Bonanza Flat boasts several lakes across more than 1,000 acres of open space. Nicknamed the “Heart of the Wasatch,” the land is nestled between upper Deer Valley, Big Cottonwood Canyon and Wasatch Mountain State Park.
Bloods Lake is by far the most popular destination in Bonanza Flat, according to data from Park City. Each summer thousands of visitors hike the three-mile trail to the water.
The Park City Chamber says on its website Bloods Lake is “perfect for swimming.”
Last year Brighton Resort posted an Instagram video of its sustainability coordinator swimming in Bloods Lake and encouraging viewers to do the same.
“Since Big Cottonwood Canyon is a watershed area, you can’t swim in any of the lakes, but Bloods Lake located close to Big Cottonwood Canyon you can swim in,” the resort’s sustainability coordinator says in the video.
There is no ban on swimming in Bonanza Flat. But Utah Open Lands Executive Director Wendy Fisher, whose work involves managing the conservation area, says there is one important detail to consider.
“Bloods Lake is actually the drinking water source for the Girl Scouts,” Fisher said. “If everybody can just stop and think about that for a minute, it’s the drinking water source for the Girl Scouts. Obviously we want that to be a protected source. That is why dogs have to be on a leash around Bloods Lake.”
Fisher encourages hikers to stay out of the water even though it is technically allowed.
“We don’t have a specific prohibition, that becomes something that’s incredibly hard to enforce,” she said. “If you want to be a steward of these amazing open spaces, really think about the best practices, and you probably don’t want somebody swimming in your drinking water.”
The Park City Council is considering adding paid parking in Bonanza Flat to better manage the area. A final decision isn’t expected until next summer.
