By Loni Stapley

HYRUM -- It is a beautiful day in late September. There is literally not a cloud in the sky and a hint of a breeze rustles the leaves of trees and bushes. It is unusually warm for this time of year, with a temperature of around 75 degrees. Rounding the bend on a quiet residential road, suddenly a lake appears before you.

It seems to come out of nowhere, nestled among trees. The water, a pale-bluish color, ripples slightly with the wind. The only noises you hear are the faint sounds of the motor from a boat, an occasional burst of laughter and the quiet sounds of water lapping underneath a canoe paddle. Looking out on the lake, you see a father out fishing with his two young sons, excited because they have caught a fish to take home to Mom. A water-skier glides through the water, appearing at times to be floating on air. You see the mountains in the distance, dotted with sporadic patches of red and yellow, a tell-tale sign that fall is on its way.

Hyrum has a secret. Well, sort of. The lake mentioned above is actually Hyrum Dam and is a part of Hyrum State Park. The park is a mere 15-minute drive from Logan, yet its existence is not widely known. Or in some cases, people simply don't realize it's an official state park.

Kevin Janes, a senior at Utah State University, is one person who wasn't aware of the dam's status as a state park. "No, Hyrum really has a state park? I have lived here for 23 years and have no knowledge of this," he said.

After finding out that it is in fact a state park, Janes changed his tune.

"What? Hyrum Dam is a state park. It's a good state park, too, and I have utilized the facilities a few times a year," he said.

The lake itself is officially named Hyrum Dam and Reservoir and spans across 450 acres. It was originally built in the 1930s and '40s to store run-off floods for irrigation use, and was repaired in 1976. Guests can go boating, swimming and water-skiing in the summer months or fishing year-round. The lake is full of yellow perch, rainbow trout, bluegill and largemouth bass. There are certain fishing regulations, however. Fishermen are limited to two bass and four trout per visit. There is an apparent overabundance of the other types of fish, with the limit on yellow perch being 20 and bluegill being a whopping 50.

Amanda Day, a junior at USU, took advantage of the reservoir this past summer. "We swam in the dam. We threw a Frisbee around. I loved it! Well, OK, I got heat stroke and was sicker than a dog, but otherwise I loved it," she said.

Jessica Van Tassell has somewhat of an idea about the park's existence. She is a junior at USU currently taking extension classes while living in Salt Lake.

"I think I knew that [Hyrum has a state park] from all of my random trips I wanted to go on but never went on while at USU. Does it have a lake? It sounds so familiar but I'm not sure I have ever been there per se," she said.

Van Tassell recognizes the appeal of having a large lake so close to a university.

"I think it has a lake that you can go boating on, which if so is nice because there aren't many boating areas around Logan," she said. "There are day parks where you can throw Frisbees and have lunch, but no places with water."

Knowing about the Park may prove beneficial for some USU students who are looking for more to do with their free time.

USU student Darren Thompson likes to do all kinds of outdoor activities, including rock climbing, snowboarding, hiking and fishing. "I always wish for more options of things to do," he said.

Skipper Call, a USU junior, agrees. "I like to play outside, but it gets pretty cold for half the year, so yeah, I wish there was more," she said.

Erin Bagley, also a junior at USU, loves outdoor activities as well and seemed pretty excited about the park.

"I had no idea," she said. "I have never been. I would definitely consider going."

Even people outside of Logan who aren't students at USU are interested in seeing what Hyrum State Park is like.

"No I didn't know that Hyrum had a state park," said Tyler Stapley, a resident of Salt Lake. "I guess now that I know it would be kind of cool to go and find out what it's like."

Hyrum State Park offers boating, year-round fishing, water-skiing, swimming and camping. Camping fees are $14 and day-use fees are $5. The park is open all year and has picnicking, drinking water, modern restrooms and showers. It is located at 405 W. 300 South in Hyrum. For more information, call (435) 245-6866.

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