Mona · Juab County · Family Outdoors
Burraston Ponds is the kind of place you keep coming back to with the kids.
A cluster of small spring-fed ponds tucked just off the highway south of Mona, Utah — quiet, free, and easy to drop into. You can drive the loop, throw a line in, paddle a kayak, run the kids through the paths, or just sit and watch the birds. I bring my kids here all the time. It's one of those tiny local spots that doesn't show up in glossy guidebooks and is better for it.
Burraston Ponds sits just south of Mona, Utah, a couple of minutes off I-15. There are a handful of small spring-fed ponds connected by dirt paths, with a packed-gravel road you can actually drive most of the way around. It's quiet, it's free, and it has the rare quality of being just interesting enough to keep kids busy without being so scheduled that it ruins itself.
My kids and I come down here a lot. We mostly run around. We walk the paths between the ponds and look for the owl that seems to always be tucked into the tall trees at the far end. Sometimes we bring poles. Sometimes we bring a picnic and just stay until the light goes orange.
What's at the ponds
A lot to do in a very small spot.
Drive-through loop
Packed-gravel road circles most of the ponds — easy to scout from the car before picking a spot.
Paths for the kids
Short dirt trails between the ponds. Easy for little legs. Lots to look at.
Fishing & kayaking
Spring-fed and calm. Bring your own canoe or kayak; no rentals on site.
Birding (and the owl)
Ducks, geese, songbirds, herons — and a great horned owl in the tall trees at the far end.
Watch the tall trees at the far end of the property. The owl is up there more often than not.
The owl and the birds
One of the best little birding stops in the county.
The thing my kids look for first is the owl. There's a great horned owl that hangs out in the tall trees at the far end of the ponds — we've spotted it perched there dozens of times. Early morning and right before sunset are your best chance. Look for the clump of cottonwoods and scan the upper branches. Once you see it, it'll feel obvious.
Beyond the owl, the ponds pull in a steady mix of waterfowl and songbirds. Mallards, coots, Canada geese, great blue herons in the shallows, kingfishers, red-winged blackbirds in the reeds, and seasonal migrators passing through. Bring binoculars if you have them. If you don't, the kids will still point at every duck like it's the first one they've ever seen.
Mallards are the regulars. Bring cracked corn — skip the bread.
Fishing, kayaking, and just sitting there
Spring-fed, calm, and yours to figure out.
The ponds are spring-fed and clear. Locals fish for bluegill, bass, and the occasional trout — nothing record-setting, but plenty fun for kids working on their cast. Bring a license for anyone 12 or older. Worms, small jigs, or a bobber-and-bait setup is enough.
Kayaks and canoes are a great fit for water this small and still — there are no boat rentals on site, so you'll need to haul your own. Stand-up paddleboards work too. No motors. The ponds are connected in places by narrow channels, so part of the fun is just paddling between them.
And honestly? Half the time we don't fish or paddle. We just walk the paths, throw rocks, count ducks, and eat a sandwich in the shade. That's a complete day at Burraston Ponds.
Local tips
A few small things that make a big difference.
- It's free — no entry fee, no parking fee, no booth.
- Cell service is spotty. Pull up directions before you leave Mona or Nephi.
- Mosquitoes show up at dusk in summer. Bug spray earns its place in the trunk.
- It's primitive — no restrooms, no trash service. Pack out everything you bring.
- The dirt road can get muddy a day or two after a storm. A normal car is fine 95% of the time.
- Weekends are busier; weekday evenings you might have the place mostly to yourself.
Practical details
Know before you go.
- Location
- Just south of Mona, Utah — west of I-15 between Mona and Nephi
- Cost
- Free. No entry fee, no parking fee.
- Parking
- Pull-outs along the loop road. Plenty of room on a typical day.
- Activities
- Walking, fishing, kayak/canoe, birding, picnicking, photography
- Boats
- Kayaks, canoes, and SUPs welcome — no motors, no rentals on site
- Fishing
- Bring a Utah license for ages 12+. Bluegill, bass, sometimes trout.
- Restrooms
- None on site. Plan accordingly with kids.
- Dogs
- Allowed on leash. Bring a bag.
- Cell service
- Spotty. Download maps before you go.
- Best time to visit
- Spring through fall, especially early morning or evening.
How to get there
From I-15.
From I-15, take Exit 222 (Mona) and head south on the frontage road for a few minutes. You'll see a turnoff onto a packed-gravel road leading west toward the ponds — follow it in and the road loops around the property. From Nephi it's about a 10-minute drive north; from Payson or Santaquin, plan on roughly 25–30 minutes south.
If your GPS gets confused, search for "Burraston Ponds, Mona, UT" — it's a known location in Google Maps and Apple Maps.
Why I send buyers here
Mona's quiet is a feature, not a flaw.
When buyers ask what life in Mona actually looks like, this is part of my answer. A free pond, an owl in the trees, a gravel loop you can drive at the end of a workday, and almost nobody else around. That kind of unscheduled outdoor life is harder and harder to find this close to Utah County. If that sounds like your speed, we should probably go look at houses in Mona.
