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ROCKPORT STATE PARK — Utah is famous for its ski resorts and five national parks, but it also offers a variety of landscapes and activities within its 43 state parks. If you are looking for a new outdoor area to explore, visit KSL.com each Wednesday morning for the state park of the week.
Located near Park City, Rockport State Park offers a variety of outdoor activities.
The Rockport area was first settled in 1860 and a rock wall was built around the settlement to protect the settlers during their conflict with local Native Americans, according to Rockport State Park manager Joe Donnell. The name of the area gradually changed from "Rock Fort" to "Rockport" and it was established as a state park in 1966.
Here are several activities to enjoy at the park:
Fishing and watersports
At 3 miles long and 1,080 surface acres, the reservoir is the biggest feature in the park and offers a large portion of the recreation. The Division of Wildlife Resources stocks the reservoir regularly with a variety of fish species including brown trout, smallmouth bass and yellow perch, Donnell said. Anglers can use motorized fishing boats on the lake or fish from the shoreline. There are also several docks available that people can fish on.
While summer is winding to a close, the reservoir is a great place for ice fishing.
"Once the lake freezes over, Rockport is a very popular ice fishing destination," Donnell said. "It's one of the top ice fishing destinations in the state, especially for the rainbow trout and yellow perch."
However if fishing isn't your thing, the park also has paddle boards, ski boats, pontoon boats, sailboats, kayaks, canoes, water trampolines and jet skis available for rent.
Camping
The park has eight campgrounds with over 140 campsites. Thirty-four of the campsites have water and electric hookups for RVs and trailers. The remaining 100 campsites are primitive, but include covered pavilions, picnic tables and fire rings. There are also five group sites that can accommodate between 50 and 150 people.
The park has three separate, primitive campsites that campers can boat to, Donnell said. The sites have a long dock that campers can tie their boat to or they can anchor them on the beach.
The park also has four yurts that are available for rent. The yurts are heated and can be used year-round. Rockport State Park also has plans to build two cabins that will be ready for use in the summer of 2016, Donnell said.
Hiking and mountain biking
The park has a nice trail that can be used for hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding. The Lake View Trail is 4 miles roundtrip and offers a spur loop for a longer hike. The trail is located on the east side of the park.
Archery range
Rockport State Park plans to install an archery range as its newest attraction, Donnell said. The range will have 10 stations with 3-D animal targets. Visitors will be able to rent bows and other equipment at the range. The park plans to install the range by spring of summer of 2016.
