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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
From Escalante, Utah, drive 2.5 miles west on Highway 12, then turn right at the North Creek Lakes sign and right again at the Barker Recreation Area sign, onto Forest Road 149. Drive approximately 16 miles on FR 149. The last 3.4 miles of FR 149 are steep and single-lane with switchbacks and turnouts.
Camped here for a week with my siblings in one of the group sites. We had a great time and the site was amazing. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great place to camp
Amazing group camp site. But they do not service it. Trash containers completely full when we got there. Toilet paper ...on your own. But great bear-proof lockers, great picnic tables, good fire ring.
This is a great place to go camping, hiking and fishing. Saw lots of fish as I walked around the lake.
Great Campground, small, and out of the way. The road is not for the light hearted, 16 miles of dirt road, with some switchbacks and 1000 feet if elevation change. We brought a travel trailer up, needed to use low gear for the last part.
Beautiful country, the Aspen groves here are amazing. Bring your fishing poles, the reservoirs here are full. Worth the visit.
Go!
Wonderful subalpine mountain retreat for a short hike. Beautiful little lakes (reservoirs, actually), romantic meadows, streams, anything you could wish for.
You can camp in the campground with your big rig (if it can brave the rattling drive up here), or use one of the lakeside backcountry camp sites for a quieter experience. There are quite a few signs for the short trails, but we didn't always know the right way.
