Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
- You can reserve a campsite or boat slip up to four months in advance through Utah State Parks, either online or over the phone.
- Sites at Rainbow Cove are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
- While most of the campsites accommodate RVs and have full hookups, there are 21 that are strictly for tents (at Cottonwood Campground), plus an additional 20 tent-only primitive sites at the South Eden campground.
- If you can't secure a spot at Bear Lake State Park in Utah, there's another Bear Lake State Park in Idaho, on the opposite side of the lake, where you may have better luck.
When to Go
Bear Lake State Park is open year-round, though camping is only available from May through October. Some areas of the park (notably North and South Eden) shut down for the November to April off-season. While summer is a popular time for swimming, scuba diving, sailing, and waterskiing, the cold winter months—when the lake freezes over—are prime for snowmobiling or ice fishing.
Know Before You Go
- There are plenty of shops and cafes within a few minutes' drive of the park entrance in Garden City.
- While leashed dogs are welcome in campgrounds, they are not permitted on the beach.
- Multiple third-party rental concessionaires in the park offer everything from Seadoos to snowmobiles. Each concessionaire has separate boundaries for use of its equipment, with the exception of Bear Lake Funtime, which allows equipment to be used anywhere on the lake.
- Birch, Cottonwood, and Big Creek Campgrounds have wheelchair-accessible campsites, and accessible showers are available at the Marina and at Rendezvous Beach. Bear Lake Funtime has a beach wheelchair for rent at their Rendezvous Beach branch.
Bear Lake State Park
Swim in crystalline waters, without leaving the Rockies, in blue-hued Bear Lake.
The self-proclaimed "Caribbean of the Rockies," Bear Lake State Park—on the Utah-Idaho border—offers turquoise-hued waters that attract boaters, anglers, and even scuba divers to its shores summer after summer. Still, there’s nothing Caribbean-like about the winters here, when the lake’s blue waters freeze over and jet skis and swimsuits give way to winter coats and snowmobiles. Most Bear Lake camping takes place during the warmer months, with sites spread across a handful of lakeside campgrounds, all but two of which offer full hookups. You can even bring your own boat—just make sure to reserve a slip first.
The self-proclaimed "Caribbean of the Rockies," Bear Lake State Park—on the Utah-Idaho border—offers turquoise-hued waters that attract boaters, anglers, and even scuba divers to its shores summer after summer. Still, there’s nothing Caribbean-like about the winters here, when the lake’s blue waters freeze over and jet skis and swimsuits give way to winter coats and snowmobiles. Most Bear Lake camping takes place during the warmer months, with sites spread across a handful of lakeside campgrounds, all but two of which offer full hookups. You can even bring your own boat—just make sure to reserve a slip first.
Activities in the park
1 campground in Bear Lake State Park
There are a few campgrounds to choose from in Bear Lake State park, and each sits on the shores of beautiful Bear Lake (obvi). The lake is a mesmerizing blue-green color, a result of calcium carbonates suspended in the lake–whatever that means! Spend the day on the water, paddling around on your kayak, fishing, or swimming. You can even head over Read more...
Why can't I see these campgrounds when I search with dates?
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
Tips for Snagging a Campsite Reservation
When to Go
Bear Lake State Park is open year-round, though camping is only available from May through October. Some areas of the park (notably North and South Eden) shut down for the November to April off-season. While summer is a popular time for swimming, scuba diving, sailing, and waterskiing, the cold winter months—when the lake freezes over—are prime for snowmobiling or ice fishing.
Know Before You Go
Public campgrounds (book externally) —