Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge
Hayley K.The Dyrt PRO User
Reviewed Mar. 4, 2020

Free Camping Lakeside

Campground Review: This lake is incredible! It is on the road to Cathedral Gorge State Park and filled with wildlife! We were there for the bird count and it took all day just to count the birds on the lake. 

There are fifteen lakeside campsites are available along Upper Pahranagat Lake. Sites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. They are free, but there is a donation box at the registration kiosk if you want to leave some support for the Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuge reserved sites for our group participating in the bird count service project. So be aware that you might want to have a back up plan if the sites are full since there is no reservation channel.  Several of the sites can accommodate multiple tents, camping trailers, or RVs. No electrical, water or sewage facilities are available. There are vault toilets. 

Visitors may stay for a maximum of fourteen days within a 31 day period. Quiet hours are from 10pm to 7am. Generators are allowed, but if the generator is noisy it should be shut down overnight to respect other campers. Fires are allowed only in provided grills and fire pits. 

Non-motorized boats or boats with electric motors are permitted on Middle Marsh Unit and Lower Lake throughout the year, and on Upper Lake from February 1 through September 30. Upper Lake is closed to boating October 1-January 30. Due to fragile habitats, the use of boats, rubber rafts, or other flotation devices is not permitted on the North Marsh at any time. Watercraft must be in compliance with all applicable state and federal rules. Trailer launching is not permitted. To prevent the spread of invasive species, only car-top watercraft are permitted.

  • Review photo of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge by Hayley K., March 4, 2020
  • Review photo of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge by Hayley K., March 4, 2020
  • Review photo of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge by Hayley K., March 4, 2020
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  • Review photo of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge by Hayley K., March 4, 2020
  • Review photo of Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge by Hayley K., March 4, 2020