South Fork Reservoir covers 1,650 acres and is surrounded by 2,200 acres of wildlife-filled meadow lands and rolling hills. It is popular for hunting, camping, boating, picnicking, winter sports and wildlife viewing. The park is best known for its trophy-class trout and bass fishery. Facilities include a boat launch, campground, trailer dump station and picnic area. Located 16 miles south of Elko on State Route 228, the park is open year-round, but access may be hampered by extreme cold and snow during the winter months.

The South Fork Reservoir operation adopted a "flow-in flow-out" concept, thus protecting downstream water rights and minimizing the impacts to wildlife habitat in the Humboldt Sink. South Fork Dam is designed as a rolled, earthfilled embankment approximately 1,650 feet long, 90 feet high, with a 30 foot crest. Overflow is protected by a primary and secondary spillway. South Fork Reservoir is approximately three miles long and one to one-half miles wide. The average depth is 30 South Fork Dam is designed as a rolled, earthfilled embankment approximately 1,650 feet long, 90 feet high, with a 30 foot crest. Overflow is protected by a primary and secondary spillway. The basic premise of South Fork Reservoir is storage of excess flows of the Upper Humboldt Drainage system to provide a recreational reservoir.

Primary recreational uses of South Fork Reservoir are lake fishing and boating. With constant water levels, South Fork Reservoir has become a productive fishery. Trophy size Rainbow and Brown Trout, Smallmouth and Largemouth Black Bass and Channel Catfish are the big five game fish species in South Fork Reservoir. These species are thriving in what were productive and densely vegetated meadows. Most fish caught are of exceptional girth compared to length. The Nevada Division of State Parks, Nevada Division of Wildlife and Nevada Division of Water Resources share different operations and management of South Fork Reservoir.
Current park visitation exceeds 100,000 visitors a year.