There are 21 Utah state parks within a two-hour drive of downtown Provo, and most people who live here have been to three of them. This page is all 21, listed in order of drive time, with what each one is for, what it charges at the gate and what Utah State Parks says about its hours. At the end is the arithmetic on the annual pass, because the answer to "should I buy one?" depends on which of these parks you would use.
How the list was built. We started from Utah State Parks' own list of parks, which includes the four newer state monuments as well as the classic parks. For each one we used the coordinates the division publishes for the park, then ran driving estimates from Center Street and University Avenue in downtown Provo using OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), with no traffic. Anything under 120 minutes made the list. These are estimates: a Saturday in Provo Canyon or I-15 at 5 p.m. will be slower, and a park's coordinates may sit at one entrance while you are headed to another. Fees and hours come from each park's fee page and listing on stateparks.utah.gov, checked October 20, 2026.
Before you go: the four rules that apply almost everywhere
- A day-use fee covers one vehicle and up to eight people at most parks. Utah State Parks' standard digital day-use pass is good only on the calendar date you buy it.
- You can pay ahead or at the gate. Day-use passes are sold online at parkspass.utah.gov, or by cash or card at the entrance station or self-pay kiosk. Paying ahead does not reserve a spot, and parks can close the gate when they hit capacity.
- Self-pay still means pay. Several parks near Provo say plainly that park hours do not reflect gate staffing and that fees apply even when the booth is empty.
- Day-use passes do not cover camping, and neither does the annual pass.
The 21, at a glance
| Park | Drive from Provo (est.) | Standard day-use | Annual pass? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Utah Lake | 9 min | $20 summer, $10 winter | Yes |
| 2. Bridal Veil Falls (state monument) | 15 min | None listed | n/a |
| 3. Deer Creek | 25 min | $20 summer, $15 winter | Yes |
| 4. Flight Park | 34 min | Camping $15/night | Yes |
| 5. Wasatch Mountain | 42 min | $10 | Yes |
| 6. Camp Floyd | 48 min | $3/person, $10/family | Yes |
| 7. Jordanelle | 50 min | $15 to $20 peak, $10 off-season | Yes |
| 8. Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail | 54 min | None listed | n/a |
| 9. This Is The Place | 59 min | Own admission | No |
| 10. Jordan River OHV | 1 hr 1 min | $25 track fee per rider | No |
| 11. Rockport | 1 hr 8 min | $20 | Yes |
| 12. Great Salt Lake State Park | 1 hr 10 min | $10 | Yes |
| 13. Yuba | 1 hr 15 min | $15 weekdays, $20 weekends | Yes |
| 14. Scofield | 1 hr 17 min | $10 | Yes |
| 15. Echo | 1 hr 24 min | $20 | Yes |
| 16. Antelope Island | 1 hr 36 min | $15, plus $2 causeway | Yes, minus causeway |
| 17. East Canyon | 1 hr 37 min | $20 | Yes |
| 18. Willard Bay | 1 hr 45 min | $25 peak, $10 off-season | Yes |
| 19. Territorial Statehouse | 1 hr 46 min | $3/person, $10/family | Yes |
| 20. Palisade | 1 hr 52 min | $15 weekdays, $20 weekends | Yes |
| 21. Fred Hayes at Starvation | 1 hr 58 min | $10, $15 summer weekends | Yes |
"Annual pass" here means the Utah State Parks annual day-use pass. The division says it is good at all its parks except Jordan River OHV and This Is The Place; we list "n/a" where the state page shows no entry fee to cover.
All 21, nearest first
1. Utah Lake State Park
About 9 minutes, 4 miles. The park on Provo's west edge sits on what the state calls Utah's largest freshwater lake, roughly 148 square miles. It lists fishing for channel catfish, walleye, white bass, black bass and panfish, swimming, boating and paddleboarding, a 31-site RV campground with water and power, and a visitor center with displays on the lake's history and wildlife. A life jacket loaner station lets you borrow a PFD if you forgot yours. Fees: $20 per vehicle April through October ($10 for Utah seniors, $5 per walk-in); $10 per vehicle November through March ($4 per walk-in). Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. April through October, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. November through March. Our Utah Lake State Park guide covers the harbor, beach and campground in detail.
2. Bridal Veil Falls State Monument
About 15 minutes, 9 miles. Utah State Parks now lists the waterfall up Provo Canyon as a state monument, with day-to-day management by Utah County. A trail from the main parking lot reaches the falls; it is open year-round, though snow can limit access in winter. The neighboring Bridal Veil Falls Park has picnic tables, grills and lawns. Fees: the state's page lists none. Hours: open year-round. For the trail, parking and the canyon around it, see our Bridal Veil Falls guide.
3. Deer Creek State Park
About 25 minutes, 18 miles. The reservoir below Mount Timpanogos at the top of Provo Canyon. The park lists windsurfing, boating, a zip line, swimming and fishing on the reservoir, floating, kayaking and fishing on the lower Provo River, and several campgrounds. Life jackets are required for everyone on a vessel, kayaks and paddleboards included. Fees: $20 per vehicle from March 19 to October 20 ($10 for Utah seniors), $15 from October 21 to March 18 ($10 seniors). Group pavilions run $150 to $250. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. year-round, with self-pay at every entrance. More in our Deer Creek and Jordanelle guide.
4. Flight Park State Recreation Area
About 34 minutes, 23 miles. The hillside at the Point of the Mountain that Utah State Parks and the Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association manage together, which the state calls one of the world's best training sites for both paragliding and hang gliding. There is a modelport for radio-controlled planes and helicopters just west of the parking lot. Fees: the park page links a day-use pass but does not print a day-use price. Camping is allowed only at the 15 designated sites on top of the bluff, for $15 a night ($10 per extra vehicle), with a 14-days-in-30 limit. It is managed from Utah Lake State Park. Watching is the free part; our paragliding at the Point of the Mountain guide covers tandem flights and lessons.
5. Wasatch Mountain State Park
About 42 minutes, 29 miles. The big one above Midway: four 18-hole golf courses (the Mountain and Lake courses, and Soldier Hollow's Gold and Silver), plus hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding, ATV trails, fishing, and in winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Fees: $10 per car up to eight people, $5 for seniors. Golf green fees are separate and the annual pass does not cover them. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Olympic venue inside it has its own page: Soldier Hollow.
6. Camp Floyd State Park Museum
About 48 minutes, 36 miles. In Fairfield, west of Utah Lake. The U.S. Army arrived in 1858 and built Camp Floyd, and stayed three years before being recalled for the Civil War. Today the park has three structures and a cemetery, including the museum and the Stagecoach Inn. Fees: $3 per person or $10 per family; special events $5 per person or $15 per family. Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. It is closed Sundays by these posted hours. The towns around it are on our Cedar Fort and Fairfield page.
7. Jordanelle State Park
About 50 minutes, 37 miles. Three recreation areas on the reservoir above Heber: Hailstone, Rock Cliff and Ross Creek, with picnicking, camping, boating, fishing and hiking. The Provo River fills it, and along with Deer Creek it supplies culinary water to Wasatch, Utah and Salt Lake counties. Fees, peak season (May through October): $20 per day at Hailstone, Rock Cliff and Ross Creek, $15 at Crandall Point, $10 for seniors, $5 per walk-in. Off-season (November through April): $10 at Hailstone, $5 for seniors. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., quiet hours 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
8. Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park
About 54 minutes, 42 miles to the Park City end. A non-motorized trail of nearly 30 miles that runs from the mountains near Park City through Silver Creek Canyon, Wanship and Coalville, along the Weber River to Echo Reservoir. The state says it was dedicated in 1992 as Utah's first non-motorized rail trail, on the abandoned Union Pacific line. Biking, walking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Elevation drops from 6,900 to 5,280 feet. Fees: the state's page lists none. Hours: day use open.
9. This Is The Place Heritage Park
About 59 minutes, 49 miles. A 450-acre park in Salt Lake City with more than 60 original or replica structures, costumed interpreters, trains, farm animals, pony rides, gold panning, a Native American Village and the Pioneer Children's Memorial, where seventeen stones carry more than 600 names. A nonprofit foundation manages it. Fees: its own admission, set by the foundation; the state annual pass does not cover it. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with limited programming on Sundays.
10. Jordan River OHV State Park
About 1 hour 1 minute, 50 miles. An off-highway vehicle track at the north end of the Salt Lake Valley. Bikes must carry current OHV registration, and riders sign a yearly waiver. Fees: a $25 track fee per rider ($15 per rider for groups of 50 or more), or a punch pass of six entries for $125; the state annual pass is not accepted. Hours (posted): Thursday 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m. to noon, Sunday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with changes posted to the park's Facebook page.
11. Rockport State Park
About 1 hour 8 minutes, 52 miles. A year-round reservoir park with trout and bass fishing, tubing, waterskiing and wakeboarding in summer, more than a hundred campsites open year-round in five campgrounds, ice fishing and nearby snowmobile trails in winter, and a 3D archery range. Rockport is a designated International Dark Sky Park. Fees: $20 per vehicle, $15 for seniors, $5 for Highway 32 walk-in lake access. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round.
12. Great Salt Lake State Park
About 1 hour 10 minutes, 61 miles. The state marina on the Great Salt Lake, home of the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club, with views of Antelope Island and Black Rock and the Saltair building next door. Fees: $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors, $2 per cyclist or pedestrian. It also sells its own $50 park-only annual pass. Hours: sunrise to 5 p.m. For pairing it with the salt flats, see the Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats from Provo.
13. Yuba State Park
About 1 hour 15 minutes, 67 miles. The warm-water reservoir south of Nephi, with sandy-beach camping, boating, swimming and paddleboarding, fishing for walleye, wipers, northern pike, tiger muskie, perch, catfish and carp, and hiking and ATV trails. Two renovated cabins have heat and air conditioning. Fees: $15 per vehicle Monday through Thursday, $20 Friday through Sunday and holidays. Day-users may not use campsites. Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with self-pay at the entrance. See Yuba State Park from Provo.
14. Scofield State Park
About 1 hour 17 minutes, 60 miles. A high reservoir in the Manti-La Sal Mountains that the state calls a Blue Ribbon Fishery, for cutthroat, rainbow and tiger trout. Two campgrounds: Mountain View near the dam and the renovated Madsen Bay on the north shore. Ice fishing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in winter. Fees: $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors, $5 walk-in or bike access. Hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. Winter fishing there is covered in ice fishing Strawberry, Scofield and Yuba.
15. Echo State Park
About 1 hour 24 minutes, 64 miles. The reservoir near Coalville, built by the Bureau of Reclamation in the 1930s, with camping, boating, fishing and swimming. The Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail ends here. Fees: $20 per vehicle; reservable day-use sites $40. Echo's fee page states the America the Beautiful pass is not accepted. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., year-round.
16. Antelope Island State Park
About 1 hour 36 minutes, 81 miles. The island in the Great Salt Lake with free-ranging bison, mule deer, bighorn sheep and pronghorn, backcountry trails, beaches, the historic Fielding Garr Ranch, and a new visitor center and theater that Utah State Parks announced on October 5, 2026. It is an International Dark Sky Park. The state warns that Uber and Lyft do not pick up from the park. Fees: $15 per vehicle, $10 for seniors, plus the $2 Davis County causeway fee, which the state annual pass does not cover. Annual-pass holders can buy a $15 causeway sticker; the island also sells its own $65 annual pass that includes the causeway. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our Antelope Island from Provo page covers the bison, the bugs and the timing.
17. East Canyon State Park
About 1 hour 37 minutes, 71 miles. A reservoir in the mountains of northeastern Utah, next to the Mormon Pioneer Trail, with boating, fishing, camping from RV hookups to primitive tent sites, and International Dark Sky certification. Fees: $20 per vehicle. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
18. Willard Bay State Park
About 1 hour 45 minutes, 94 miles. A freshwater reservoir 12 miles northwest of Ogden, held in by a 20-mile dike and shoreline, with North and South marinas, swimming, waterskiing and fishing. The state notes nesting eagles in winter. Fees: $25 per vehicle in peak season ($20 seniors, $10 walk-in); $10 per vehicle from Labor Day to Easter ($5 seniors, $2 walk-in). Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
19. Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum
About 1 hour 46 minutes, 101 miles. In Fillmore, Utah's oldest existing government building. Brigham Young directed it built as the territorial capitol; only the south wing was finished, in time for the December 1855 legislative session, the only full session held there. The grounds have a rose garden, three restored pioneer cabins and an 1867 stone schoolhouse. Fees: $3 for ages 6 and up, or $10 per family up to eight. Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
20. Palisade State Park
About 1 hour 52 minutes, 88 miles. In the Sanpete Valley: an 18-hole desert canyon golf course, RV and tent camping, fishing, swimming and electric-motor or non-motorized boating on Palisade Reservoir, and OHV access to Six Mile Canyon. Fees: $15 per vehicle Monday through Thursday, $20 Friday through Sunday and holidays, $10 for seniors. Hours (summer): 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sanpete's summer festivals make a good pairing; see the Sanpete festival circuit.
21. Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation
About 1 hour 58 minutes, 95 miles. Starvation Reservoir near Duchesne, with fishing (the park says its walleye tournament turns up fish over 10 pounds nearly every year), boating, four primitive and two developed campgrounds, a 3D archery course, slacklines and disc golf. Groceries and fuel are in Duchesne. Fees: $10 per vehicle; $15 on summer weekends and holidays between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter.
Just past two hours
Two parks missed the cutoff by minutes. Lost Creek State Park in Morgan County (about 2 hours 3 minutes) was designated by the Legislature in 2021 and is still largely undeveloped, with vault toilets, a primitive campground and a boat ramp, for $10 per vehicle. Huntington State Park in Emery County (about 2 hours 4 minutes) is a warm-water reservoir known for bass, bluegill and crawdads, at $10 per vehicle. Beyond those, the estimates jump: Hyrum is about 2 hours 15 minutes, Bear Lake about 3 hours 18 minutes, and Goblin Valley about 3 hours 42 minutes. For places out to three hours, see our 100 things to do in Utah from Provo.
The pass math
The Utah State Parks annual day-use pass costs $125 in 2026, or $65 for Utah residents 65 and older. Here is what the division says it does and does not do:
- Covers day-use entry for the cardholder and up to seven guests in the same private vehicle, at every state park except two, for 12 months from the purchase date.
- Is sold only to Utah residents. Out-of-state family visiting for a week pay each park's day-use fee.
- Does not cover Jordan River OHV State Park, This Is The Place Heritage Park, the $2 Antelope Island causeway fee, camping, golf, or special program fees.
- Can be registered in the Utah State Parks app, which holds the pass on your phone with the same two signature lines and up to three license plates as the paper version.
- Is sold online at parkspass.utah.gov, at staffed state park visitor centers, at the Eastern and Southwest regional offices and at the Utah DNR Bookstore, 1594 West North Temple in Salt Lake City (weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The division says it is not sold at North Region or Division of Wildlife Resources offices.
Where it breaks even, using the fees above:
| If most of your visits are to... | Typical fee | Visits to beat $125 |
|---|---|---|
| Deer Creek or Utah Lake in summer, Rockport, Echo, East Canyon | $20 | 7 |
| Jordanelle's Crandall Point, Deer Creek in winter, Yuba weekdays | $15 | 9 |
| Wasatch Mountain, Scofield, Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake in winter | $10 | 13 |
| (Seniors) Utah Lake or Deer Creek senior day-use | $10 | 7 for the $65 pass |
Most households near Provo reach the pass through the two closest parks. A family that goes to Utah Lake or Deer Creek once a month from May through September (five summer visits at $20 is $100) needs only one more summer visit and a winter one to pass $125. A family that goes to the lake twice in July and calls it a summer should pay at the gate.
The case for the pass gets stronger with mixed trips, because every $20 park counts toward the same total: three Deer Creek afternoons, two days at Jordanelle, a day at Rockport and a Yuba weekday is seven visits and $135 at the gate before you count the winter. Antelope Island needs the extra causeway fee or sticker either way.
Which park for which day
- After work, without planning: Utah Lake (9 minutes) or Deer Creek (25 minutes).
- A rainy or 100-degree day with kids: Camp Floyd's museum, or This Is The Place in Salt Lake (its own ticket).
- Warm water: Yuba. Utah Lake State Park lists the lake's average water temperature at 75 degrees.
- Cold water and trout: Scofield, Rockport, or Jordanelle.
- Stars: Rockport, East Canyon and Antelope Island all carry International Dark Sky designations. For what that means and when to go, see stargazing near Provo.
- Winter: Wasatch Mountain for cross-country skiing and snowmobiling, Scofield and Rockport for ice fishing, Willard Bay for eagles.
- Sunday: Camp Floyd and Territorial Statehouse list Monday-through-Saturday hours. The lakes and reservoirs keep their daily hours.
For every reservoir in this radius, including the ones run by the Forest Service rather than the state, our reservoirs within two hours of Provo page sorts them by swimming, fishing and boating. For camping beyond the state parks, see camping near Provo.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Utah state parks are within two hours of Provo?
How much is the Utah State Parks annual pass?
How many visits does it take for the annual pass to pay off?
Can out-of-state visitors buy the Utah State Parks annual pass?
Where does the annual pass not work?
Does the America the Beautiful pass work at Utah state parks?
Which state parks near Provo are cheapest to visit?
Is Bridal Veil Falls a state park now?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Utah State Parks: Park Passes, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Lake State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Deer Creek State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wasatch Mountain State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Camp Floyd State Park Museum: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Jordanelle State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Jordan River OHV State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Rockport State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Great Salt Lake State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Yuba State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Scofield State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Echo State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Antelope Island State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- East Canyon State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Willard Bay State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Palisade State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lost Creek State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Huntington State Park: Park Fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Bridal Veil Falls State Monument, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Flight Park State Recreation Area, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- This Is The Place Heritage Park, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah State Parks home page and news (Antelope Island visitor center, Oct. 5, 2026), Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Park listings and coordinates (WordPress parks API), Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM driving route estimates from downtown Provo, Project OSRM / OpenStreetMap. Checked October 20, 2026.
