Where it is and how it got there
North Juab Valley Currant Creek Since 1895
The reservoir sits on the flat at the north end of Juab Valley, right beside the town of Mona and roughly ten miles up I-15 from Nephi. It gathers Currant Creek, the stream that drains this corner of the valley, behind an earthen dam that farmers built back in 1895 to hold spring runoff for the summer fields. That is the whole reason it exists: a working irrigation reservoir that happens to make a fine piece of open water.
What lifts it above an ordinary farm pond is the mountain behind it. Mount Nebo climbs to 11,928 feet just to the east, the highest summit in the whole Wasatch Range, and its long snowy wall stands over the water for most of the year. The peak itself, and the Nebo Loop that climbs into it, belong to the Nephi side of the range and are covered on the Mount Nebo and Salt Creek page. Here it is scenery, and it is a lot of scenery for a reservoir you can reach in a few minutes off the freeway.
The details
The fishing
Warmwater fishery Bass and wiper License required
Fishing is the reason most people know the name. The state runs it as a warmwater fishery, and the sportfish that matter here are largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and wiper, a hybrid striped bass that grows fast and pulls hard. Common carp, catfish, and Utah chub round out what comes up on a line. It fishes from the bank and from a boat, and the bass move into the shallows and the weed edges as the water warms through late spring and summer.
One thing to know before you cast: the Division of Wildlife Resources sets a generous combined daily limit for the bass and wiper here, a rule made partly to move fish out of a reservoir that can shrink in a dry year. That number and the species list can change, so read the current entry for Mona Reservoir in the DWR fishing guidebook rather than trusting an old snippet. A Utah fishing license applies for anyone old enough to need one.
The details
Before you cast
- Confirm the current species and combined limit in the DWR fishing guidebook, since Mona Reservoir carries its own rule.
- A low water year concentrates the fish but can leave a wide mud margin between the parking and the water.
- There is no cleaning station, dock, or store, so pack in and pack out everything you bring.
Paddling and small boats
Open water Hand launch No ramp
On the water it is calm and open, which makes it a good, low key paddle. There is no concrete boat ramp, so people carry a canoe, kayak, or paddleboard down to the flat gravel near the dam and launch off the bank. Small motorboats get out here too when the level is up, but this is a bring your own craft place with nothing to rent, so plan around a hand launch and a shoreline that moves with the water.
The reward is quiet water with Nebo standing over it and almost nobody around on a weekday. Mornings are usually glass before the valley wind picks up in the afternoon, so an early launch is the calm one. When the reservoir is drawn low, the launch gets longer and muddier, one more reason to check the level first.
The details
Birding on the marsh edges
Marshy shallows Waterfowl and shorebirds
A reservoir on a valley floor with marshy shallows is a magnet for birds, and this one is a known stop for anyone carrying binoculars through Juab Valley. Waterfowl and shorebirds work the reedy edges and the open water, and the mix shifts through the seasons as birds move up and down the flyway. You do not need a boat for it; a slow walk along the access area near the dam is enough to turn up whatever is on the water that day.
It pairs naturally with a fishing or paddling morning, and the same low water that frustrates a boater can expose mudflats that pull in feeding birds. Keep to the access ground near the dam and leave the surrounding fields and fences to their owners.
The details
Getting there and what to know
Private land around it Access by the dam No facilities
Access is the part to get right. Most of the shoreline is private farmland, and the public entry is around the dam rather than the whole way around the water. That access has come and gone over the years, so it is worth a quick check that it is open before you make the drive. When you do go, park and enter only at the access area, stay off the neighboring fields and fences, and leave gates as you found them. There are no restrooms, no docks, and no services out here.
Getting there is simple: take I-15 to the Mona area exit north of Nephi and follow the local roads west across the valley floor toward the water on the Mona side. It is a short hop off the freeway, which is part of the appeal. Treat it as a leave no trace spot, because there is nobody out here to clean up after you, and quiet, respectful use is what keeps the access open.
