The Binocular Site
Jordanelle State Park, Utah
Jordanelle State Park opened only 13 years ago, in 1995. Here in the Wasatch Mountains, the park contains two different recreational sites - the Hailstone Recreation Site and the Rock Cliff Recreation Site.
A reservoir is found here, along with extensive wetlands on both sites. Each offer extensive campgrounds, along with pavilions, marinas, restaurants, and RV campsites. The Jordanelle Marina on the reservoir offers indoor boat storage and a launching ramp, making birding and fishing from boat easy and convenient. You can also rent boats or jet skis.
The wetlands within the park attract many shore and waterbirds including kingfishers, wrens, hawks, chickadees, robins, sparrows, herons, vireos, catbirds, American dippers, American redstarts, and willow flycatchers. Fishing and hiking are also enjoyed, with animal species including mule deer, moose, raccoons, beavers, muskrats, brown trout, smallmouth bass, and chubs.
The Rock Cliff Recreation Area offers a spectacular scenic display, with rich forests climbing the cliffs as they just right down into the water. Elevated boardwalks and trails give breathtaking views of the river.
Hailstone Recreation Area contains the park headquarters, and is focused on camping, with majestic mountain peaks and rolling hills providing an epic view that seems like paradise. See the Jordanelle State Park website for more information.
The state bird of Utah is the California Gull and you can find a birding checklist for Utah here.
Photo credit to dee.sims, used with permission under the creative commons license.
If you've visited Jordanelle State Park, please take the time to share your experience and any tips or insight you have about this Utah birding location below.
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Average User Rating
Of the two sites at Jordanelle, Rock Cliff is by far the best for wildlife viewing of any kind. The riparian wetlands flowing into the reservoir are often teeming with a number of bird species, including Osprey in the summer and Bald Eagles in the Winter.
It is a beautiful spot.
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