Updated August 2026
Best Kayaking Lakes in Utah
Top 23 kayaking lakes in Utah, ranked by Secchi clarity (clearer water makes for better paddling — you can see fish, plants, and the bottom).
- Grade A–B water quality
- No known access restrictions
- 50–2,000 acres
Kayaking-friendly rankings prefer lakes with low motor-boat congestion, interesting shoreline, decent water clarity, and public access. Newton Reservoir (A) tops the Utah list.
Kayaking favors lakes with shoreline interest — bays, islands, undeveloped stretches — which tends to correlate with the larger, more remote Utah lakes rather than the small, residential ones.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Grade | Clarity | Area | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newton Reservoir | Cache | UT | A | 15.4 ft | 297 acres | - |
| 2 | Little Dell Reservoir | Salt Lake | UT | A | 14.8 ft | - | ~69 ft est. |
| 3 | Quail Creek Reservoir | Washington | UT | A | 14.6 ft | - | - |
| 4 | Red Creek Reservoir | Duchesne | UT | A | 14.4 ft | - | - |
| 5 | Wide Hollow Reservoir | Garfield | UT | A | 13.8 ft | - | - |
| 6 | Big Sand Wash Reservoir | Duchesne | UT | A | 10.7 ft | - | ~22 ft est. |
| 7 | Millsite Reservoir | Emery | UT | A | 10.5 ft | - | - |
| 8 | Moon Lake | Duchesne | UT | A | 9.5 ft | 773 acres | - |
| 9 | Nine Mile Reservoir | Sanpete | UT | A | 9.3 ft | - | ~23 ft est. |
| 10 | Steinaker Reservoir | Uintah | UT | A | 8.9 ft | 850 acres | - |
| 11 | Recapture Reservoir | San Juan | UT | A | 8.9 ft | - | - |
| 12 | Hyrum Reservoir | Cache | UT | A | 6.9 ft | 480 acres | - |
| 13 | Brough Reservoir | Uintah | UT | A | 6.2 ft | - | ~16 ft est. |
| 14 | Red Fleet Reservoir | Uintah | UT | A | 5.9 ft | 521 acres | - |
| 15 | Grantsville Reservoir | Tooele | UT | A | 5.9 ft | - | ~24 ft est. |
| 16 | Palisade Lake | Sanpete | UT | A | 5.1 ft | - | - |
| 17 | Gunlock Reservoir | Washington | UT | A | 4.6 ft | - | - |
| 18 | Mantua Reservoir N | Box Elder | UT | A | 3 ft | - | - |
| 19 | Gunnison Bend Reservoir | Millard | UT | A | 1.5 ft | - | ~33 ft est. |
| 20 | Dmad Reservoir N of Cut | Millard | UT | A | 0.7 ft | - | - |
| 21 | Lyman Lake | Summit | UT | B | 19.7 ft | - | ~27 ft est. |
| 22 | Causey Reservoir | Weber | UT | B | 15.1 ft | 136 acres | - |
| 23 | Beaver Meadow Reservoir | Summit | UT | B | 4.6 ft | - | ~18 ft est. |
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Where to stay near Utah kayaking lakes
Find cabins, campgrounds, and rentals near Utah's clearest paddling water — live availability and prices for your kayak trip.
Top-rated places to stay near Utah paddling lakes
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.