Jordanelle State Park’s Ross Creek entrance gets gated

Ross Creek entrance to Jordanelle Reservoir's State Park will have a new gate to access it's new features. Photo: Michele Roepke // TownLift

PARK CITY, Utah — Jordanelle Reservoir State Park’s  Ross Creek entrance is opening, or reopening as the case may be, with a new paid access booth visitors can enjoy the updated recreation area.

There are three entrances:

1. Ross Creek in between Park City and Kamas
2. Hailstone in between Park City and Heber
3. Rock Cliff in between Heber and Francis

A soft opening occurred on Saturday at which Jason Whittaker, Jordanelle State Park Manager whose been there for 10 years told TownLift, “It was a success with many excited people enjoying the trails, beaches and water.”

Initially,  grand opening dates were earmarked for Memorial day Weekend, however the record breaking snowfall left unmanageable piles of snow on site. Whittaker said that their attempts to clear snow to allow for efficient construction wasn’t feasible. At some point in the spring, they realized it was a loosing battle logistically and financially to keep “pushing piles around” and simply decided to stop and wait for it all to melt naturally.

A grand opening is now scheduled for Labor Day Weekend.

The aforementioned snow, while a bust for land projects, has been a boon for water levels. Currently at 91% full, last August Jordanelle was at 61% by comparison. This season saw Jordanelle top off at 102%. Standard operating spillover procedures kick in at 104% Whittaker said.

Contrary to popular belief, reservoir runoff doesn’t come as much from adjacent Deer Valley or even Park City Mountain, but mostly from the Trial Lake area up the Mirror Lake Highway.

This expansion was always a part of the Master Plan.

New features at Ross Creek includes 11 new smaller cabanas under which families can find shade, as well as 12 new traditional cabanas not unlike the existing ones around the lake. Four are ADA accessible. The smaller ones are the first of their kind within the Utah State Park system.

Also, included are paved parking lots and updated launch locations for non-motorized water craft.

The Ross Creek pay booth location will chargeRoss Creek booth will be $15 per car and $10 for seniors. Hailstone is $20. Whittaker suggested that, “Purchaseing an annual pass online is the most affordable way to access the year-round State Park.”

“Dogs are welcome and are allowed off leash at Ross Creek when actively swimming, otherwise, they are required to be leashed,” Whittaker said.