Trial Lake
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Trial Lake is a small reservoir in the high Uinta Mountains of Utah. It lies just west of Bald Mountain Pass at an altitude of 9200 feet. Click here for map. The lake is a popular fishing spot. The setting is beautiful. There is camping nearby, but no services are available right at the lake. You can enter the lake walking 40 feet from the parking area, GPS N 40° 40.774' W 110° 57.303'. Picture: Trial Lake from the southern shore near the fisherman's parking area, looking north. Bruce Argyle, September 17, 1998. |
| The Water: Trial Lake is shallow, with a maximum depth of
around 25 feet. The water is a clear tea-color. The bottom is sand and rock. Visibility is
12-15 feet. Surface temperature in late summer is 59 degrees. On our dive, we encountered
no thermocline. Picture: Mike Engberson hovers in the water above the photographer. Note the cloud patterns above him. Photo by Dominic Bria, Nikonos V 20 mm lens, 2 YS-50 strobes. |
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Services: There are camping and picnic areas near the lake, but there were no bathrooms near the "fisherman's parking" or the diving beach. Although a fee is required to use the area, there is no collection booth or self-service fee box. (You must pay as you enter the canyon area or at a more developed site such as Mirror Lake.) Nearest dive services are in Orem or Salt Lake.
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Thermal protection: In early season (while the snow-melt
is going on), you'll need a dry suit. In late summer, a farmer john, jacket, hood, and
gloves will keep you toasty. Dominic Bria looks for a photo subject with the big Nikon rig. Picture by Bruce Argyle, Sea & Sea MMII 20 mm lens, YS-60 strobe. |
| What to see: The bottom is sand and rocks, so it's easy
to hunker down to wait for the fish to find you. (A little Cheez Whiz helps them find you
faster!) Unlike nearby Mirror Lake, this is a great place to photograph trout because of
the clear water and sandy bottom. A 10-inch trout cruises over the rocky bottom. Photo by Bruce Argyle, Sea & Sea MMII 20 mm lens, YS-60 strobe. |
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Regulations: Sorry, no spearfishing. No motorized boats are allowed. You can paddle an inflatable to other areas of the lake, or just swim on over. |
| Fees: There is a $3 recreation fee, which you can pay as you enter the canyon. |
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Seasonal variation: The Trial Lake area is snowbound until June. While the snow-melt continues, the lake is frigid cold. In mid-summer, it begins to warm. In early October, it cools again rapidly, freezing by November. |
Our recommendation: We really liked this lake. The setting is awesome. You'll see trout of all sizes. Take the Cheez Whiz and your underwater camera and try your luck -- photographing hyperactive spooky trout is a world apart from taking pictures of friendly bass. See our altitude camera precautions and the altitude-adjusted dive depths. For contrast, you can also dive nearby Mirror Lake, a very different dive.
Getting there: Click here for map.
Salt Lake/Provo: Take I-80 east over Parley's Summit. Exit at US-40/US-189,
turning south (right). Three miles later, turn left on US-189 towards Kamas. Drive through
Kamas to U-150 "The Mirror Lake Highway." Drive 35 miles, watching for the Trial
Lake sign before you reach Bald Mountain Pass. The road goes to your left. Follow the sign
that says "Fisherman's Parking." Pack your gear 100 feet from the parking area
to the lake.
Ogden: Take I-84 east. At Echo Junction, take I-80 westbound (towards Coalville and Salt
Lake). At Wanship, go south on US-189 to Kamas. Turn left in Kamas when you reach U-150,
then follow the directions as above.
This dive site review was compiled September 1998 by Bruce Argyle, Dominic Bria, and Mike Engberson.
