Christina CacciacarneKW Unite · Keller Williams Search homes
Lakes & reservoirs guide

Lakes & reservoirs: access, fees & boat ramps

Where to swim, paddle and launch across Cache Valley, Bear Lake, Ogden Valley and Box Elder County, and which spots are free.

Before you go

  • Utah State Parks annual day-use pass: $125 for Utah residents, $65 for seniors 65+ (2026). It covers day use at Bear Lake, Hyrum and Willard Bay, not camping or slips.
  • Anyone launching any boat in Utah, including kayaks and paddleboards, must take the free Mussel-Aware Boater course each year at wildlife.utah.gov. Motorboats also pay a small yearly invasive-species fee.
  • Clean, drain and dry: pull your drain plug when you leave the water and let the boat dry before launching somewhere else.
  • Forest Service fee areas at Pineview don't accept interagency passes; Tony Grove does accept the America the Beautiful pass.
  • Fishing anywhere needs a Utah license (resident adult annual license is about $40; short-term licenses available).

Fees and conditions are as posted by Utah State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and other managing agencies in October 2026. Water levels change ramp access from year to year, so check the official page before you load the boat.

Bear Lake

Free & fee areas
Garden City & Rich County
Fees
Mixed. Garden City Park beach and the small west-shore public beaches are free. Bear Lake State Park areas charge day-use: the Marina and Rendezvous Beach run about $25 per vehicle in summer for Utah residents ($30 nonresident) and $15 the rest of the year; the east side (Cisco Beach, First Point) about $20 in summer.
Boat ramp
Seven-lane ramp at the State Park Marina; First Point (east side) has a four-lane ramp. Rendezvous Beach and Cisco Beach ramps are low-water ramps when the lake is down (4WD recommended).
Season
Marina open year-round. Beaches are busiest Memorial Day to Labor Day; summer fee season runs to Sept. 30.
Getting there
US-89 over Logan Canyon to Garden City, or SR-30 along the south shore to Laketown and the east side. Driving on the beaches is not allowed.
Official info and current conditions →

Bear Lake State Park Marina

Day-use fee
Garden City
Fees
Day-use about $25 per vehicle in summer for Utah residents ($15 seniors, $30 nonresidents); about $15 the rest of the year. The Utah State Parks annual pass covers day use.
Boat ramp
Seven-lane launch ramp. Boat slips are rented by the season.
Season
Open year-round; gates 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Getting there
North end of Garden City, about a mile north of the US-89 / SR-30 junction. A new, larger marina is being built just north (see What's new in the Garden City guide).
Official info and current conditions →

Garden City Park beach

Free
Garden City
Fees
Free public beach access in town.
Boat ramp
No ramp; nearest is the State Park Marina.
Season
Summer swimming and paddleboarding.
Getting there
On the lakeshore in Garden City, with calm water that's good for paddleboards and kids. Several other small free public beaches sit along the west shore south of town.
Official info and current conditions →

Rendezvous Beach

Day-use fee
Laketown (south shore)
Fees
Same as the Marina: about $25 per vehicle in summer for Utah residents, $15 the rest of the year.
Boat ramp
Low-water ramp; 4WD recommended when the lake is down.
Season
Beach and campgrounds roughly May 1 to late October.
Getting there
About 2 miles northwest of Laketown on SR-30. Big sandy beach with four campgrounds.
Official info and current conditions →

Hyrum State Park

Day-use fee
Hyrum
Fees
Day-use $15 per vehicle on weekdays, $20 on weekends and holidays; $3 per person walking or biking in. Covered by the Utah State Parks annual pass.
Boat ramp
One main ramp with a fish-cleaning station. Check the park's ramp status in low-water years.
Season
Open year-round, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Swim beach in summer; ice fishing in winter.
Getting there
About 20 minutes from downtown Logan on the west edge of Hyrum. Swim beach, marina and a 32-site campground.
Official info and current conditions →

Newton Reservoir

Free
Newton
Fees
Free: no fees for launching, primitive camping or picnicking (Bureau of Reclamation).
Boat ramp
Boat ramp and parking; facilities are primitive.
Season
Most use June through September.
Getting there
Just north of Newton in northwest Cache Valley. No on-site staff, so it's quieter than the state parks.
Official info and current conditions →

Porcupine Reservoir

No posted fee found
Paradise / Avon
Fees
No posted fee found; check with the Logan Ranger District.
Boat ramp
Small craft and kayaks; no official ramp details found.
Season
Summer. Utah DEQ monitors it for algae and E. coli, so check the advisory before swimming.
Getting there
About 4 miles east of Avon up the East Fork of the Little Bear River, on mountain roads.
Official info and current conditions →

Tony Grove Lake

Day-use fee
Logan Canyon
Fees
Forest Service day-use fee (listed at $15 a day or $30 a week); the America the Beautiful pass covers it.
Boat ramp
No ramp and no motors. Canoes, kayaks and fishing are fine.
Season
Road and day-use area roughly late June to early October. Wildflowers peak mid-July to mid-August.
Getting there
Up Logan Canyon on US-89, then the Tony Grove road to about 8,000 feet. Trailhead for Naomi Peak and White Pine Lake.
Official info and current conditions →

Cutler Reservoir

No posted fee found
West Cache Valley
Fees
No posted fee found. The reservoir is owned by PacifiCorp (Rocky Mountain Power), which manages public access.
Boat ramp
Benson and Canyon launches on the north end; Cutler Marsh launch on the south.
Season
Open-water season for canoeing, birding and warm-water fishing; hunting seasons in fall.
Getting there
Marshy shoreline, so shore fishing is limited. Great for paddling the marsh trails.
Official info and current conditions →

First Dam (Logan)

No posted fee found
Logan
Fees
No posted fee found.
Boat ramp
No ramp; hand-carried paddleboards and kayaks.
Season
Spring through fall.
Getting there
At the mouth of Logan Canyon, minutes from downtown, with lawns, picnic tables and the Logan River Trail.
Official info and current conditions →

Pineview Reservoir

Free & fee areas
Huntsville & Eden
Fees
Mixed. The developed Forest Service areas charge day-use (posted at about $23 at Anderson Cove and Middle Inlet; Cemetery Point about $18 to park or $8 walk-in), and interagency passes don't apply there. Some undeveloped shoreline is free.
Boat ramp
2026 heads-up: Pineview is being drawn down for Ogden City's pipeline project. The Anderson Cove ramp closed July 20, 2026, and the Port Ramp is closed through 2026; the work is expected to run into 2029.
Season
Managed season about May 1 to Sept. 20, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Getting there
Ogden Canyon (SR-39) or the North Ogden Divide into Ogden Valley.
Official info and current conditions →

Causey Reservoir

Free
Ogden Valley
Fees
Free (Forest Service, updated May 2026).
Boat ramp
Non-motorized only (kayaks, canoes, paddleboards). A new carry-in launch at the Skull Crack lot is under construction through 2027.
Season
Summer; check Forest Service alerts before driving up.
Getting there
About 15 miles northeast of Ogden off SR-39. Clear water, cliff-lined arms, kokanee and trout.
Official info and current conditions →

Willard Bay State Park

Day-use fee
Willard / Perry
Fees
Day-use about $25 per vehicle in the main season, $10 from Labor Day to Easter; covered by the Utah State Parks annual pass.
Boat ramp
Ramps at the North and South marinas. Fall 2026: the lake was at about half capacity and the ramps were listed closed in early October; check conditions.
Season
Open year-round, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Getting there
Off I-15 at exits 354 (South Marina) and 360 (North Marina). Big, warm-water lake with walleye, wipers and catfish.
Official info and current conditions →

Mantua Reservoir

No posted fee found
Mantua (near Brigham City)
Fees
No posted fee found.
Boat ramp
Public boat ramp; take care with larger boats.
Season
Summer. 2026 heads-up: Utah DEQ posted harmful algal bloom warnings all summer, with a do-not-swim advisory as of Oct. 1, 2026.
Getting there
Just off US-89 in Sardine Canyon above Brigham City.
Official info and current conditions →

Fort Buenaventura Park

Day-use fee
Ogden
Fees
Small entry fee per person and canoe rentals (Weber County Parks; check current rates).
Boat ramp
No ramp; a canoe pond with rentals.
Season
Spring through fall.
Getting there
1181 N Fairgrounds Dr in Ogden: a replica 1846 fort, fishing pond and disc golf.
Official info and current conditions →

Dreaming of a place close to the water? Ask Christina which towns put you 15 minutes from a launch ramp.

Christina Cacciacarne, real estate agent in Logan and northern Utah
Home value & questions

What's my home worth?

Online estimates miss what makes your home different. Tell me about it and I'll prepare a real market analysis based on recent sales near you, at no cost.