Soldier Creek - Strawberry

Formerly separate reservoirs, Strawberry and Soldier Creek dams now enclose a single large reservoir. Click here for map. This is a high-altitude dive (8000 feet), but it's not as cold as you'd think. Although the visibility isn't great, there's enough fun stuff down there to make this a good dive spot. Camping is available at several state parks. Picture: Soldier Creek with blooming rabbit brush. Bruce Argyle, Aug 15, 1998.

What to see: This lake has more crayfish than we've ever seen, anywhere. On our standard CPF (Crawdads Per Foot) Index, Soldier Creek rates a 3. Crawdads abound in the rocks, on the mud, in the flooded brush, in the moss. Take your game bag and try one of our Crayfish Recipes! Two Soldier Creek crawdads guard their rocks. Bruce Argyle, Nikonos V 20 mm, September 9, 1998

You'll see small fish in the shallower water. We attracted schools of 4-inch fish with Cheez Whiz. Whenever we tried it, the fish were there within 15-20 seconds. Photo by Bruce Argyle, Nikonos V w 20 mm lens, 2 YS-50 strobes, September 9, 1998

If you're staying at the reservoir, consider a night dive after the day's fishing. The big fish stay out of visual range during the day, but at night they'll run right into your dive light. Photo: Trout at night Bruce Argyle, Nikonos w closeup lens, 2 YS-50 strobes

Diving sites: Pick your dive area carefully. This is a large reservoir with many possible sites accessable from the road. Shallower areas become quite silty in the afternoon due to wave action. Look for a rocky area in the early morning, away from the natural "trolling lanes" of boats.

Fees: There's a $4 fee to enter the state parks.

Exposure: For short shallow dives, you may be quite comfortable in your wet suit without hood or gloves. We recommend a hood for extra warmth. Mike Engberson is awestruck by the scenery in Soldier Creek. Photo by Bruce Argyle

Regulations: Unfortunately, spearfishing is not allowed in this reservoir. If you care about this, please contact the Division of Wildlife Resources (or email your desire for a longer season and additional spearfishing areas to us with your name and address). Please take all the crayfish you can eat -- click on "Regulations" for the rules. This is a trout-trolling lake, so remember your dive flag!

Sample dive #1: Soldier Creek State Park. As you drive east past the reservoir, look for the Soldier Creek State Park (not the dam) sign on your right. Drive two miles to the docks and boat ramp. On the left are parking spaces. See the small bay north of the rest rooms and fish-cleaning area? Walk 12 feet from your car to the water's edge and dive the bay. You'll swim through flooded brush, tons of crawdads, and small fish.

	Getting there: Click here for map. Ogden: Take I-84 east to Echo Junction, where you turn southbound/westbound on I-80. Turn south (left) at US-40/US-189. Keep on US-40 when the routes separate in Heber.
	Salt Lake: I-80 over Parley's Summit, southbound (right) on US-40/US-189. Stay straight on US-40 going east when US-189 separates in Heber.
	Provo: Go up Provo Canyon on US-189, turning right in Heber onto US-40 Continue east on US-40 to Strawberry Reservoir. At the fork in the road, you can turn south for additional shoreline of Strawberry, or continue on US-40 for Soldier Creek.