MORGAN, Morgan County — Located only 30 minutes from Salt Lake City and Ogden, East Canyon State Park is a hidden gem in northeastern Utah that offers a variety of activities for outdoors enthusiasts.

East Canyon was established as a state park in 1967 after the reservoir was federally built, according to East Canyon State Park manager Chris Haramoto. The reservoir includes three dams and is around 6 miles long and 1-2 miles wide.

Here are some activities you can try at the park this summer:

Boating

East Canyon Reservoir makes up the majority of the park and is currently around 80 percent full, making it a great place for recreational boating, Haramoto said. There is one boat ramp, located at the north end of the park, where motorized boats can launch.

The park also has non-motorized options like canoes, kayaks and paddle boards that are available for rent. Haramoto said yoga paddle boarding classes will also be offered on weekends in the near future.

Fishing

Whether you have a fishing boat or just want to fish from the shore, East Canyon Reservoir is currently well-stocked with a variety of fish species, Haramoto said. The main fish found in the reservoir are rainbow trout, but East Reservoir also has smallmouth bass and wipers.

Haramoto said the Division of Wildlife Resources typically plants 60,000-70,000 rainbow trout in the reservoir each year.

History

If you are wanting to learn more about early Utah settlers or people who traveled through Utah in the 1800s, East Canyon State Park is a good place to start. A trail used by early travelers like the Donner Party, the Pony Express and early Mormon pioneers runs through the park, Haramoto said.

The trail is 3 miles from the main part of the park and is a 5-mile climb from Jeremy Ranch Road to the top of Big Mountain. The Donner Party was the first wagon train to use the trail while passing through Utah on the way to California, according to the East Canyon State Park website. The rocky obstacles and high brush slowed the group on its trek, and due to the harsh conditions, only 47 of the original 87 members reached California, the website said.

Photo credit: East Canyon State Park

A year after the Donner Party traveled through East Canyon, Former LDS Church President Brigham Young and other Mormon pioneers followed the same trail to reach the Salt Lake Valley.

Haramoto said the park plans to rent handcarts that visitors can pull along the trail to have a similar experience to early travelers.

“The 5-mile section that we actively manage was the steepest portion that the pioneers actually had to cross as they came across the plains,” he said. “I would assume that it’s one of the hardest spots that they had to accomplish before they got into Salt Lake City. It’s nearly a 3,500-4,000-feet elevation gain from where Jeremy’s Ranch sits to all the way to the top of Big Mountain.”

Wildlife

Although the park is located fairly close to heavily populated areas, it offers an abundance of wildlife, Haramoto said. While hiking on the Mormon Pioneer Trail, visitors can see bears, moose and often elk in the park. Mule deer are also frequently seen in the area.

Visitors can bring binoculars or cameras to view the animals, but should not approach or feed them.

Camping

East Canyon State Park has 28 full hookup sites for camper trailers and RVs that includes electric, water and sewer. There are also 21 primitive campsites for tents and three group areas for larger camping groups.

For campers who aren’t fond of tents or trailers, the park also has four yurts and two cabins available for rent.

“It’s not a far drive to get to where we’re at and it’s a beautiful destination, especially this time of year when everything is full of life and there’s a lot of animals and wildlife moving around through it,” Haramoto said.

East Canyon State Park also hosts several events throughout the year. To learn about upcoming activities at the park, visit its Facebook page.

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