Beach and or sunbathing places near SLC (Salt Lake City, Layton: campgrounds, living in)

[dr.dave1]

Hi all! I'm new to the area. I was looking for a place to go to the beach around Salt Lake City. I thought the Great Salt Lake would be a reasonable option. I went to Antelope Island recently and there were all kinds of flies and the sand was caked down like mud. Not quite ideal.
Do people go to the beach here?
Any better options for sunbathing or beaches nearby?

[Calibelle]

LOL. Ya that's not gonna work for sure (Great Salt Lake).

Right now there is a huge fire in Herriman and the reservoir is not accessible. But once the fire is out..... Go to Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman. Sometimes called the Herriman Reservoir or Blackridge pond. It has a sandy beach. They recently put in flushing toilets and a concession stand.

Beautiful view on the valley too.

Here is how to get there from the I-15

blackridge pond herriman - Google Maps

Here is a video so you can see it:


Black Ridge Reservoir, Herriman, Utah - YouTube

[Stasia Ann]

We usually go to Pineview Res. and go to the beach part on the peninsula. That really is as close to a "beach" as we have found living in Layton.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

Umm, you do know that beaches are not common in a high desert area like we are in? There are a few man-made ones.

[dr.dave1]

Originally Posted by Calibelle

LOL. Ya that's not gonna work for sure (Great Salt Lake).

Right now there is a huge fire in Herriman and the reservoir is not accessible. But once the fire is out..... Go to Blackridge Reservoir in Herriman. Sometimes called the Herriman Reservoir or Blackridge pond. It has a sandy beach. They recently put in flushing toilets and a concession stand.

Beautiful view on the valley too.

Here is how to get there from the I-15

blackridge pond herriman - Google Maps

Here is a video so you can see it:


Black Ridge Reservoir, Herriman, Utah - YouTube

Excellent, thanks for the info. I'll check it out

Originally Posted by Stasia Ann

We usually go to Pineview Res. and go to the beach part on the peninsula. That really is as close to a "beach" as we have found living in Layton.

Awesome, thank you for the suggestion

Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah

Umm, you do know that beaches are not common in a high desert area like we are in? There are a few man-made ones.

Yes I do. Hence the post on here asking for advice If you have suggestions please feel free to share

[Stasia Ann]

If you do go to Black Ridge Res, let us know what you think. We are planning to go to Bear Lake for the first time tomorrow and hope to find a relaxing beach there with refreshing water,

[dr.dave1]

Originally Posted by Stasia Ann

If you do go to Black Ridge Res, let us know what you think. We are planning to go to Bear Lake for the first time tomorrow and hope to find a relaxing beach there with refreshing water,

I'll definitely share my thoughts once I make it out there. I've heard good things about bear lake, just a bit farther away. It's also on my list of places to check out

[Stasia Ann]

Originally Posted by dr.dave1

I'll definitely share my thoughts once I make it out there. I've heard good things about bear lake, just a bit farther away. It's also on my list of places to check out

It is about 2 hours from where we are. We just didn't get up there last summer. We want to scope out the campgrounds and cabins for other trips. Will update later

[Lamborgotti]

Most of the local reservoirs / boating destinations have some type of beach. You might as well check them all out to see what you like best, if you'll be here a while. Jordanelle is decent. The sand on the south side of the peninsula where the boat ramp is is not spectacular --kinda rocky-- but decent. But the upside is that Jordanelle is close (much closer than GSL and other real reservoirs, anyway). It's also pretty, although the water tends to be cold.

There's nothing at Utah Lake so don't bother.

I've only been to Pineview once, so I don't really remember what the beach was like, but I think it was pretty good. Very pretty vistas though.

Willard Bay's beach is a lot like Jordanelle, perhaps sandier in areas but still rocky near the water. It's a freshwater reservoir in the northeast part of the GSL. This would be my first choice as a boating destination if it weren't so far away.

I always get Rockport and Echo mixed up. Haven't been to either in a while. I recall one of them having some type of beach (albeit probably pretty rocky). Judging by Google maps it would probably be Rockport.

Other than that, the little water holes like the one mentioned in Herriman are about your only option for sandy beaches. Oquirrh Lake in Daybreak has a tiny beach, but it should be in excellent condition because it's not very old. I've driven by and it looked nice. The one in Herriman is probably pretty similar.

[dr.dave1]

Originally Posted by Lamborgotti

Most of the local reservoirs / boating destinations have some type of beach. You might as well check them all out to see what you like best, if you'll be here a while. Jordanelle is decent. The sand on the south side of the peninsula where the boat ramp is is not spectacular --kinda rocky-- but decent. But the upside is that Jordanelle is close (much closer than GSL and other real reservoirs, anyway). It's also pretty, although the water tends to be cold.

There's nothing at Utah Lake so don't bother.

I've only been to Pineview once, so I don't really remember what the beach was like, but I think it was pretty good. Very pretty vistas though.

Willard Bay's beach is a lot like Jordanelle, perhaps sandier in areas but still rocky near the water. It's a freshwater reservoir in the northeast part of the GSL. This would be my first choice as a boating destination if it weren't so far away.

I always get Rockport and Echo mixed up. Haven't been to either in a while. I recall one of them having some type of beach (albeit probably pretty rocky). Judging by Google maps it would probably be Rockport.

Other than that, the little water holes like the one mentioned in Herriman are about your only option for sandy beaches. Oquirrh Lake in Daybreak has a tiny beach, but it should be in excellent condition because it's not very old. I've driven by and it looked nice. The one in Herriman is probably pretty similar.

Thank you for all of the suggestions. I think you're right checking them out is the best way to know for sure. I appreciate your thoughts on the places you mentioned.