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Show Essjsu Pmirk coirsip offers HSgfa Uieiite experience Rugged Lodgepole pines line the landscape and strip one's view of a glass-like lake where an occasional fish ripples the surface. Maybe such a scene only exists in the mind's eye, but an outing to East Park may come close if proper preparations are taken into consideration. It is not the 21 camp units that surround sur-round the west side of the lake that are inadequate or that access to the area is difficult, actually the opposite may be true, but one must remember that the lake is a high-elevation lake and the weather can change at a moment's notice. I 1 f I ( ' ...... - !' ; i t . - . i I " " I .... V ' ' I , t " ' I 1 - : ! , : ' " J y ... ' . j FISHERMAN relaxes on the banks of East Park Reservoir as fishing is slow, but the area is rich in scenery. Access to the lake is north of U-44 from Vernal to the East Park turnoff to the west. Follow the paved road for about seven miles until a gravel road turns off about one mile to the reservoir. Fishing on the lake is open year-round, year-round, but hooking a rainbow or cutthroat cut-throat is a challenge for any fisherman. fisher-man. Flies in the evening and morning morn-ing hours work well if the fish are jumping. During the summer the water in the reservoir is used for irrigation, so the level of the lake will change drastically. There is a gravel boat ramp, but boats larger than 14 feet aren't advised. advis-ed. Most boats on the lake are small aluminum shell models. Brush Creek, which feeds the lake from the north and exits the south end, is also good for fishing, but for only small ones. Access to the lake can also be gained gain-ed by a 52 mile trail from U-44 before Red Springs Campground. The trail continues from East Park to Oaks Park. But the one thing you want to watch out for is the weather. Because the lake is over 8,000 feet high, brisk thunderstorms can quickly turn a sunny sun-ny day along the lake into one spent in the tent. But most people who regularly regular-ly camp at East Park don't mind, because just as quickly as the rain comes it will also go. Rarely is there a day of total rain. Usually the campground cam-pground is open to full services by July Ju-ly 4. It was a little late this year because of heavy snowfall. The lake is stocked periodically. Overnight camping cam-ping costs $3 a night, but for those w ho don't want to pay the fee, the overflow campground south of the lake is free, but no improvement. Services at the campground include a water system, daily cleaned fire pits and out houses. So for those w ho want a High Uinta experience without the pain of hiking in, East Park is an excellent area, but watch out for the rain. r - ... . T.W , . f K - ' k. . .. . ........ . r i -I ....... , . . - " a T " ' ; " '..-. t r " "J. 'K i - , t "--,.-' i . V 1 . - '. ' ..-' ' . ' r -" - - V v.. .. r: 'ir .- - :. : r . t i ; . v . - - . ' r ' - - - . t - - -. N . ; ; :,), . . . , . . . ' t. . .1 ........ ... 1 . .A H... ' .1, . WIND ROLLS across East Park Reservoir giving fishermen fits, but carrying puffy white clouds over the lake. Unstable weather at the park can bring on sudden rain and cool temperatures, but the area is an outdoorsman's paradise. i . ,. - i I t : ( ' . ' :, . ; ... - - , r. f . ' .".r.- "- ' ; '''' i I I ' i -' i r I I : I I I I I SMOKEY THE BEAR greets kids at Flaming Flam-ing Gorge Visitor Center during July 24 weekend. The bear gave the kids comic books and posed for pictures. ' i. |
