History of Bear Lake
Pre-19th Century
Shoshone, Ute, and Bannock tribespeople inhabited the area surrounding Bear Lake for hundreds of years. The area was an ideal hunting and fishing ground.
1819
French-Canadian trappers begin exploring the area. Donald Mackenzie, an explorer for the North West Fur Company, arrived at Bear Lake in 1819. He originally named it Black Bear Lake, which was later shortened to Bear Lake.
1827
Frequent meetings between trappers, explorers, and Native American tribesmen led to the naming of Rendezvous Beach at the south end of the lake.
1842
Explorer John C. Fremont passes through Bear Lake Valley. Many of the area's mountain peaks, streams, and canyons' contemporary names are coined by Fremont. Records from Fremont and other explorers helped thousands of East Coast emigrants across this portion of the Oregon Trail over the course of the 19th century.
1874
The creation of the Utah Western Railway helps establish more settlements and communities within the Bear Lake Valley, many of whom belong to families of pioneers led by Brigham Young to the area a decade prior.
Bear Lake, 1874. Source: https://dp.la/item/f9f76f1a4f3026ed4d1a5423178f37df?q=bear+lake+utah
1912
The Utah Power and Light Company secures the water rights to Bear Lake. The company then begins construction of canals linking Bear River and Bear Lake.
1958
The Bear River Compact, an agreement between Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming surrounding the distribution of the river's water, is established. It is subsequently revised in 1980.
.png)
The Utah Power & Light plant on the north end of the lake in 1950. Source: https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=437515
1962
Bear Lake officially becomes a Utah State Park.
1964
Utah State Parks and Recreation opens the original Bear Lake marina.
.png)
Bear Lake frozen and covered in snow in winter 1973.
Source: https://digarch.unco.edu/islandora/object/cogru:6758
1994
A $2.5 million marina renovation project expands the marina's original boat capacity and improves parking facilities.
2016
A study is published to determine the feasibility and funding sources for further marina expansion.
.png)
Beachgoers at the lake in 2002.
Source: https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6mm0xrb