| Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
 Starvation Reservoir, December 2008 | |
  Location in Utah Show map of Utah Location in the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Location | Duchesne County,Utah, United States |
| Coordinates | 40°12′10″N110°26′50″W / 40.20278°N 110.44722°W /40.20278; -110.44722 |
| Area | 3,500 acres (14 km2)[1] |
| Elevation | 5,700 ft (1,700 m)[1] |
| Established | 1972; 53 years ago (1972)[1] |
| Visitors | 139,477 (in 2022)[2] |
| Operator | Utah State Parks |
| Website | stateparks |
Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation (formerlyStarvation State Park) is astate park inDuchesne County,Utah, United States, featuring the 3,495-acre (1,414 ha)Starvation Reservoir.[1] The park is 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of the city ofDuchesne.
The 3,500-acre (14 km2) Starvation Reservoir is open year-round, and is popular forfishing andboating. It lies at an elevation of 5,712 feet (1,741 m). Established in 1972, the marina features a 54-unitRV campground along with developed and primitivecamping, rental cabins, boat ramp and dock, a sand beach, restrooms, showers, a group-use pavilion, sewage disposal, and fish cleaning stations.[3] Primitive camping is allowed in designated areas around the perimeter of the reservoir for a fee.OHVs are only allowed at Knight Hollow Campground. County-owned dirt roads are open (including the road from Knight Hollow to the town of Duchesne) in the nearby area.
There are various narratives explaining the name "Starvation". Orson Mott recounted the most credible story. In 1900, A.M. Murdock of Heber city, approached Major Myton of the Uintah Indian reservation to purchase grazing permits for his cattle. He was given grazing permits in the upper Strawberry river area. Dave Murdock, brother of Al Murdock, had secured a contract to provide beef to the Ute tribe at Fort Duchesne. In the fall of 1904 they brought the herd out of the high grazing areas and made it to the river bottoms which is now covered by Starvation reservoir. Very heavy snows stranded the herd. With no feed the entire herd died. Dave Murdock named the area "Starvation Flats" from this experience.[4]
Another account describes a group offur trappers stranded in harsh winter conditions who survived by stealing a localNative American cache of food, which resulted in theirstarvation. Another account tells the opposite story, with the Indians doing the stealing and the trappers starving.[1] A third story involves a localrancher who attempted to grazelivestock in the area, and they all starved.[5] Yet another explanation for the name involvessettlers in the early 1900s trying to survive along the banks of theStrawberry River, in the area now occupied by the reservoir. These settlers dealt with near-starvation in a hostile environment. Winters in the area are long and cold, and their livestock often died. The area's short growing season was hindered byfloods,hail, earlyfrost and other problems. These settlers could have nicknamed the area Starvation.
In 2019 the park (which had previously been named the Starvation State Park) was officially renamed the Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation.[6] Hayes had been the director of the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation (now known as theUtah Division of State Parks) from 2012 until he died unexpectedly in early March 2018.[7]
Encompassing nearly 3,500 surface acres, the reservoir is part of Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation and is known for its scenic high-desert landscape and diverse fishery. Anglers are drawn to its waters for a chance to catch a variety of species, including walleye, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, and brown trout. Starvation Reservoir is especially renowned for its trophy walleye and hosts multiple fishing tournaments throughout the year. The reservoir’s clear waters and relatively low fishing pressure make it a favored spot for both casual anglers and seasoned sportsmen. State biologists stocked kokanee salmon at Starvation Reservoir in 2016, as an experiment to see if it would be possible to establish a population of the landlocked salmon at the lake. These efforts proved unsuccessful, and the efforts with kokanee were abandoned in 2025.[8]
The Starvation Dam (40°11′25″N110°26′38″W / 40.19028°N 110.44389°W /40.19028; -110.44389) is a 210-foot-high (64 m), 3,070-foot-long (940 m)earthfill dam. The reservoir is fed by the Strawberry River in theUinta Basin, and is part of theCentral Utah Project – Bonneville Unit. It was constructed in 1970.[9]
Municipalities and communities ofDuchesne County, Utah,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservation | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
