Other Fishing Waters

Southern Utah Wild Trout Streams

Also see our alphabetical list of major Utah fishing waters.

ANTIMONY CREEK, Garfield County. This clear, cold-water stream is located southeast of Otter Creek Reservoir and the town of Antimony. The fishable portion is located on the Dixie National Forest. It is accessible by dirt road from the mouth of the canyon for several miles and then becomes accessible by foot trail along most of its length. It is populated primarily with wild rainbow trout, although the lower section contains some brown trout.

BEAVER CREEK, Piute County. This stream flows off the east side of the Tushar Mountains and is accessible by dirt road going west from the Town of Marysvale. It is located on the Fishlake National Forest and contains rainbow trout and a few cutthroat trout. Some hatchery rainbow are stocked in the more accessible and heavily used areas.

BEAVER DAM WASH, Washington County. This remote stream is located in the extreme southwest corner of the state. Its headwaters begin on the Dixie National Forest then flow into Nevada through Beaver Dam State Park. The stream again returns into Utah and is fishable on BLM lands upstream from the community of Motoqua. Access by the road is limited and much of the stream is accessible only by hiking. The stream is populated with wild rainbow trout. Summers are hot in this area and not the best time to fish.

BEAVER RIVER, Beaver County. The main fishable portion of this larger stream is located east of the City of Beaver on the Fishlake National Forest. It has a paved road parallel to much of its lower reaches. Fishable tributaries include the South Fork, Lake Stream, and Merchant Creek, as well as other smaller streams. Rainbow trout are stocked in campground and picnic areas, although wild rainbow trout and brown trout are also plentiful. Cutthroat trout and brook trout can be found but are more abundant in headwater areas. Even though easy access is available in some areas, more remote areas are available for adventurous anglers.

BLUE SPRINGS CREEK, Iron and Garfield Counties. This stream is the primary tributary to Panguitch Lake. A 1.5-mile section on National Forest land can be accessed by a dirt road off of Highway 143, about 2 miles south of Panguitch Lake. The upper portion of Blue Springs Creek, as well as the lower sections of tributary streams (Deer Creek and Bunker Creek) lie on private land. The upper reaches on the National Forest, can be reached by continuing up the lower Blue Springs Creek access road. Brook trout are the predominant fish found in all of these streams.

BOULDER CREEK, Garfield County. This stream flows off the east side of Boulder Mountain. It's lower reaches are located on BLM lands and the upper portions are located on the Dixie National Forest. Private lands occur around the town of Boulder. Access can be gained to the stream on public lands by roads in a number of areas but much of the stream can only be reached by hiking. Brown trout are found in the lower end of the stream, with rainbow trout being predominant in mid-elevation areas, and brook trout and cutthroat trout occupying the upper elevation areas.

BOX CREEK, Piute County. Rainbow trout and brook trout are found in this Monroe Mountain stream. It is located on the Fishlake National Forest. Good access is available from the bottom end of the canyon near the small community of Greenwich.

BULLION CREEK, Piute County. Very similar to Beaver Creek, this Tushar Mountain stream is also located near the town of Marysvale. It contains rainbow and cutthroat trout. A dirt road follows the lower end of the stream. Some hatchery rainbow trout are stocked near a popular picnic area that was once a historic gold mining town. The upper reaches of the stream are accessible only by hiking.

CALF CREEK, Garfield County. This clear, spring-fed stream is located between the towns of Escalante and Boulder in a beautiful red rock setting. It is entirely located on BLM lands with a campground at the lower end of the stream. The upper reaches of the stream is accessible by trail which ends at Calf Creek Falls, a spectacular waterfall. The stream is about 3 miles in length and contains wild brown trout. Beaver are plentiful in the canyon and much of the stream has been impounded by small dams. This area can be very hot in mid-summer and difficult to fish.

CHALK CREEK, Millard County. This stream is located directly east of the city of Fillmore. The south fork is accessible by gravel road and contains mostly rainbow trout. Some cutthroat trout are found in the higher elevation areas and a few brown trout are found in the lower end of the stream. Hatchery trout are stocked near the campground, about 4 miles up the canyon. The north fork is accessible only by hiking. A trail provides access to the upper end of the north fork where wild cutthroat and rainbow x cutthroat hybrids are plentiful. Most of Chalk Creek is located on the Fishlake National Forest.

CLEAR CREEK, Sevier County. Wild rainbow trout and brown trout are plentiful in this stream. Some of the stream is located on private land, but much of the lower reach is within the Fremont Indian State Park. The stream follows Interstate highway I-70. A fair portion of Clear Creek received mitigation efforts and habitat improvement work during highway construction. Although in close proximity, the stream can be fished while hardly noticing the highway. The upper reaches of Clear Creek are located on the Fishlake National Forest.

COTTONWOOD CREEK, Piute County. This stream flows off the east side of the Tushar Mountains not far from Piute Reservoir. The lower half of the stream is accessible by dirt road, while the upper reaches can be accessed by hiking. The stream contains wild cutthroat trout. Most of the stream is located on the Fishlake National Forest.

CORN CREEK, Millard County. This stream is accessible by dirt road going east from the town of Kanosh. The stream contains predominantly brown trout. A few rainbow trout are stocked near the campground, about 3 miles up the canyon. The upper 3 miles of stream are accessible by foot trail. Most of the stream is located on the Fishlake National Forest.

DEER CREEK, Garfield County. Most of this stream, located near the town of Boulder, is remote and difficult to access. The headwaters flow off the Dixie National Forest from the east side of boulder Mountain and contain brook trout, cutthroat trout, and rainbow trout. The lower end contains brown trout and is located on BLM lands. It is accessible from the Burr Trail road going east from Boulder. The stream flows through some private land between the Forest and BLM portions.

EAST FORK SEVIER RIVER, Garfield and Kane County. Upstream from Tropic Reservoir, this stream is located on the Dixie National Forest. It is accessible by gravel road and contains primarily brook trout and cutthroat trout. A number of tributary streams in this area are also fishable. Further downstream, in the Black Canyon area, the stream contains mostly brown trout, with some rainbow and cutthroat trout. This area is accessible by the county road between Antimony and Bryce Canyon. Much of the lower stream is on private land, but some access is available on state trust lands, BLM, and Utah Wildlife Resources property.

FISH CREEK, Sevier County. Located on the Fishlake National Forest, Fish Creek and Shingle Creek combine to form Clear Creek. Access is mostly limited to hiking, with vehicle access restricted to just a few points. Best access is from Clear Creek where the trail along Fish Creek begins. It is possible to venture many miles upstream on foot with few other vehicle access points. The stream has a large population of wild rainbow trout and a few nice brown trout.

FREMONT RIVER, Wayne and Sevier Counties. The stream begins as it is released from Johnson Reservoir on the Fishlake National Forest, not far from Fish Lake. Reduced winter flows limit the fishery in the stretch immediately below Johnson Reservoir. After it reaches Mamoit Springs, good perennial flows persist downstream to Mill Meadow Reservoir. In this area the stream supports a good population of brown trout and some rainbow trout. Access is available by paved road. Below Mill Meadow Reservoir, the stream is again de-watered for irrigation use, until it reaches the Bicknell Bottoms area. Access is available in the Bicknell Bottoms on Division of Wildlife Resources property near the town of Bicknell. Again, brown trout and rainbow trout are the predominant fish.

GOOSEBERRY CREEK, Sevier County. This stream is located on the Fishlake National Forest going south from Salina Canyon. It contains rainbow trout and receives some stocking near the campground. A number of small trout lakes are also available in the area.

LEEDS CREEK, Washington County. The headwaters of Leeds Creek begin in the Pine Valley Wilderness area and flow off the west side of Pine Valley Mountain. Access is by gravel road along the stream going from the town of Leeds towards the Oak Grove Campground. Tributary streams of Pig Creek, Horse Creek, and Spirit Creek are accessible by hiking. The stream contains a transplanted population of native Bonneville cutthroat trout, which were obtained from the west side of the Pine Valley Mountain. Catch and release fishing is strongly recommended. Cutthroat trout numbers are still expanding, particularly in the lower portions of the stream.

LOST CREEK, Sevier County. Lost Creek is located south of Salina Creek and east of the town of Salina. The mouth of the canyon is hidden from view by numerous small foothills at the base of the mountains. Maps should be reviewed to determine access, then follow dirt roads to Rex Reservoir. The stream below Rex Reservoir is on the Fishlake National Forest and contains mostly brown trout. Road access is available for about 5 miles along this portion of stream. Upstream from Rex Reservoir the stream is on private land, except for the very headwaters which are again on the National Forest. The upper stream contains a good population of cutthroat trout.

MAMMOTH CREEK, Garfield County. Mammoth Creek and Asay Creek converge about 15 miles south of the town of Panguitch to form the main stem of the Sevier River. The extreme lower end of Mammoth Creek is on BLM lands and contains brown trout and some hatchery rainbow trout. Most of the length of the stream is on private land and supports a population of wild brown trout. Near the upper end of the stream, hatchery rainbow trout are stocked in the vicinity of the summer home area. The extreme upper end of the stream supports wild brook trout and is located on the Dixie National Forest.

MANNING CREEK, Piute County. This stream flows off the west side of the Monroe Mountain, just a few miles south of the town of Marysvale. Manning Meadow Reservoir and Barney Reservoir are located on branches of the stream at the very headwaters. Both of the reservoirs and the stream are managed with native Bonneville cutthroat trout. The entire fishable portion of stream is located on public lands, which include the Fishlake National Forest, BLM, and Division of Wildlife Resources property. The stream was renovated in 1996 to remove nonnative trout and restocked with native cutthroat trout. It will take several years for these fish to reach full size and become abundant throughout the stream. Vehicle access is available to the stream by dirt road at the mouth of the canyon on BLM lands. The remainder of the stream (about 8 miles) can be accessed by hiking along a trail system. Catch and release fishing is recommended.

NORTH CREEK, Beaver County. Located just north of the town of Beaver on the Fishlake National Forest, North Creek flows off the Tushar Mountains. The south fork is the main fishable stream and has vehicle access to the mouth of the canyon at the lower end. The extreme upper end can be reached by hiking from the dirt road that goes over the Tushar Mountains. About 12 miles of stream extend between the two access points connected by a hiking trail. This beautiful stream has an abundant population of wild rainbow trout and rainbow x cutthroat trout hybrids. There is a chance of finding a rattlesnake at almost all of the streams mentioned in this guide. Many of the streams have reputations for snakes that are exaggerated; however, if you hike North Creek, there is a good chance that you will encounter a rattlesnake.

NORTH CREEK, Garfield County. This stream is located just northwest of the town of Escalante. The gravel road to Barker Reservoir and the North Creek Lakes runs along North Creek for much of its length. Most of the stream is on the Dixie National Forest. It contains wild populations of brook trout, rainbow trout, and cutthroat trout.

OAK CREEK, Garfield County. This stream flows from Oak Creek Reservoir on the east side of Boulder Mountain downstream to Capitol Reef national Park. Most of the stream is within the Dixie National Forest. The upper reaches contain brook trout and cutthroat trout. The lower end contains mostly rainbow trout. It can be accessed by dirt roads from near the Oak Creek and Pleasant Creek campgrounds.

OAK CREEK, Millard County. Oak Creek flows out of the canyon just east of Oak City. It is accessible from the gravel road extending up the canyon to a public campground on the Fishlake National Forest. The stream supports a population of small wild brown trout.

PANGUITCH CREEK, Garfield County. Panguitch Creek originates at the outflow from Panguitch Lake and extends downstream to the town of Panguitch where it enters the Sevier River. The stream follows along Highway 143 for several miles below Panguitch Lake, and flows through both private land and portions of the Dixie National Forest. The area along the highway is stocked with hatchery rainbow trout. Further downstream, it leaves the highway and flows through a roadless canyon for about 5 miles, mostly on National Forest lands. The lower reach supports a population of wild brown trout.

PAROWAN CREEK, Iron County. This stream is accessible along highway 143 between the towns of Parowan and Brian Head. It is located on private land, Division of Wildlife Resources Property, and BLM lands. It contains a population of wild rainbow trout and a few brown trout.

PINE CREEK, Garfield County. Pine Creek begins on the Boulder Mountain and flows towards the town of Escalante where it enters the Escalante River. It is accessible from the Hells Backbone road neat the Blue Spruce Campground on the Dixie National Forest. Downstream from this it enters The Box Death Hollow Wilderness Area. The stream maintains a wild population of brown trout.

PINE CREEK, Wayne County. This stream originates on the northwest side of Boulder Mountain near the Aquarius Guard Station. Pine Creek Reservoir is located near the headwaters. The stream flows towards Bicknell, where it joins the Fremont River. It crosses the Dixie National Forest, BLM, private, and state lands. The gravel road to the guard station provides access to a small section of stream. Much of the rest of the stream can be reached by hiking. The stream supports populations of wild brook trout and rainbow trout.

PLEASANT CREEK, Garfield County. This is another Boulder Mountain stream that flows off the east side towards Capitol Reef National Park. Most of its length is on the Dixie National Forest. It can be reached from Highway 12 at the Pleasant Creek Campground. Hatchery rainbow trout are stocked near the campground but most of the stream supports wild trout. The upper reach contains brook trout and is accessible by hiking. The lower stream, extending towards the National Park, contains rainbow trout and can be reached by remote dirt roads.

SALINA CREEK, Sevier County. Access to Salina Creek is from Interstate Highway I-70 going east from the town of Salina. A gravel road follows the stream after it leaves the highway. Hatchery rainbow trout are stocked in the vicinity of the highway, while wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout are found further upstream. Much of the upper stream is on the Fishlake National Forest, but there is some private land. A number of tributary streams in this area also have abundant trout populations.

SAND CREEK, Garfield County. Access to this Escalante River tributary is mostly limited to hiking. The Hell's Backbone road crosses the stream near its headwaters and the old mail trail also crosses the stream. In addition, its confluence with the Escalante River can be reached by hiking upstream along the Escalante River from the highway crossing near Calf Creek. The headwaters of Sand Creek contain rainbow and cutthroat trout while the lower end is populated with brown trout.

SANTA CLARA RIVER, Washington County. This stream originates in Pine Valley on the west side of the Pine Valley Mountain. Hatchery rainbow trout and wild brown trout are found in the stream below Pine Valley Reservoir. The reservoir and a short distance of stream below the reservoir are located within the Dixie National Forest. Most of the stream in Pine Valley, however, is on private land. Just downstream from Pine Valley the stream re-enters the National Forest. The stream flows through a remote lava gorge for about 8 miles between Pine Valley and the small community of Central. Access in this area is limited to hiking, and the stream contains predominantly brown trout. Hiking in this area in mid-summer is not recommended.

SEVENMILE CREEK, Sevier County. This stream is a major tributary to Johnson Reservoir in the Fremont River drainage. Much of the stream is located on the Fishlake National Forest. Access is from Fish Lake by paved and gravel roads. The stream supports a wild brook trout population and some cutthroat trout.

SHINGLE CREEK, Sevier County. Shingle Creek is a tributary to Clear Creek, flowing off the north slope of the Tushar Mountains. It is located on the Fishlake National Forest. It is accessible from Interstate Highway I-70 upstream from the Fremont Indian State Park. Hiking is required to fish most of its length. Wild rainbow trout are the predominant fish.

SOUTH ASH CREEK, Washington County. Access to this stream is from the Browse Exit off Interstate Highway I-15. The stream flows from the east side of the Pine Valley Mountain, and includes Harmon Creek and Mill Creek as major tributaries. Most of the length of these streams are restricted to roadless canyons on the Dixie National Forest. A rough, 4-wheel drive road extends from the Browse Exit to the Browse Guard Station. The road crosses these streams near the confluence of Harmon Creek and Mill Creek, and again comes into contact with Mill Creek near its headwaters at the guard station. Similar to Leeds Creek, these streams contain native Bonneville cutthroat trout that were introduced from the west side of the Pine Valley Mountain. Catch and release fishing is strongly recommended.

SOUTH CREEK, Beaver County. This stream is located just south of Beaver City. The lower end is on Private land but is mostly diverted for irrigation. The best fishable area is upstream, on the Fishlake National Forest. Part of the stream is accessible by a dirt road that follows up the canyon. The upper end is accessible by a hiking trail that follows the stream after the road ends. The stream contains a population of wild brown trout, with a few rainbow trout in the extreme upper end.

UM CREEK, Sevier County. UM Creek is a tributary to the Fremont River and is the main inflow to Forsyth Reservoir, located on the Fishlake National Forest. Most of the stream is in roadless canyons. Besides being located on the National Forest, it does cross some private land. It can be accessed at Forsyth Reservoirfrom Highway 72 and at Water Flat by a dirt road near Johnson Reservoir. UM Creek was renovated to remove the trout population as part of a whirling disease control program during 1992-1995. Native Colorado River cutthroat trout were re-introduced into UM Creek in 1996. Some sterile hybrid trout were also stocked to provide fishing recreation. Brown trout are found in the stream section between Forsyth Reservoir and Mill Meadow Reservoir. The current fishing proclamation should be checked for special fishing regulations.

Copyright Dave Webb, 2009