HUNTINGTON STATE PARK — Located in central Utah is a well-kept local secret that’s described as a quiet, desert oasis: Huntington State Park.

Huntington Reservoir was completed in 1966 as part of an Emery County irrigation and recreation project, according to the Utah State Parks website. Huntington State Park was established as a state park in 1966, and like the reservoir and town nearby, was named after the three Huntington brothers who first explored the area in 1855.

Here are five activities you can enjoy in Huntington State Park:

Water slide and trampoline for swimming

The park is best-known for its 250-acre, warm-water lake that provides a variety of activities, among which is swimming. The water for the reservoir enters through a canal and park officials are able to filter heavy run-off and flash flood water so they “only bring in clean water,” according to Huntington State Park manager Jonathan Hunt.

“Our waters are some of the cleanest and warmest you will find,” he said. “Our waters also heat up much earlier than other lakes. On Memorial Weekend, our water temperature was 65 degrees and we are now nearing 70 degrees.”

In 2013, park officials added a large trampoline and an inflatable water slide in the reservoir.

“These toys give families something to swim out to and have fun with,” Hunt said.

The park also has paddle boards and kayaks available to rent at the reservoir. And along with swimming and other water recreation, the lake is also a popular place to catch crawdads, the Utah State Parks website said.

Slacklining

Huntington State Park recently installed five slacklines to give visitors an opportunity to try a different outdoor activity, according to a Utah State Parks news release. A slackline is webbing that is tensioned between two anchor points and used like a tightrope. There are multiple courses available in the park, including a 15-foot line with a step stool and hand line for balance and several other lines up to 65-feet long, the news release said.

Huntington State Park

Camping

Huntington State Park has 25 campsites available, most of which will accommodate larger RVs, Hunt said. The campground has large cottonwood trees and green lawns all near the shore of the reservoir.

“If you are looking to rough it, this is not the park for you because our green lawns and restroom/shower facilities are in great shape,” Hunt said. “Let the kids play and don’t worry about them getting too dirty.”

The campground is open year-round and visitors should reserve campsites ahead of time during the busy summer months.

San Rafael Classic Triathlon ============================

The annual San Rafael Classic Triathlon is located in Huntington State Park, allowing officials to provide a closed course and beautiful location, Hunt said. The entire course is completely closed except to participants. The race is organized and run by Emery County Search and Rescue and all proceeds go towards the organization to assist its volunteer efforts.

Participants can choose to do a sprint or Olympic race. It will be held Saturday, July 18, and the sprint triathlon includes a 750-meter swim, a 20K bike ride and a 5K run.

ATV in nearby attractions

Hunt said Huntington State Park is close to a number of attractions in the San Rafael Swell and is a good “base camp” to visit other areas. Some of the top attractions within 30 minutes of the park are the Cleveland Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry, the Buckhorn Wash, The Wedge Overlook, the Goodwater Rim Mountain Bike Trail and the Manti LaSal National Forest.

“Make sure to bring some ATVs, as all of these locations are accessible through open roads and trails,” Hunt said.

Related topics