Bear Lake State Park, Utah 9/12/09

Having arrived in the dark, it was nice to explore Willard Bay State Park this morning. We took a leisurely 5 mile bike ride around the park and discovered that the lake was fresh water. We assumed it was part of the Great Salt Lake, but it was a reservoir that drained into the Salt Lake. The campground was surprisingly lush, with some campsites located right on the water. We finally packed up and headed towards northern Utah at about 11ish. We took highway 89, also known as the Logan Canyon Scenic Drive. (Thanks Polly and Nancy for the book. It’s the first of many recommended scenic drives we will be taking). Even though we were only about 2 hours to the next destination, we took multiple stops along the way to investigate. The above picture is taken at the Bear Lake overlook. Bear Lake straddles both Utah and Idaho. We are camped at the southern tip on the Utah side at Rendezvous Campground. So named for the famous rendezvous of fur trappers and Indians held in the summers of 1827 & 1828. The gatherings were attended by a thousand or more Indians and mountain men, including Jedediah Smith. We spent the afternoon bike riding, playing games and making use of the new hammock. We connected with the fam at about 7ish. It was great seeing my big brother and Dru and especially fun catching up and retelling old stories. Tomorrow Wyoming