Bring lawn games to Bear Lake this year
By Sharon Haddock , For the Deseret News
GARDEN CITY, Utah — The water is up and the beaches are down, way down, so much so that trees formerly on the shoreline are now trying in vain to continue to grow out in the lake water.
What was formerly beach sand out to the water's edge is now grassy and swampy.
Homes on the beachfront have water lapping at the porches.
It means families headed to the popular Bear Lake resort area need to come armed with lawn toys, board games and a list of side trips to take. There simply won't be enough beach to go around.
"We're telling everyone to plan on going to North Beach," said a manager at Bear Lake Properties. "The lake is too high everywhere else."
Claudia Cottle, co-executive director of the local Bear Lake Watch committee, said people need to understand that Bear Lake is a very different lake than it has been.
"This is reality," Cottle said. "We need to get the word out. It will be very interesting."
The lake broke the record for the largest single-year water level increase on June 17, with 7.74 feet over last year's level, and the peak isn't expected until the end of July.
That means beaches are submerged and boaters and watercraft drivers are in danger of tangling with hidden vegetation and trees. People planning to camp in the upper canyon areas may not be able to get there. Parking and congestion on the still accessible beaches will be a problem.
"This just happened so fast. It is just amazing," Cottle said. "People need to be extra careful because the lake is so different. People shouldn't come expecting what they've been used to."
On the Bear Lake Fun website (http://www.bearlakefun.com/lakelevelinfo.html), officials are advising motorists (including those with ATVs) that driving on most of the exposed beach areas will not be possible this year.
"To access the lake, you will have to find parking above the high-water mark. The lake will still be on the rise through most of July, making for an 11-foot-plus vertical rise since the low of last fall. This will most likely fill the lake to 'full' or very close, and will cover most of the exposed sandy beaches people have become accustomed to the last 10 years while the lake has been low. There will be very few sandy beaches left where the sand extends above the high-water mark of the lake, with the North Beach being notably the largest and arguably the finest," according to the website.
Experts say the famous lake has risen more in a single year since the 1930s, 7.8 feet, with more water coming in every day.
Visitors to Bear Lake may want to check out the nearby sights and attractions, which include:
— The National Oregon/California Trail Center, 320 N. 4th St., Montpelier, open daily through Labor Day. It offers a live dramatization, gift shop and history lessons. See www.oregontrailcenter.org for detailed information and program schedule.
— Limber Pine Trail, no fee, easy one-mile loop featuring the historic 2,000-year-old Limber Pine.
— Bloomington Lake Trail, easy-to-moderate walking path to a small glacial lake located in a spectacular setting.
— The Paris Ice Caves in Paris Canyon. There's no charge to visit, but as of mid-June the road still held 3 1/2 feet of snow, blocking access.
— Minnetonka Cave, the largest developed limestone cave in Idaho, 10 miles to the cave entrance from the signpost in St. Charles. The cost is $7 adults, $5 children, with tours from June 21 to Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Bring a light jacket.
— The Paris Tabernacle on Main Street, free guided tours of the historic structure built by Mormon pioneers in 1889, open daily through Labor Day, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
— Pickleville Playhouse, 2049 S. Bear Lake Blvd., barbecue dinner and stage shows three to six days a week, depending on dates. Tickets are $17-$30. See www.picklevilleplayhouse.com.
— Raspberry Days Festival and events, Aug. 4-6, includes craft fairs, parade, rodeo, dances and a 5K fun run. Visit www.bearlake.org for details.
— Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge, walk, bike or drive this vast bulrush marsh (a remnant of the Dingle Swamp), seven miles south of Montpelier, north of North Beach, turn right from Paris, no cost, (bring binoculars).
— ATV trails, trailhead south of Logan Boulevard, two levels of difficulty offered, both trails run along Bear Lake Summit to Sinks Road.
— The Bear Lake Scenic Bike Trail from Harbor Village to Ideal Beach offers 4.2 miles of paved trail.
— The 55-mile Highline Trail is accessible from Bloomington Canyon, Paris Canyon, Emigration and Logan canyons for hiking, horseback riding, motor biking and mountain biking.
— Bear Lake Hot Springs, northeast corner of North Beach, $5 adults/$3.50 children, includes two outdoor thermal pools and a snack bar.
Sharon Haddock is a professional writer with 30 years experience, 17 at the Deseret News. Her personal blog is at sharonhaddock.blogspot.com.
Email: haddoc@desnews.com