Category: Swim

Kayak the Mighty Provo River

Last Saturday, Mountain Dad and I attempted to introduce our tots to the wonderful world of white water. Mountain Dad was a river guide during his college days and since then we have acquired several inflatable kayaks in order to explore rivers in our area. Continue reading “Kayak the Mighty Provo River”

Tony Grove Lake, Logan Canyon, National Scenic Byway, Utah

What made our trip to Logan Canyon, Utah so amazing was spending the day at Tony Grove Lake. 

Wildflowers ranging from cerulean to coral festooned the area. Little g and I meandered around the self guided nature trail and through some tall pine forest for a little over a half mile, enjoying the many colors all around us.

 Buzzing bees and hummingbirds whizzed around, and the high mountain temperatures were perfect for a summer day. 

Tony Grove Lake itself is calm and beautiful, surrounded by grand cliffs and tall trees. 


 This high altitude lake is located over 8,000 feet and is fed by snow runoff, making it cold. But Big E and his cousins didn’t seem to mind the chill, spending hours splashing, swimming and floating. We brought an inflatable kayak and loved the freedom of gliding across the water.

If you’re planning a trip to this area, be aware there is a parking fee for Tony Grove Lake. The parking lot is located at the end of a winding seven mile paved road, three quarters of the way up Logan Canyon. It was a great place to explore and the scenery was breathtaking.

Rating: 5 stars during wildflower season (June/July)
Length: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Tips: Expect to walk at a toddler’s pace unless you have the strength to wrestle a screaming, uncooperative almost two-year-old into a pack and then listen to her cry all the way along the trail.

Canoeing the Provo River with CLAS Ropes Course

I’ve never been great at paddle sports. Several years ago Mountain Dad, who guided rafts down the American River in northern California during college summers, took me down the American on an inflatable kayak. The trip ended in exhaustion and tears, and since then, I’ve been wary of floating down a river on a boat of any sort.
However.
The opportunity to canoe on a very calm section of the Provo River came up this past week and I decided it was time to challenge my river fears. A canoe is more stable than a one man kayak, can seat the whole family and seemed like a good adventure. Plus I want my tots to be comfortable near water, especially since Mountain Dad loves it so much.
We visited CLAS Ropes Course, near Utah Lake in Provo, Utah. Although the main attractions at CLAS Ropes Course are the zip line, giant swing and rock wall, they also have a great boat dock right on the Provo river. For under fifteen dollars, you can take a canoe out for a two hour rental, life jackets and paddles included.
Big E was ready to go before we even got the boat to the water, but little g cried  when I tried to get her inside. It was only after she saw ducks floating along the river that she decided the canoe was a great idea.
The placid water was relaxing and beautiful, and the ducks and what I assume was a muskrat or funny looking river otter provided great entertainment. Mountain Dad and I manned the paddles, although Big E tried it out too. It was a fun outing for the whole family, and was the perfect end to a summer day.