Rockport State Park - #9

Rockport State Park is another reservoir park popular with boaters and fishermen.  The park is conveniently located within an hour of Salt Lake City just off of I-80 at Exit 155.  The dam creating the reservoir is an earthen dam and was constructed in 1957.  The park is named after the historic town of Rockport which was colonized in 1860 and submerged by the dam.  There were still 200 people living in the town of Rockport who had to be displaced to make way for the construction of the reservoir.  It was odd paddling along the water in my kayak and thinking of the town that used to be located underneath all the water.  There are five campgrounds and multiple day use areas in the park located mostly along the eastern shore of the reservoir.  We stayed in the Twin Coves Campground which had pit toilets, picnic table, shelter, grill and fire pit.  You can also stay in the Juniper Campground with standard hook-ups for water and electric.  We had fun enjoying the water (albeit choppy and windy in April) and hiking the Lakeview perimeter trail a couple of times.  Overall the sites were roomy with some vegetation and shade trees and nice access to a couple of sandy beaches.  We stayed in Site #18 and liked the water access right out the back of the site.  If we were to stay again #14 looked really nice.

Location:  Approximately 45 miles east of Salt Lake City.  Take Exit 155 off of I-80 and head 5 miles southeast along SR 32 to the park entrance.

Total Sites: 116 (in various campgrounds)

Stayed in Site:  #18 (Twin Cove Campground)

Elevation:  6,000 ft

Date Created:  1966

Hook Ups:  None in Twin Cove Campground (electric and water available in Juniper)

Three Stars *** (nice sites overlooking the water, accessible hiking trail, clean and clear water)

Yuba Lake State Park - #8

Yuba Lake is a man-made reservoir built between 1902 and 1917 by local farmers and ranchers to collect needed water supply.  The reservoir is the largest on the Sevier River and was open to the public as a State Park in 1970.   There are a number of developed campgrounds including Oasis Campground, North Beach Campground, West Beach Campground, Eagle View Campground (boat access only), and Painted Rock Campground.  We stayed at the Painted Rock Campground.  All the sites are paved and each site has a nice picnic table, covered area, and fire pit.  The campground is pretty open though with no trees and the wind whips through the sites.  We had fun exploring some designated trails around the campground as well as some deer trails up behind the painted rock outcropping.  There is easy water access from a nice boat ramp and dock just below the campground.  The pictographs of "painted rock" are pretty cool and can be seen by boat or kayak on the rocks just north of the boat ramp.  We liked Site #29.  If we were to visit again, we would try Site #9, #12 or #15.
Yuba State Park

Location:  Approximately 110 miles south of Salt Lake City.  Painted Rock Campground is located 25 miles south of Levan off of Highway 28.  Oasis Campground is located 25 miles south of Nephi from Exit 202 off of Interstate 15.
Total Sites:  227 (in various campgrounds)

Stayed in Site:  #29 (Painted Rock Campground)
Elevation:  5,100 ft
Date Created:  1970
Hook-Ups:  Water and Electric

Two Stars ** (the campground is more like a one star, but the water access, hiking trails and cool Indian pictographs makes it a two star)

Golden Spike National Historic Site

Golden Spike National Historic Site  marks the location of the historic joining of the Union Pacific Railroad with the Central Pacific Railroad on May 10, 1869, completing the country's first transcontinental railroad.  It was a race to the finish between the two railroad companies who competed for lucrative land grants and bonds from the federal government.  For every mile of track laid by the railroad companies, the government granted 20 square miles of land and issued subsidy bonds worth thousands of dollars.  The Historic Site is fun to visit, especially for train buffs, but there are actually no longer any real tracks or trains serviced in this area.  In 1903, the Lucin Cutoff trestle was completed across the Great Salt Lake, saving the railroad a great deal of time and money in avoiding the elevation gains and twisting routes through Promontory Summit.  The abandoned rails were eventually removed in 1942 to use the steel for the war effort during World War II.  It should also be noted that the actual golden spike isn't located at the Historic Monument, but is housed in Palo Alto, California as part of the Stanford University art museum.  It is best to visit the Historic Site from May to October when they have the locomotives out.  The tracks were empty when we visited in March.
Golden Spike National Historic Site

Location:  Approximately 87 miles northwest of Salt Lake City and 32 miles west of Brigham City via Utah Highway 83; take exit 365 off of I-15.

Total Sites:  No campground or camping allowed
Stayed in Site:  No campground
Elevation:  4,360 - 5,280 ft
Date Created:  1952 

Two Stars ** (the site is worth visiting, but the area is quite desolate and there is no established campground or camping)

Willard Bay State Park - #7

Willard Bay is a man-made reservoir created in 1949 to capture and store fresh water from the Ogden and Weber Rivers.  The Bay is operated by the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and the park facilities are operated by the Utah State Parks.  Willard Bay State Park consists of two marinas, day use facilities, and three campgrounds: Willow Creek Campground, Cottonwood Campground, and the South Marian Group Campground.  We stayed in the Cottonwood Campground which is named after the many cottonwood trees that shade the area.  This is a nice little campground conveniently located about an hour north of Salt Lake City and is great for a quick overnight or an early season practice run.  Unfortunately the campground is located quite close to the I-15 freeway and the traffic noise is surprisingly loud throughout the night.  Mosquitoes and gnats are prevalent as well.
Willard Bay State Park

Location:  Approximately 50 miles north of Salt Lake City; take exit 357 for the North Marina campgrounds and facilities (or exit 351 for the South Marina Group Campground and facilities).

Total Sites:  58
Stayed in Site:  69
Elevation:  4,200 ft
Park Created:  1966

Two Stars ** (due to proximity to freeway and the bugs)

National Parks

In addition to the 43 State Parks in Utah, there are also a number of National parks, monuments, sites and trails.  While the original intent of this blog was to focus on the Utah State Parks, I have decided to add the national parks and sites to the list.  In total, they add another 19 parks and sites.
National Parks Service

National Parks - 5 
Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion

National Monuments - 7 
Cedar Breaks, Dinosaur, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Timpanogos Cave and Rainbow Bridge

National Historic Trails - 4 
California, Mormon Pioneer, Pony Express and Old Spanish

National Historic Sites - 1 
Golden Spike

National Recreation Area - 2
Glen Canyon and Flaming Gorge

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park - #6

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park has some great drifts of fine red sand that are fun to play in and to photograph.  This park is a favorite for ATV riders that love to ride the dunes, but we managed to get out early in the mornings or late in the evening for some quiet time alone in the sand.  The great sand dunes are created by wind that is funneled through a unique notch between the Moquith and Moccasin mountains.  As the wind funnels through the notch, the wind velocity is increased and pulls along with it grains of sand from the eroding Navajo sandstone.  As the wind reaches the open valley below the mountains, the wind velocity decreases, and causes the sand to be deposited. This process is referred to as the Venturi Affect.  Depending upon the changing winds, the sand drifts can move as much as 50 feet per year.  The dunes are estimated to be 10,000 to 15,000 years old.  
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Location:  Approximately 310 miles south of Salt Lake City and 22 miles west of Kanab on Sand Dunes Road.

Total Sites:  22
Stayed in Site:  21
Elevation:  6,000 ft
Date Created:  1963   

Three Stars *** (the dunes are beautiful, but the park is windy and popular with ATV enthusiasts)

Fremont Indian State Park - #5

We have visited Fremont Indian State Park a number of times.  We usually open the camping season with a stay at this park.  It has a great private group campsite away from the main campground. Fremont Indian State Park was created during the construction of the I-70 freeway when excavations revealed significant indian artifacts and petroglyphs.  Further investigation revealed remains of the largest known Fremont Indian village.  The Fremont Indians lived in this area over 1,000 years ago and many remnants remain. There are some great petroglyphs on the matrix of trails above the Vistor's Center.  
Fremont Indian State Park

Location:  Approximately 180 miles south of Salt Lake City and 21 miles southwest of Richfield on I-70.

Total Sites:  31
Stayed in Site:  Group Site
Elevation:  5,900 ft
Date Created:  1987

Three Stars *** (although chilly in the spring, the park has some fun indian ruins, petroglyphs and hiking trails to explore)

Snow Canyon State Park - #4

Snow Canyon is a great little State park conveniently located just outside of St. George, Utah.  The views of the valley and red cliffs as you drive into the park are spectacular.  We have stayed here a few times as a starting point for other adventures.  They have a number of developed trails in the park that twist around the petrified sand dunes and red rock lava flows.  There are about 38 miles of trails in all - plenty to keep you busy for the weekend.  The main road through the park is also a great bike ride with more elevation gain than might be expected.
Snow Canyon State Park

Location:  Approximately 310 miles south of Salt Lake City just outside of St. George; take exit 10 from I-15 southbound for 5 miles to the Bluff Street/SR 18 intersection onto Snow Canyon Parkway and signs to park.

Total Sites:  29
Stayed in Site:  11
Elevation:  3,100 - 4,100 ft

Date Created:  1962

Four Stars **** (the campsites are cramped and paved, but the park is a real beauty with lots of designated hiking trails)

Kodachrome Basin State Park - #3

Kodachrome Basin State Park was named by the National Geographic Society after an expedition visited the area to photograph the colorful rock formations and spires in 1948. The basin is home to a number of odd looking monolithic spires and plenty of well-marked hiking trails.  There are over 60 of these spires (also called sedimentary pipes).

Kodachrome Basin State Park

Location:  Approximately 300 miles south of Salt Lake City and 9 miles south of the town of Cannonville off of Highway 12.

Total Sites:  34

Stayed in Site:  22

Elevation:  5,800 ft

Date Created:  1963

Four Stars **** (for uniqueness and fairly private sites)

Goblin Valley State Park - #2

Goblin Valley is a unique valley of eroded sandstone pillars that look like mushrooms or "goblins" as the name implies.  It is an odd and enchanting place first discovered by modern man in the 1920's by cowboys looking for a cattle route from Green River to Hite's Ferry.  The unique landscape was purchased by the State of Utah and officially designated as a State park in 1964.  A recent incident by the Boy Scouts toppling one of the goblins received national attention and highlights the fragile nature of our parks and geologic treasures.  The actions of a few inconsiderate souls can change the landscape forever.
Goblin Valley State Park

Location:  Approximately 216 miles southeast of Salt Lake City and 24 miles south of I-70 on Highway 24; turn at Temple Mountain Junction and follow signs 12 miles to the Park.

Total Sites:  24
Stayed in Site:  15
Elevation:  5,000 ft
Date Created:  1964

Four Stars **** (hot and exposed in the summer with little privacy between the campsites, but the goblins are super cool and deserve a visit)

Green River State Park - #1

Green River State Park is an oasis of green and a canopy of cottonwoods in an otherwise desolate Green River, Utah.  The State Park is located on the banks of the Green River and is popular with river runners who put in here and run the Green River through Labyrinth and Stillwater Canyons.  The Green River runs another 400 miles before connecting with the Colorado River and eventually flowing into Lake Powell.  The State Park has about 40 sites with hookups or no hookups.  We only stayed here one night as a stopover on our way to Goblin Valley. Things were hopping in town for the annual Melon Days celebration.  
Green River State Park

Location:  Approximately 182 miles southeast of Salt Lake City in Green River just off of I-70.

Total Sites:  40 
Stayed in Site:  38
Elevation:  4,050 ft
Date Created:  1965

Two Stars ** (nice large sites with green lawns and shade trees, but more of a layover than a destination park)

State Park - Annual Chart

2010-2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
Green River	Willard Bay	Huntington
Goblin Valley	Yuba Lake	Millsite
Kodachrome Basin	Rockport	Territorial Statehouse
Snow Canyon	Anasazi	Frontier Homestead
Coral Pink Sand Dunes	Escalante Petrified Forest
Fremont Indian	East Canyon
	Jordanelle