Established Camping
BLM Pelican Lake
About
Bureau of Land Management
Ouray Valley
Overview
This Campground is on a First Come - First Serve Basis, vistors are required to physically be at the campground to purchase and claim a site. You must also occupy the area the day you pay for it, no advance payments. We encourage our visitors to download the recreation.gov app to take advantage of the Scan & Pay Option. There is also an Iron Ranger on site that you can pay with cash or check__ Pelican Lake Campground is located at 4,800 feet and has 11 individual campsites and two group sites. Pelican Lake is well known for the outstanding bluegill and bass fishing. Bird watching is also a popular pastime in the spring, when the waterfowl come to live and rear their downy young.
Recreation
Pelican Lake is well known for the outstanding bluegill and bass fishing. Bird watching is also a popular pastime in the spring.
Facilities
11 individual sites and two group sites are available. Sites include picnic tables and fire rings. Vault toilets are available within the campground community.__Please bring your own water. Campsites are first-come first-served.______
Natural Features
Pelican Lake has been a nationally-renowned bluegill fishery since the 1970___s when Jim Zumbo published an article in Outdoor Life on the potential for daily bag limits of 1.5 pound bluegill. Since then, anglers have held high expectations for Pelican Lake. Unfortunately, in 2008 and 2009, adult carp entered Pelican Lake in large numbers and turned the lake from a clear waterbody dominated by largemouth bass and bluegill to a lake dominated by carp. The carp___s ability to outcompete bluegill for food eventually led to a decline in bluegill condition and a few years later, a decline in largemouth bass condition.__ The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and avid Pelican Lake anglers anticipated this decline and convened a working group that developed a management plan for the lakes future success.__
Nearby Attractions
Ouray National Wildlife Refuge__ Ouray National Wildlife Refuge lies along the Green River in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah. The Refuge provides diverse habitat types supporting over 350 fish and wildlife species and offers numerous wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities.
Fee Info
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
For Vehicles
- Water Hookups
New improved BLM CG
Looks like the BLM has recently updated and improved this location. Several vault toilets, campsites have tables, fire rings, tent pads and most important.. overhead awnings for shade as main camp sites are in open area with no shade trees. Note there are no trash cans or dumpsters and there is no drinking water either. Two group camping sites and one group day use area. Nice boat ramp and lake is large enough to have fun on. Not sure if lake is drawn down as irrigation season goes to late summer. Camp sites are $10/$5 senior pass. Group sites are $35. No reservations, sites are all first come and 14d limit.
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Decent BLM Camping Near Vernal
We stayed here during the summer of 2020 due to its proximity to Vernal. It’s a decent enough campground, it’s very well maintained by BLM rangers which is probably the best part about it. Communal picnic tables at a couple of sites and clean pit toilets.
Due to its proximity to Pelican Lake, the sites are VERY buggy, at least they were during the summertime. It was bearable but I would definitely suggest bringing netting of some kind or one of those cheap bug jackets. There isn’t a lot of cover in the slightest, so site privacy is minimal and one can see very easily between each site. Fortunately, during our visit on a weekday, the campground wasn’t at all crowded, so it felt a lot more private than it probably would on a weekend. One upside of our stay was that we got to see some Pronghorns, photo included.
If you’re in the Vernal area, this is a nice, cheap campsite that will definitely suit your needs for primitive camping. I can’t remember the price exactly, but it was between $10-$15 a night and you pay in a BLM dropbox through an honor system.
Location
BLM Pelican Lake is located in Utah
Directions
25 miles southwest of Vernal, UT on UT-88
Coordinates
40.182353 N
109.693989 W