Friday, July 6, 2012

Splish Splash! Three Fun Places To Get Wet In Cache Valley

Note: The water activities in this post can be added to the factory tours in my earlier post and the animal-related activities in an upcoming post for a day full of fun things to do with young kids in Logan and Cache Valley. Whether you live in Logan or you're visiting on a vacation or day trip, you can make a fun day of activities that please kids and/or adults. A later post will also cover some kid-friendly parks and eating options in the valley.


Note #2: The Logan area also has a splash pad. Read details here: First Splash Pad In Cache Valley - Alma Leonhardt Park, Providence, Utah


Get Wet!

July's hot summer days call for some cool and refreshing water activities, and Cache Valley delivers. From all-out swimming to simple wading, there are some great places to get wet in Logan and the surrounding communities. I picked a few favorites to showcase today: Hyrum State Park, Merlin Olsen Central Park, and the Logan Aquatic Center. I also have a couple of rainy-day options at the end of the post, for those days when the weather just isn't cooperating. Be sure to comment on this post if you have suggestions of other great swimming/wading places in Cache Valley.

Beach area at Hyrum Dam / Hyrum State Park - Hyrum, Utah


Hyrum State Park


Popularly known as Hyrum Dam, Hyrum State Park is located about 10 miles south of Logan and includes a reservoir, beach area, and campground. The lake is appropriate for fishing, water-skiing, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. Rocky outcroppings around the shore allow for cliff-jumping (with proper precautions). A nice, sandy/pebbly beach area is a good place for picnics, relaxation, and suntanning. On a recent day I noticed USU's Outdoor Recreation Programs (ORP) had a rental booth near the beach for kayaks, canoes, and other water equipment. Call the ORP at 435-797-3264 for details on rentals at the lake.

Hyrum State Park

405 West 300 South, Hyrum, Utah 84319
435-245-6866 - main park number
801-322-3770 - camping reservations
800-322-3770 - toll-free camping reservations


Day Use Hours: Summer: 6am-10pm; Winter: 8am-5pm; Holiday Closures: Thanksgiving, Christmas
Day Use Fees: For improved areas, $6 per car for up to 8 people, walk-in fee $3 per person. Unimproved areas of the shoreline can be accessed for free. Visit website for camping fees.
Website:  http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/hyrum
FYI: Concessions and restrooms available






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Merlin Olsen Central Park

Merlin Olsen Central Park, located on the edge of downtown Logan, is one of the area's oldest parks, having existed in some form since shortly after Logan was settled in 1859. Merlin Olsen Park hosts the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market on Saturdays throughout the summer. A shallow canal runs east to west across the park and provides a fun and safe place for kids and adults to wade and splash in the water. The water could be described as refreshing, bracing, or frigid, depending on the time of year and your tolerance for cold water! The temperature didn't stop these kids, observed on a recent visit. The water is shallow enough for children from about 2.5 years on up to wade safely with a parent. The playground is directly south of the canal, making this a fun, free place to play with kids.



Merlin Olsen Central Park
300 East Center Street, Logan, Utah 84321 (The closest parking spots to the canal are on 300 East between Center Street and 100 South, near the basketball and tennis courts.)
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Cost: Free

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Logan Aquatic Center

The Logan Aquatic Center (LAC) is Logan City's outdoor pool complex, which opened in 2001. It is open from approximately Memorial Day until Labor Day, seven days a week. The LAC features three pools. The first is a 50-meter Olympic-sized lap pool with 1 meter and 3 meter diving boards in an additional diving well. The second is a large semi-circular kiddie/relaxation pool that ranges in depth from 6" to 3' and includes a mushroom water feature and a tumble bucket. The third is a small pool at the base of two water slides, the Speed Slide (must be 48" to ride) and the Circular Slide (must be 40" to ride). Something to please everyone!


Photos from the Grand Opening of the Logan Aquatic Center, from here


The LAC boasts a capacity of 2000 people, and I daresay it reaches capacity on some summer days. But even when it's crowded it's still a great place to enjoy the water with kids.

Logan Aquatic Center
451 South 500 West, Logan, Utah 84321
435-716-9280
Open Swim Hours: Monday 12-8pm, Tuesday-Saturday 12-7pm, Sunday 12-6pm. Holiday hours are 12-7pm. Please see LAC Flyer for Lap Swim hours.
Fees: $5 for ages 4-59, $3.35 for 60+, no charge for 3 and under, $2 for spectators. Monday night from 4-8pm is discount night, $15 for all members of an immediate family.
Website: http://www.loganutah.org/parks_and_rec/aquatic_center/index.cfm
FYI: Life jackets are available for day use, free with a photo ID. All children under three years old, and all children not toilet trained, must wear a disposable swim diaper AND waterproof pants. Food available at the concession stand.

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Rainy Day Options


If you or your kids were counting on a water activity but the weather isn't cooperating, both the Sports Academy & Racquet Club and USU have indoor pools which are available to the public for day use. Sports Academy has a warm indoor therapy pool with a depth of 3', in addition to a lap pool.

Sports Academy & Racquet Club
1655 North 200 East, North Logan, Utah 84341
435-753-7500

Hours: Open swim hours vary, please call for details or visit www.sportsacademy.com for the pool schedule
Day use fees: $10 for adults, $5 for children. Please call to verify.
Website: www.sportsacademy.com

USU Swimming Pool
HPER Building, USU Campus, 700 North 800 East, Logan, Utah
435-797-0538

Hours: Open recreational swim is available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1pm to 6:45pm
Day use fees: $5 per person for the public
Website: www.usu.edu/camprec/htm/aquatics/

LLL

P.S.: What's your favorite place to swim or wade in Cache Valley? Any suggestions I left off the list?

2 comments:

  1. I know there is at least one splash pad in the valley with a couple more in the planning stages. Last I heard one had been suggested as an addition to Mountain View Park in North Logan but I don't know if that will ever come to fruition.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the heads up on the splash pad. I guess it's in Providence and opened while I lived in PA. My ward is having playgroup there tomorrow and I'm excited to check it out.

    ReplyDelete

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