Strawberry Reservoir

Strawberry Reservoir is a large reservoir in Wasatch County, above Heber City. It features excellent fishing as well as some nice views. There are several camp grounds, as well as a lodge. We’ve only ever driven past it before on our way out to Vernal. So when my brother invited us to join him on his boat I thought it would be a fun little daytrip. Looking back, I think it is just a smidge further than I would like for a day trip. Even though I am sure we have done further haha. If we go again, I think we might camp.

Scenic Drive Details

Length: About 22 miles from Heber. Double it for out and back.
Time Needed: About an hour and a half, (one way) plus whatever you do at the reservoir.
Road Conditions: Highway, mostly double lanes.
Summit: 8020 Feet.
Restrooms: There is at least one picnic area along the way that I believe has some.
Interesting Things:  Whiskey Springs sounds interesting, but we have yet to stop there.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

Make your way to Heber City, Via whichever route works best for you. I70, I80, or Provo Canyon. From Heber take HW40 for about 22 miles. After you pass the summit, look for the turn off on the right. Take the right onto FR131/Strawberry rd. 3.8 miles latter turn left onto FR452/Strawberry Bay Rd. Continue another 2.4 miles.

The Drive:

Due to circumstances, it ended up being the best route for us to take 189 up Provo Canyon.

Lehi Roller Mills (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP). You may recognize this from Footloose.

Heading into Provo Canyon (PSP).

Bridal Veil Falls (PSP).

The tunnel (PSP).

I usually turn left towards Sundance right after the tunnel. Today is the first time I have been higher up in Provo Canyon.

Deer Creek Reservoir (PSP). First time seeing it from this angle. We have only seen it from near Cascade Springs.

Heading up what I assume is Daniels Canyon (PSP). I am assuming that because that is what the creek is called.

It sure is a pretty canyon (PSP).

The summit (PSP). Certainly not the highest mountain pass we have crossed.

Heading down (PSP) You don’t go down for very long.

Strawberry Reservoir, well, a small arm of it (PSP).

The marina.

Strawberry Reservoir.

The winds were a little high so we thought maybe if we start with lunch they will die down some. The Lodge has a little café that is pretty good actually. Here is the view from the balcony.

The Reservoir:

Leaving the marina.

The reservoir was a bit choppy at the moment.

So when my brother wanted to shift a bit more weight to the front I was happy to volunteer to go below deck haha. I uhm.. don’t do too well in open water. His little boat has a pretty neat little living quarters that seems bigger on the inside than it does from the outside.

My brother wanted to show us this little canyon that he said was a pretty ride. I later learned they refer to these little canyons as the narrows. And that it connects to Soldier Creek Reservoir.

Island Mountain.

Grebe.

Island Mountain.

I was a lot more comfortable in the narrows. for 1 the waters were a lot more calm. For 2, if anything happened, I feel like I could reach shore. However, at the time I did not know that was an island, so I would hope I chose wisely.

Heading in.

It is pretty in here.

More grebes.

Canyons galore.

Super pretty.

Loads and loads of trees.

More of the narrows.

More trees.

More grebes.

More of the narrows.

Little island.

The moon above the trees.

We made it to our intended destination, Soldier Creek Reservoir.  My brother said this is the furthest he has gone with the boat and decided to let the engines cool some, so we were adrift for the moment. Just when I was starting to feel a bit more relaxed… haha.

Mountains and moon.

Soldier Creek Reservoir. This is the short section, if we had floated out a little bit more there would be a lot more to it to the left. My brother was for the most part indulging the fact that I am a land loving person, and not subjecting me to too much open water.

Little to the left.

The reservoir.

We saw a few hawks, and a couple of really big birds that we thought might be eagles, of course all at quite the distance, and I didn’t bring my telephoto lens. However, zooming in on this photo, I am thinking we saw a couple great blue herons, or possibly pelicans.

I don’t think I could live in a house on a cliff over a reservoir (or the ocean).

Northish again.

Heading back.

At some point my brother said to me, it’s a little more leisurely than a hike. While I certainly agree, I did counter with: but you don’t really get any exercise.

It really is pretty though.

The little island again.

Little side canyon.

I thiiiink this one is Broad Hollow.

Another unnamed one.

Trees.

Our wake.

More trees.

Back to Strawberry Reservoir and open water. Oi. Actually the winds have died down quite a bit so it was not as rough of a ride back in. I told my brother I might go back below deck, but in the end I didn’t cause it wasn’t too bad.

Back to the marina.

I totally booked it back to land and preceded to plop down on it. I enjoyed our little excursion today, honestly I did, but I was so happy to be back on dry land. I don’t think I need to be out on open water ever again.

The reservoir again.

With the moon.

The Drive Back:

The reservoir (PSP).

Neat cliffs (PSP).

Heading back down the canyon (PSP).

The back side on Mount Timpanogos (PSP).

Deer Creek Reservoir again (PSP).

Well, like I said, that was a bit longer of a drive than I would like for a day trip. I am terrified of open water, but ultimately, I enjoyed our little adventure today. Probably more due to having some family time, and getting my mom out in nature for the first time in over a year. She is a big nature lover, so being holed up in her house for so long really took a toll on her. 8 out of 10 squirrels today.

As for difficulty, well, there wasn’t any difficulty today aside from working up the courage to getting on a boat.

Dogs are allowed, but I did not know how warm it would be up here, and of course, I don’t know how happy they would have been on a boat.