We rolled into the Dixie National Forest in the Boulder Mountain range just outside of Loa with one goal in mind:
Chase lakes.
And maybe catch some fish.
No complicated plan. No tight schedule. Just a map, a loaded cooler, and one Polaris Xpedition ready to put in some miles.
The SXS fired up at 8:46 a.m., and just like that, the trip began.
One machine.
A whole lot of miles ahead of us.
Day One – 58 Miles of Lake Hopping
The air was cool that morning — that kind of mountain air that makes you feel awake before you’ve even had coffee. Boulder Mountain stretches wide and open, with rolling meadows, scattered pines, and water tucked everywhere if you’re willing to go find it.
Our first stop was Cook Lake.
And it delivered immediately.
Calm water. Quiet shoreline. The kind of place that makes you slow down before you even cast. The fish weren’t giant, but they were there — and when your rod bends on the first lake of the trip, it sets the tone.
Bent rods. Big smiles. Dust already settling into the tires.
From there we found a trail that looked promising… until it didn’t. It narrowed fast — brush creeping in, ruts getting deeper. One of those trails where you start doing the mental math of “If this keeps getting tighter, how hard is this going to be to turn around?”
We turned around.
That’s part of riding out here. Not every line is worth pushing.
Next stop: Miller Lake.
We rolled in and quickly realized we weren’t alone. A massive Boy Scout camp had taken over the shoreline — tents, laughter, kids casting lines everywhere. We fished a little, kept our distance, and let them have their moment. Not every lake is going to be quiet and yours alone.
And honestly, that’s okay.
Then we headed down the Garfield County Trail toward a small lake we thought might surprise us.
Twin Lakes.
It didn’t.
No fish. No movement. Just a quick stop, a few casts, and back into the seats. But lake hopping is like that — you win some, you lose some.
Then we parked the SXS and laced up our boots for Surveyors Lake.
A mile hike in.
The trail was steady and quiet, just enough effort to make you earn it. And when we reached the shoreline, it felt different. Remote. Tucked back. Quiet in that deep mountain way.
We didn’t light it up — but we caught a few.
And after hiking in, every one of them felt better.
There’s something about earning a lake that makes the fish mean more.
From there, we rolled into Raft Lake.
Wide open alpine views. Big sky stretching forever. Wind that never let up.
We didn’t catch a thing.
But standing there with that kind of scenery around you… it didn’t matter. The water shimmered under the gusts, clouds moved fast overhead, and it felt wild in the best way.
By the time we rolled back into camp, we had put 58 miles on the machine.
Dusty. Tired. Completely happy.
Day Two – 85 Miles and a View Worth Every One
The next morning, Leslie and Ryan joined us.
This was the big day.
Eighty-five miles.
We headed out early toward Donkey Reservoir — a lake that sits out in an open alpine basin that feels bigger than it looks on a map.
We tried fly fishing.
We didn’t catch anything.
Not a single fish.
But I’ll tell you this — Donkey Reservoir was worth the ride for the view alone.
Clear water stretching wide. Mountains rising up around us. Quiet air that just settles into you. It felt peaceful and expansive at the same time. One of those places where you stop talking for a minute just to take it in.
Sometimes it’s not about catching fish.
Sometimes it’s about standing somewhere that reminds you why you came.
After the long ride, we headed into Loa for lunch at Soda Pipeline. Good food. Good reset. Plenty of laughing about missed casts and what we “should’ve done differently.”
And because Cook Lake had already proven itself… we went back.
It didn’t explode with action, but we caught a few.
Not a banner afternoon — just steady bites and familiar water. And after 85 miles, that felt like the perfect close.
We rolled back into camp knowing that was a day we won’t forget.
Day Three – One Last Push
We got up early.
One more lake before heading home.
Panguitch Lake.
Classic Utah mountain water. Calm morning surface. That cool alpine air that makes you zip your jacket up just a little higher.
We caught a few there too — nothing wild, just enough to end the trip on a high note.
No rush. No pressure. Just casting and soaking it in.
Then we wrapped it up the right way — lunch at The Burger Barn & BBQ.
There’s something about burgers after a mountain trip that just feels right.
The Numbers
Three days.
Eight lakes.
Over 140 miles in one Polaris Xpedition.
Cook Lake.
Miller Lake.
Twin Lakes.
Surveyors Lake.
Raft Lake.
Donkey Reservoir.
Back to Cook.
And finally Panguitch.
Some lakes gave us fish.
Some gave us wind.
Some gave us absolutely nothing but peace.
But every single one gave us a reason to keep exploring.
That’s what I love about these trips.
It’s not just the riding.
It’s not even just the fishing.
It’s the chasing.
The exploring.
The turning around when you need to.
The hiking that makes it sweeter.
The lakes that surprise you — and the ones that don’t.
And knowing there’s always another one out there.