A Payson resident brought a question to FOX 13 News:
"In 2018, a large wildfire burned the area of the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway. The Blackhawk campground was burned in the fire. It has never reopened. What plans does the Forest Service have for that campground?"
We listened and went to find answers.
Black Hawk Campground on the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway near Payson is undergoing reconstruction and is expected to reopen in the late spring or early summer of the 2027 camping season, according to the Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest.
The campground has been closed since the Pole Creek Fire burned through the area in 2018. The lightning-caused fire burned just under 100,000 acres, making it the largest wildfire in Utah that year. The blaze heavily impacted the Mount Nebo area, where the Nebo Loop is one of Utah's most photographed scenic byways.
WATCH: Regrowth in the Pole Creek and Bald Mountain fire areas
The Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest issued an official closure notice on May 22, 2025, with a scheduled end date of Oct. 31, 2026. The Forest Service shared photos of the ongoing construction work at the campground.
Other recreation areas along the byway remain open. Payson Lakes Campground, located nearby on the Nebo Loop, is currently open to visitors.
The Nebo Loop Scenic Byway runs from Payson and features popular trails and campgrounds throughout the Mount Nebo area.
