Due to low water levels, a popular state park in Wasatch County closed its boat ramps at its reservoir Thursday.
Deer Creek State Park near Midway, the seventh most-visited state park in Utah last year, is no longer allowing most boats on the lake. The main boat ramp is barricaded, and the ramp at the Island Resort area is open for people to use at their own risk.
“It's so shallow that if your boat is a larger craft, there is a possibility of the water going up past your truck doors if you're trying to launch it from there,” says Devan Chavez, a Utah State Parks spokesperson. “If you're trying to launch a smaller water craft like a small fishing boat or a paddleboard or something like that, you're good to go. But we wouldn't recommend any medium to large motorized launching from that ramp.”
Around the state, Chavez says the Utah Lake ramp also closed Thursday. At all Utah state parks, 16 out of 42 boat ramps are now closed.
In July, Deer Creek saw nearly 170,000 visitors, including mostly boaters and beachgoers. For comparison, the Jordanelle State Park on the other side of the Heber Valley brought in 215,000, and Bear Lake had a little under 180,000 the same month.
According to the Bureau of Reclamation’s measurement, the Deer Creek Reservoir was just below half full as of Tuesday.
Chavez recommends those wanting to take a boat out on the water at Deer Creek to visit the Jordanelle, Rockport or Canyon state parks instead.
Visit stateparks.utah.gov for more.
