Life at Bear Lake
A year on the Caribbean of the Rockies.
Bear Lake is about 20 miles long and 8 miles wide, split between Idaho and Utah. Its turquoise color comes from calcium carbonate minerals suspended in the water, which reflect sunlight.
Beaches & boating
Utah's Bear Lake State Park has three areas: the Garden City Marina, Rendezvous Beach near Laketown, and the Eastside beaches along Cisco Road. In Idaho, North Beach has over a mile of sand, and East Beach has camping. The lake bottom slopes gradually, which creates a huge shallow swimming area.
Raspberries & Raspberry Days
The Bear Lake raspberry harvest usually starts around the third week of July and lasts 3–4 weeks. Garden City's Raspberry Days festival (2026: Aug 6–8, Heritage Park) has a parade, vendors, concerts, and the Laketown Rodeo.
Minnetonka Cave
Guided tours of this limestone cave in St. Charles Canyon (Caribou-Targhee National Forest) run in summer. Tickets are on Recreation.gov.
Wildlife refuge
The Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Paris, Idaho protects marsh, open water, and flooded meadows that host migratory birds.
Skiing at Beaver Mountain
Beaver Mountain, a family ski area in Logan Canyon, is about 13 miles from Garden City. It also offers hiking and biking in summer.
Bonneville cisco dipnetting
The Bonneville cisco is found only in Bear Lake. During its winter spawning run, Utah rules allow anglers to dipnet cisco with a handheld net (opening no larger than 18 inches), often through the ice. Check current DWR rules before you go.
Quiet seasons
Rendezvous Beach is generally open May 1 to late October. The Marina, First Point, and Cisco Beach stay open year-round, so the shoulder seasons offer quiet beaches and fall color in Logan Canyon.
Rendezvous Beach
Rendezvous Beach takes its name from the 1827 and 1828 fur-trapper rendezvous held at the south end of Bear Lake.
- Utah State Parks – Bear Lake State Park overview
- Utah State Parks – Bear Lake State Park facilities
- Utah State Parks – Bear Lake hours & amenities
- Idaho Parks & Recreation – Bear Lake State Park
- Town of Garden City – Raspberry Days
- Recreation.gov – Minnetonka Cave
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Bear Lake National Wildlife Refuge
- Beaver Mountain
- Utah DWR – Rule R657-13 (dipnetting Bonneville cisco)