underwater to see an old bus, and even an airplane!

• Nearest Town: St. George (12.7 miles)
• Entry Fee: $20 day-use fee or $125 Utah State Parks Annual Pass
• Motorized Boats: Allowed
• Rentals: Sand Hollow Rentals has boats, jet skis, kayaks, paddleboards, and ATV tours.

Smith and Morehouse Reservoir

Set in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest near Oakley, Smith and Morehouse Reservoir is a beautiful reservoir surrounded by forests and peaks. It is located near Stillman Ranch and Thousand Peaks Ranch, where the TV show Yellowstone was first filmed. The scenery is spectacular, and it's remote enough to keep the crowds at bay.

The entire reservoir is no-wake, so it's perfect for paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. The boat launch fee is $10, so make sure you have cash as it's a self-service envelope where you fill out a slip and deposit the cash. Checks are also accepted if you still carry a checkbook. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and tiger trout, and the kokanee salmon spawn here.

• Nearest Town: Oakley (14.4 miles)
• Entry Fee: $10 cash or check
• Motorized Boats: Not Allowed
• Rentals: No

Other Utah Paddleboarding Spots

While these are my favorite Utah paddleboarding destinations, there are lots of others to check out! Chances are, no matter what part of Utah you are in, there's a lake or reservoir nearby.

• Panguitch Lake is near Bryce Canyon. It's a bigger lake, and it can get choppy if the wind picks up. Panguitch Lake Resort rents paddleboards and kayaks, or you can launch at several public launch spots around the lake.
• Silver Lake Flat Reservoir and Tibble Fork Reservoir are both located in American Fork Canyon are on my 2025 summer bucket list. I'm just working up the courage to brave the cold water of these alpine lakes.
• I'm heading to Lake Powell this fall and if I can find calm waters, I may throw my board in.
• Deer Valley has a small pond with paddleboard rentals and classes. One of these days I'll try SUP Yoga outside the confines of my gym's swimming pool!
• Fish Lake near Capitol Reef National Park is one of the best places for fall colors in Utah; I'll have to remember to try my paddleboard sometime!

What to Bring Paddleboarding

I always recommend renting or borrowing a board a few times before buying your own so you can learn what works best for you. Like any outdoor hobby, you'll probably keep accessorizing and upgrading the more you get out. But paddleboarding doesn't have to be expensive if you're just getting started. Since I have a lot of kayaking experience and knew I would be using my paddleboard often, I went for a mid-range board. I didn't want a cheap entry-level board that I would have to replace in a year, but I wasn't ready to spend $1000 on a board.

Paddleboarding Essentials

I recommend starting with a paddleboard kit and then upgrading the components as needed. Inflatable paddle boards are easy to use, transport, and store.

• I love my Bote Paddleboard - at just under $500, it is a great value and comes with a paddle, hand pump, and backpack. So far, it's a great board, and I get so many compliments on the colorful design.
  • Here's a tip that makes no sense: not all paddles float! Someone I know actually lost their paddle because it sank to the bottom of the lake. If you have a paddle that doesn't float, buy a cheap pool noodle and put it around your paddle shaft.
• An electric pump is a must for me; you cannot believe how much air these boards can hold! My first paddleboard accessory purchase is an electric pump that plugs into my car's accessory ports. It's so easy to use as you just program in the PSI you want and then set it and forget it! (make sure the pump PSI will work with your board!)
• A paddleboarding PFD is also a must-have; even if not required by law, you should always have one on board. Last summer, I used my kayaking PFD, but this year I upgraded to a waist belt PFD. It's much less cumbersome and I learned last year that I cannot climb back on my board with a bulky PFD. This one deploys a PDF when needed, using a CO2 cartridge.
• Your choice of paddleboarding clothes will depend on when and where you are paddling. On a hot summer day, a swimsuit is probably fine. I like to wear at least a rashguard for sun protection. In colder weather, NRS has a great line of Hydroskin products for added insulation. I love my Hyrdroskin capri pants; they've been snorkeling all over the world with me. My list of rafting clothes is also pretty applicable for paddleboarding.
• Always bring a fleece or sweatshirt to put on after your paddle; with no humidity, it cools down super quickly once the sun goes down!

Once you've been out a few times, you'll start to see which accessories come in handy. I have a little cooler, some friends have added extra d-rings and bungee cords, and I see a lot of fishermen anchor a chair to their board. Bote sells a ton of fun paddle accessories!

I still need to work on my paddling skills before I tackle any Utah rivers, but that will be next on my list! Do you have a favorite Utah paddleboarding spot? Tell me in the comments!