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The Local

State park Hyrum

Hyrum's signature stretch of water

Hyrum State Park and its reservoir.

On the south edge of town sits a 265 acre park wrapped around a 450 acre reservoir, and it is the reason a lot of people in the south end of Cache Valley learned to fish, ski and swim. The dam went in for irrigation back in 1935 and the state park opened in 1959, so this water has been part of Hyrum for generations. Here is what you can catch, where to launch, how camping works, and the one honest catch about a reservoir that doubles as a farm water bank.

On this page The short answer Fishing On the water Camping Water levels Getting there FAQ
By Scott Buehler, Moving Utah Updated August 2026

The short answer

Hyrum State Park is a 265 acre park built around a 450 acre reservoir on the south side of Hyrum, about 20 minutes from Logan. It is a full water park in the plain sense of the word: perch, catfish, trout, bass and bluegill to fish for, a swim beach, a boat ramp with room to water ski, and a developed campground of 32 sites plus two cabins. Day use runs about 15 dollars on a weekday and 20 on weekends as of 2026. The one thing to know before you tow a boat up is that the reservoir is an irrigation supply first, so the water level drops through the summer and can sit low in a dry year. Check the current level, then go.

Where 405 West 300 South, Hyrum, on the south edge of town
From central Hyrum A few minutes south to the entrance; about 20 minutes from Logan
Season Open year round; camping runs roughly April through October
Cost Day use about 15 dollars weekday, 20 weekends; camping extra
Time needed An easy half day; a full day or overnight with a boat or a camp

Fishing, the thing Hyrum is best known for

Boat or bank Year round Perch water

If Hyrum Reservoir has a reputation, it is as a fishing lake, and specifically a perch lake. The water holds yellow perch, channel catfish, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill, and the Division of Wildlife Resources added wiper, a hard fighting hybrid, in recent years. That mix means there is something to chase in every season and at every skill level, from a kid with a worm off the bank to a boat trolling for trout.

Perch are the draw for a lot of regulars. Hyrum has long been one of the more reliable perch waters in northern Utah, and they school, so a slow morning can turn into a full bucket when you find them. People fish here from a boat, from a float tube and from the shoreline near the day-use area, and the fish cleaning station at the main entrance tells you how seriously the park takes the anglers who show up.

What is in the water

Yellow perch and channel catfish are the two most associated with Hyrum, but the rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill round it out, and the wiper are the newer wildcard. Limits and any special rules change, so read the current Utah fishing guidebook before you keep anything, and a license is required for anyone 12 and older.

The details

WhereHyrum Reservoir, 405 West 300 South, Hyrum
From central HyrumA few minutes south to the ramp and the shoreline
SeasonYear round, boat and bank in summer, through the ice in winter
CostDay-use entry plus a Utah fishing license
Time neededA morning to a full day on the water

Before you go

  • Perch move in schools, so if the first spot is slow, keep moving until you find them.
  • A license is required for anyone 12 and older; buy it ahead through the Utah DWR.
  • There is a fish cleaning station at the main entrance, so plan to use it rather than the campsite.
  • For the canyon streams east of town, see Blacksmith Fork Canyon.

On the water, the beach, the ramp and the ski runs

Swim beach and boat ramp Summer Water sports

Fishing is only half of what Hyrum does. In summer it is the south valley's swimming and boating lake, with a designated swim beach, day-use parking near the sand, and a boat ramp at the main entrance. The reservoir is open and generally calm, which makes it a workable place to learn to water ski or wakeboard as well as to cruise, paddle or float. On a hot Saturday it fills up; on a weekday morning you can have long stretches of quiet water.

The beach and the shore

The swim beach is the family center of gravity in July and August, and a short nature walk of about half a mile runs along the shore between the beach and the campground, so you can leave the sand and stretch your legs without getting in a car. There are no lifeguards, so swimming is at your own risk, and the beach shrinks in a low water year, which is worth expecting rather than being surprised by.

The details

WhereSwim beach and boat ramp at the main entrance, 405 West 300 South
From central HyrumA few minutes south; parking sits near the beach and the ramp
SeasonBest late spring through early fall for swimming and skiing
CostDay-use entry; no charge for the beach beyond that
Time neededA few hours to a full beach or boat day

Before you go

  • There are no lifeguards; keep an eye on your own group, especially with children.
  • Clean, drain and dry your boat to meet Utah's rules on aquatic invasive species.
  • Weekday mornings are the calm window; hot summer weekends are the crowd.
  • In a dry year the beach and ramp both shorten as the level drops, so check ahead.

Camping, 32 sites a short walk from the beach

Developed campground Roughly April to October Reservable

The developed campground has 32 sites, two cabins and one large group area, set a short walk from the beach and the boat ramp, which is the whole appeal: you can camp, fish and swim without moving the car. It is a modest, well kept campground rather than a sprawling resort, and that suits it. The reservation season runs roughly April through October, and summer weekends book out well ahead, so plan early if you want a July night on the water.

How to book

Sites and the cabins go through the Utah State Parks reservation system, and the group area is a single larger booking for a bigger party. Fees for camping are separate from the day-use entry, and they change from year to year, so confirm the current rate when you reserve. Off season the campground is quieter and some sites can stay open, but availability is worth checking before you drive up.

The details

WhereCampground inside the park, a short walk from the beach and ramp
From central HyrumA few minutes south to the park entrance
SeasonReservations run roughly April through October
CostA per night camping fee on top of day use; confirm current rates
Time neededAn overnight or a weekend; book summer sites early

A farm reservoir first, and what that means for you

Bureau of Reclamation dam Built 1935 Irrigation supply

The reason the water level moves so much is that Hyrum Reservoir was never built for recreation. It is a working irrigation reservoir. The Bureau of Reclamation finished the dam in April 1935 to bank water for Cache Valley farms, and before that, settlers had dug a nine mile canal from the Little Bear River to water their crops. The state park did not come along until 1959, once the reservoir was already part of daily life at the south end of the valley.

What that history means in practice is simple. The reservoir fills through spring runoff and is drawn down through the growing season to deliver irrigation water, so it is usually fullest in late spring and lowest in late summer, and a dry year can leave it well down by August. That is normal, not a sign anything is wrong, but it does change the beach, the ramp and the boating from one month to the next.

The details

WhereHyrum Reservoir, held by a Bureau of Reclamation dam south of town
From central HyrumThe water sits right against the south side of town
SeasonFullest in late spring; drawn down through late summer
CostFree to know; it shapes when a boating trip is worth it
Time neededA two minute level check before you tow a boat up

Check the water level before you plan a boating or beach trip. Because Hyrum is an irrigation reservoir, the level rises and falls with the water year, and in a dry summer it can drop far enough to shorten the beach and leave the boat ramp sitting above the shoreline. That does not affect fishing much, and it is not a hazard, but it can turn a planned ski day into a wade. Look up the current storage level ahead of time, and treat late summer in a dry year as the time to confirm before you tow a boat up. Checked August 2026.

Winter, ice fishing when the reservoir caps

Ice fishing Deep winter Perch under the ice

Hyrum does not close for the season. Once the reservoir caps with safe ice, usually in the heart of winter, it becomes a traditional ice fishing spot, and perch are again the main quarry, with trout and bluegill in the mix. On a cold, clear January day you will see clusters of shelters and augers out on the ice, and the park stays open for fishing, a walk along the shore and the plain quiet of a frozen valley reservoir.

The details

WhereOut on the reservoir once it is fully iced, from the day-use side
From central HyrumA few minutes south, the same entrance as summer
SeasonMid winter, only once ice is thick enough to be safe
CostDay-use entry plus a Utah fishing license
Time neededA morning on the ice, dressed for real cold

Before you go

  • Ice is never guaranteed and thickness varies across the reservoir; check local conditions and never trust early or late season ice.
  • Dress for a valley floor that gets bitterly cold once the wind picks up.
  • The same license rules apply in winter as in summer.
  • For more of the town year round, see things to do in Hyrum.

Season by season

Summer and winter, two very different parks.

Hyrum is a year round park, but it is really two parks in one. In summer it is a beach and boating lake with fishing on the side; in the dead of winter it is a sheet of ice with anglers scattered across it. Knowing which one you are driving to sets the whole trip.

What to compare Summer at Hyrum Winter at Hyrum
What you doSwim, boat, water ski and fish from a boat or the bankIce fish, walk the shore and take in the frozen valley
The waterOpen, fullest in late spring, drawn down by late summerCapped with ice once it is cold enough to be safe
The fishPerch, catfish, trout, bass and bluegillPerch, with trout and bluegill through the ice
CampingReservable, and summer weekends book up earlyQuieter, with limited off season availability
CrowdsBusy on hot weekends, calm on weekday morningsSparse, dressed for real cold
Watch forA low water year shortening the beach and rampIce that is never guaranteed and varies across the lake

If you want a beach day

Come on a weekday morning in July or August, and check the water level first if it has been a dry year, so the beach and ramp are still in reach.

If you came to fish

Hyrum fishes all year. Chase perch from a boat in summer or through the ice in winter, and read the current guidebook for limits before you keep any.

If you want to camp

Book a summer site well ahead through Utah State Parks. The campground sits a short walk from the beach, so you can fish and swim without moving the car.

Getting there

Fees, the drive, and planning your visit.

The park is easy to reach on the south side of Hyrum, and the only real planning is the day-use fee, the season you are coming for, and whether the reservoir is holding water. Here is the practical layer.

Where405 West 300 South, Hyrum, on the south edge of town
From central HyrumA few minutes south; about 20 minutes from downtown Logan
SeasonOpen year round; camping runs roughly April through October
CostDay use about 15 dollars weekday, 20 weekends and holidays
Time neededA half day to a full day, more with a camp or a boat

Fees and passes

As of 2026 day use runs about 15 dollars per vehicle on a weekday and 20 on weekends and holidays, for up to eight people, with roughly 2 dollars more per person beyond eight. A Utah State Parks annual pass covers day use across the whole system and pays off fast if you visit often. Camping and fishing licenses are separate, and fees change, so confirm the current rate at stateparks.utah.gov before you go.

Coming from out of town

The valley sits off the interstate grid, so the drive in runs US-89 and US-91 across Sardine Canyon from Brigham City, then curls south through Wellsville and into Hyrum, roughly ninety minutes out of Salt Lake City. Once the reservoir has had its day, the park pairs well with a run up Blacksmith Fork Canyon on the east edge of town, or a scoop at the Aggie Creamery and an afternoon in Logan.

Keep reading

More of Hyrum and the valley around it.

The rest of town

Things to Do in Hyrum

The parks, the museum, the canyon and the everyday stops, beyond the reservoir itself.

Read the guide

Just east of town

Blacksmith Fork Canyon

The drive up the canyon, the river fishing, and the run to Hardware Ranch and its elk.

Read the guide

Thinking of a move

Living in Hyrum

What it is like to live at the south end of Cache Valley, the trade offs and the everyday rhythm.

Read the guide

Up the valley

Top 15 Things to Do in Logan

The neighboring city's fifteen best, ranked, twenty minutes up the highway from the reservoir.

Read the guide

The whole region

Cache Valley on The Local

The valley end to end, its high canyons, its lake and the farm towns below.

Open the region

The city guide

Hyrum homes and neighborhoods

Home prices, the different pockets of town and the school picture, if Hyrum is on your list.

Open the city guide

Quick answers

Hyrum State Park, answered.

On the south edge of Hyrum, at the southern end of Cache Valley, about 20 minutes from downtown Logan. The main day-use entrance and mailing address is 405 West 300 South, and the reservoir sits right against town, so you are on the water within a few minutes of central Hyrum. From the Wasatch Front the way in is US-89 and US-91 over Sardine Canyon from Brigham City, then south through Wellsville and Hyrum.

As of 2026 day use is about 15 dollars per vehicle on a weekday and 20 dollars on weekends and holidays, for up to eight people, with roughly 2 dollars more per person beyond eight. A Utah State Parks annual pass covers day use across the system. Camping is a separate fee. Fees do change, so confirm the current rate at stateparks.utah.gov before you go.

Yellow perch, channel catfish, rainbow trout, largemouth bass and bluegill, with wiper added by the Division of Wildlife Resources in recent years. Hyrum has long been one of the better perch waters in northern Utah, and people fish it year round, from a boat or the bank in the warm months and through the ice in winter. Check the current Utah fishing guidebook for limits before you cast.

Yes. The developed campground has 32 sites, two cabins and one large group area, a short walk from the beach and the boat ramp. Reservations run roughly April through October and go through the Utah State Parks system, and summer weekends book up early. Off season the campground is quieter and some sites stay open, but confirm what is available before you drive up.

Yes to all three. There is a designated swim beach with day-use parking near it, a boat ramp and a fish cleaning station at the main entrance, and the reservoir is big enough and calm enough for water skiing and towing. It is a popular summer water spot for the whole south end of the valley, so expect company on a hot weekend and quiet water on a weekday morning.

Because it is a working irrigation reservoir first and a recreation lake second. The Bureau of Reclamation built the dam, finished in April 1935, to store water for Cache Valley farms, and it is drawn down through the growing season to deliver that water. In a dry year it can drop well below full by late summer, which shortens the beach and can leave the boat ramp high, so it is worth checking the current level before a boating trip.

Yes, once it caps with safe ice, usually in the heart of winter. Hyrum is a traditional ice fishing spot for perch, and anglers also pull trout and bluegill through the ice. Ice is never guaranteed and thickness varies across the reservoir, so check conditions locally and never trust early or late season ice. The park stays open in winter for fishing, walking and the view.

The reservoir came first, behind a dam the Bureau of Reclamation completed in April 1935. Hyrum State Park opened in 1959 as one of the first state parks in Utah, so it has served Cache Valley for more than 65 years. Before the dam, settlers had dug a nine mile canal from the Little Bear River to water their crops, which is the reason the reservoir exists at all.

A short nature walk runs along the shore between the day-use beach and the campground, and the reservoir is a good base for a wider Cache Valley day. Blacksmith Fork Canyon opens just east of town for driving, fishing and a run up to Hardware Ranch, and Logan and Utah State University are 20 minutes north. See the things to do in Hyrum page for the rest of the town.

Scott Buehler, Moving Utah

A lake on the edge of town, and a place worth settling into.

A reservoir you can fish, swim and camp beside is a real draw, and for a lot of people it is the reason Hyrum lands on the list at all. What it cannot tell you is whether the town itself fits your life. That comes down to what homes cost on the south end of the valley, which streets sit closest to the water and the canyon, and how the school lines fall. Tell me what you are weighing, and I will connect you with a Cache County partner agent who knows Hyrum well, then stay involved on the research and the financing.

Explore Hyrum Talk to Scott

Referral disclosure. Outside Southern Utah, I connect home sellers and buyers with partner agents I trust in their area. If you choose to work with an agent I refer, that agent's brokerage pays my brokerage (Real Broker, LLC) a referral fee. The fee comes out of the agent's compensation; it is not an added cost to you. You are always free to choose any agent you wish, and using a referred agent is never required.