Rich County was believed to have first been visited by European descendent explorers in 1811, when trapper Joseph Miller discovered the Bear River. In 1827, the first annual rendezvous of trappers occurred on the south shore of Bear Lake, a tradition which is still marked today. The site is also preserved as part of Bear Lake State Park. The first settlement within the county's present boundary was Round Valley in 1863; located southwest of Laketown (settled 1864), it is now a ghost town. Randolph was settled in 1870. Originally created as Richland County in 1864, the name was shortened to Rich in 1868 by the 17th Utah Territorial Legislature.
Bear Lake was formed 28,000 years ago by earthquake activity. At an elevation of 5,923 feet, Bear Lake is 20 miles long and eight miles wide, 208 feet deep, and covers 112 square miles.
Originally Bear Lake was called Black Bear Lake by Donald Mackenzie, explorer for the North West Fur Company who discovered it in 1819 while scouting for fur-bearing animals. The name was later changed to Bear Lake.
WHY IS IT SO BLUE? Its beautiful and unique green-blue color is the result of calcium carbonates suspended in the lake.
Bear Lake State Park – Rendezvous Beach is named for the famous rendezvous of fur trappers and Indians held in the summers of 1827 and 1828. A thousand or more Native Americans and mountain men – including Jedediah Smith – attended the gatherings. There were so many campfires at the south end of the lake at these trading sessions that one observer called the area “a lighted city.”
East Side areas of Cisco Beach, South Eden, North Eden, Rainbow Cove and First Point: These improved, but primitive areas are located on the east side of the lake and are four to twelve miles north of Laketown. The terrain is rocky and the water depth drops off quickly to 208 feet.
Cisco Beach is famous for its midwinter fishing with dip nets for the small, seven-inch Bonneville Cisco, a member of the white fish family. For 10 days to two weeks at the end of every January, swarms of Cisco come close to the rocky shore to spawn. They are easily scooped up by hardy fishermen wading waist-deep in the icy water or through holes in the ice if the lake is frozen.
Cisco Beach is also known for excellent inland water scuba diving opportunities. The rocky bottom and the steep drop-off close to shore make this location a favorite of divers from the tri-state area.
Source: Utah State Parks. (n.d.). Retrieved August 16, 2016, from http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/bear-lake/discover/
Please Note
- All applicable state park fees and rules apply.
- A State Park fee is required to access this cache.
- This cache is available only during park operating hours (listed above).
- Learn about State Park Passes
Please Note
- All applicable state park fees and rules apply.
- A State Park fee is required to access this cache.
- This cache is available only during park operating hours (listed above).
- Learn about State Park Passes