Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Visiting northern Utah in September

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Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 02-09-2006, 10:42 AM:

My parents have gotten a condo in Northern Utah (Bear Lake area) in September. Myself and soon to be wife #1 are going with them. Anybody have any suggestions about sites to see, things to do, ect.? Thanks, Matt.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-09-2006, 10:55 PM:

Sure, I go through there all the time, drove through there this past Tuesday! The fastest way there from Salt Lake International is to take Route 80 east from the Airport to Evanston, WY and then head north to Garden City and Bear Lake, about a 3 hour drive. Going north on I-15 then over through Logan Canyon takes over 4 hours!

For a scenic area tour head west on route 89 into the Wasatch Cache National Forest and Logan Canyon, continue to the town of Logan if you want to get back to civilazation. Logan is the largest town near Bear Lake, check out the Blue Bird Dining Room a 100 year old Dinning Room that is still 100% original including the soda fountain, When I servcie theatres in Logan I usually eat there at least once.. Also Logan canyon is a beautiful area and 89 is always open unless the weather gets really poor, there may be good X-country skiing there and there is always excellent snowshoing available in the canyons. Aside from the canyon road area in the Winter there is little to do unless you are into snownmobiling. There is no really good downhill skiing in this area as far as I know. Bear Lake (208 feet deep) is really more of a summer recreation area with boating, jet-ski, and other water related activities... in winter the place pretty much closes up. There will be few amenities available and no home made Peach or raspberry Shakes or home made pie [Frown]

... All the good stuff is strictly summer stuff around there. Bear Lake is a real retirement area with little to offer except for alot of really nice folks and alot of restful time. The areas around it are all farming of one sort or another. Some of the farms have become "hobby Farms" for some retirees.

Other things you could do....

Visit Preston, ID(North Of Logan) where Napolean Dynamite was filmed... visit the D.I. Store where he bought his suit and check out the Worm Creek Cinema which doubled for the High School Auditorium in the film. Its a really small but unique town. There are a couple of antique stores there.

You could go to Jackson, Wyoming. About a 2.5 hour scenic drive in good weather from Bear Lake. Check local conditions there before heading all the way up there as weather can change in an instant. When I was there a few weeks ago you couldn't see the Tetons at all due to low cloud cover and this is common in Winter. The road north from Jackson to Yellowstone and past the Tetons was also sheet ice [Eek!]

. Just barely out of Jackson is the Nationan Elk Refuge which is very worthwhile to see. You and your honey can take a guided sleigh ride amongst the elk heards. Also a neat thing to do is to take a dog sled ride. Several outfits that do this are available around Jackson. Inquire at the local visitors center. Great skiing is also available in Jackson and there are alot of really neat stores and restaurants (Don't eat at Bubba's Bar-Ba-Cue!). Be careful and note that Wyoming actually plows theor highways wider than the actual road is. If you pull off you may really be off till a tow truck or kind sole arrives to pyll you out! Drive carefully up there and don't speed! There is alot to see and the cops will nab yas! There are alot of other areas to visit but all of them are hours from Bear Lake....

Your folks must mean to seriously retire!

Mark

Blue Bird's Soda Fountain

Posted by Matt Fields (Member # 3211) on 02-10-2006, 12:08 AM:

Mark-

Thanks for the advice.

They just got a time share for a week...we orginally tried to get something further north but all of the available places in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming were taken, so we ended up in Bear Lake.

Were going the third week in September, which is the slowest week of the year at my theatre because of the county Apple Festival.

Basically, my parents travel alot so they don't care where they go, they are always up for something new. I just want to go out to the mountains. I've only been out west once, to Northern Arizona and really enjoyed it. I've wanted to go back West since.

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 02-10-2006, 04:01 AM:

..could come over this way and head up to McCall - north of Boise about 100miles....if you like mountain locations...

but still, that is pretty country by Bear Lake...been there a few times, many moons ago. I'm originally from that eastern part of the State of Idaho. -Monte

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 02-10-2006, 07:52 AM:

Ahhhhh. Then your closest place to do much would be Jackson, WY. Its the closest to where you'll be at so you ought to plan on spending a couple of days there. The scenery in late September around the Tetons is Breathtaking!