Steinaker Reservoir is an unusual water storage facility. A canal from a diversion dam on Ashley Creek several miles to the west supplies the reservoir. One of the first units to be constructed in the vast Central Utah Project, Steinaker Reservoir stores runoff water from Ashley Creek to provide irrigation water to the Ashley Valley. The area is named for General William H. Ashley, famous for his leadership in the fur trade in the West in the 1820s and 1830s.

In addition to its obvious attractions for water recreation, Steinaker State Park is located in a region well known to geologists and paleontologists. Fossilized relics once found in ancient seas such as oysters, clams, and other shellfish are found here. Steinaker’s convenient location makes it a popular base for exploring the many attractions of Dinorsaurland in northeast Utah or the Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area to the north.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Steinaker Dam was held in 1961. The man for whom the lake and park are named, John Steinaker, attended that ceremony. He was a member of the pioneer ranching family of the region and was 81 at the time of the ceremony. The park was opened to the public in 1964.

Opened to the public as a state park in 1964.

Park Elevation: 5,500 feet