Forsyth Reservoir Recreation Area Dispersed Camping

The other reviewers did a great job explaining the camping options.

The 4 main “sites” are large and big rig friendly, somewhat level. There are around 15 dispersed sites. This campground is situated at about 8,000’ This was originally our Plan B, but it turned out to be a great spot for us.

Easy on and off the quiet highway.

Nice small lake. Dispersed camping only, one pit toilet, no hookups. Two large camp areas suitable for larger rigs. Water access for kayaking and fishing and a boat ramp. One bar of Verizon, sort of, with no booster. Several rock fire rings. Paved to camp pullouts, hard packed dirt campsites.

After some research on both Campendium and Google Earth, we took a chance by stopping here for a night in May 2017, and we were so happy that we did.

In addition to the sites by the boat ramp described here on Campendium by Leca1959, there are a number of short Forest Service roads (FR-018, FR-014) that criss-cross the area on the north side of the lake. While lacking the pit toilet of the ramp-area sites, these roads lead to sites that offer a bit more seclusion and closer proximity to the lake. These roads are easily negotiated by a 4WD pulling a medium sized trailer, but I wouldn't try bringing anything bigger in there due to a short but steep pull after crossing Short Creek, especially on the way back out where the soil and rock is especially loose.

Our efforts, though, were rewarded by a wonderfully grassy, flat area at the tip of the prominent peninsula that juts out into the middle of this Y-shaped reservoir. There was evidence that a cattle herd had been through the area, but during our visit they were all situated at the northwest corner of the reservoir. While the area is largely speckled by sage brush, a few trees along the shoreline provide the perfect place to hang a lakeside hammock.

For the night we spent at Forsyth, we were the only overnight visitors at the entire reservoir.

On Verizon, we had no service until we were nearly back to the town of Loa, about 15 miles away.

Forsyth reservoir is in a remote valley, close to the top of the mountains. It’s a bleak location, but it’s a suitable place to be away from the crowds around Capitol Reef. The almost incessant wind and the evening bugs made it impossible to sit outside most evenings. It’s open range and there were cattle, but they stayed mostly in the meadow by the creek. I stay 10-14 days at most places, but 5 nights here was enough for me.

There are 4 sites on the road by the vault toilet, plus the boat trailer parking area that has a sign permitting overnight camping only. The sites slope considerably towards the water.

If you take FR018 to the right on the way in, there are nice sites in the meadow before and after the ford across the creek. If you decide you can't get across the ford, there is plenty of space to turn around. If you continue on, there are sites right at the end of the peninsula between the two halves of the reservoir.

If you have nothing bigger than a pickup truck (you won’t get anything bigger down the road), you can take the left fork before the toilet, then the right fork onto FR1733C to a beautiful but tiny site right at the water.

The Verizon signal comes and goes minute-by-minute, and it’s virtually unusable. 1 1/2 miles north up the highway, there is a scenic overlook with a great 4G signal, 17 Mbps down and 7 up.

There is free water and dumpsters, and a $5 dump station, at the Fruita NPS Campground at Capitol Reef (38.2825, -111.2471).