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Dixie/Posey Lake
Overview
Dixie/Posey Lake offers a refreshing high-altitude escape within the Dixie National Forest. Situated significantly higher than the surrounding red rock desert, this campground provides a lush, alpine atmosphere. It is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and serves as a peaceful retreat for travelers looking to balance the heat of the canyons with the cool shade of pine and aspen forests. It is an ideal spot for those seeking a primitive, nature-focused experience near the heart of Utah's canyon country.
Location & Surroundings
Located approximately 14 miles north of the town of Escalante, the park sits at an elevation of 8,800 feet. This unique positioning means the temperature is often significantly cooler than the desert floor below. The campground wraps around the shores of the scenic Posey Lake, offering stunning views of clear water framed by dense timber. The drive up from Escalante provides a dramatic transition from sandstone cliffs to high-mountain greenery and volcanic rock formations.
Amenities & Park Features
As a National Forest site, the park features a rustic setup focused on the natural environment. There are no hookups available, so visitors should arrive prepared for dry camping. However, the park does provide paved parking spurs, fire rings, and picnic tables at each site. On-site facilities include:
- Vault toilets
- Seasonal drinking water
- Paved camping loops
The paved loop makes it accessible for various RV sizes, though larger rigs should always check length limits before arrival as space can be tight in some corners.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Outdoor recreation is the primary draw, with trout fishing and canoeing being popular activities on the lake itself. A boat ramp is available for non-motorized watercraft, allowing for quiet mornings on the water. For those wanting to explore further, the Hell's Backbone Road is nearby, offering some of the most scenic driving in Utah. The campground also serves as a basecamp for hikers wishing to explore the diverse backcountry trails of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is perfect for boondockers and nature lovers who prioritize scenery and quiet over modern luxuries. If you enjoy waking up to the sound of wind in the trees rather than the hum of air conditioners, you will feel at home here. It is an excellent choice for families looking to fish or for adventurous RVers seeking a cool sanctuary during the peak summer heat of Southern Utah. It appeals most to those who appreciate a true forest experience.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Linda Hoernke
Posey Lake is uncrowded compared to other sites around Escalante. Beautiful area with cooler temps, fishing reservoir and nice campground.
Olivia Boone
A little rough for tent camping unless you like putting your tent on gravel, as many of the sites have slopes. Overall an excellent serene camping spot. The road to get there usually requires a high clearance vehicle.
Flying Dutchman
Great campground that is well laid out. Vault toilets and water before it is shut off the end of Sept. You can walk from any site to access Posey Lake and fish if you like. Also easy access to a nice couple of hikes that start at the campground. Sites have fire ring and picnic tables. Some also have a grill also. Most sites are level for RV’s and have areas to pitch tents if tent camping. Cell service at some sites. One bar with T Mobile, not great but useable. Overall a great experience.
Laura Fakhrai
Beautiful little lake! We drove up here during our stay in Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, and it was awesome. My husband enjoyed fishing here. The fish were surface feeding like crazy on blue dragonflies that day. We saw Canadian geese and ducks. We didn't stay at the campground but it seemed quiet. I highly recommend this little spot for a picnic lunch because it has many picnic benches that are in the shade.
Ryan Larson
We loved this campground, we went camping on labor day weekend and the weather was beautiful. It was during a heat wave so unfortunately it was in the upper 80's during the day but that was way better the lower on the mountain in the 90-100 range. Evenings were amazing in the low 50s I think. Very comfortable, we stayed up late and took a lot of astrophotography the night skies are amazing being so remote. The camp ground is about 30 minutes from Escalante on a easy to navigate dirt/gravel round. No need for 4 wheel drive the road is level and well maintained. The campsite worked well for my 20' tent trailer when extended. One thing to note, if the 20 something campsites maybe 5 have a smaller than normal bear box that one fits a standard cooler. Unfortunately our site had a small one, but fortunately the camp host said he hadn't seen a bear the whole season. While remote there is a lot of atv activity in the area so it seems bears may not frequent this area as much as they did in the past. So he recommended just keeping coolers in the car so we kept them in the back of the truck, as did other people. So I would say bears are not much of a concern around this campground which was nice. Other than that campsites were nice. Pit toilets but water was available for filling water jugs. Trash does need to be packed out. The camp host was awesome and collected to dispose of daily in town, but that shouldn't be counted on, I would plan on packing out trash. As for activities the lake is a great little spot for casual kayaking and fishing. Didn't see a lot of success from guys fishing but kayaking was fun. We kayaked around the perimeter of the lake and enjoyed the marshs, birds and scenery of the mountains. As for swimming, this is not a swimming lake. There is way too much vegetation and marshy muck to enyoy swimming. So it was a pass on swimming. As for hikes there is a nice little trail along the perimeter of the lake but you need to do it early in the morning to avoid the flies. There is also a little hike right in the campground called watchman trail I think and it goes up to a little lookout post with views of the lake and the expansive valley. A really amazing view from that vantage point. Other than that we left the campground and found other fun hikes and around Escalante. Very fun spot and would highly recommend trying it at least once.