Salmon Run at Causey Reservoir, Utah

KID RATINGS

Fun: ⭐⭐⭐ (out of 5)
Difficulty:     Very Easy    Easy    Moderate    HARD    Very Hard

KEY FEATURES

Distance: 2 to 4.7 miles (depending on if you paddle or hike)
Elevation Gain: 800 ft if hiking
Terrain: Water (reservoir and stream), mud, dirt, rocks, mountains
Time Needed: 3 to 4 hours
When to Go: Mid September to Mid October

COST

Free

AMENITIES

• Vault bathrooms at Skull Crack Trailhead
• Restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores nearby in the Huntsville area about 20 minutes away
• Camping at Weber Memorial Park just minutes from Causey Reservoir 

THINGS TO BRING

Kokanee Salmon via Paddling: 

• Paddleboard or kayaks

• Lifejacket

• Good water shoes/sandals

• Snacks and water

Kokanee Salmon via Hiking:

• Good hiking shoes

• Snacks and water

Disclaimer: My husband and I were able to get away by ourselves for this fun adventure. My ratings are still geared towards families.

DETAILS

I have lived in Utah the majority of my life and never knew that there are Salmon in Utah. I had to check these amazing creatures out once a family member told me about them.

The Kokanee Salmon swim upstream from larger fresh bodies of water to spawn in shallow water of mountain streams. During this time, the Salmon undergo a change from smooth silver color to pink/red. The males also gain a humpback and a snout.

Kokanee Salmon can be found in the fall during the salmon run at Causey Reservoir near Ogden, Utah in the streams that feed into the reservoir. It does require a little effort to get to these smaller streams, but it is such a fun adventure. You can either paddle or hike to the viewing areas.

Kokanee Salmon via Paddling

Paddling to see the the Kokanee Salmon run at Causey provides a more remote experience because hikers can’t reach one of the tributaries.

Kayak/Paddle Board Launch

You can launch your kayak or paddle board at the Skull Crack trailhead at the south end of the reservoir or at the dam. We put in at the dam and it was a pretty steep walk to and from the water but it was doable.

Finding Kokanee Salmon

To view the salmon we preferred the more remote site that can only be reached by paddling. It is the left fork on the south end of the reservoir. After paddling for about a mile and half, the reservoir narrows and you will need to park your paddling vehicle and finish on foot to find the salmon. There is a lot of mud and the creek is freezing!

Getting Back

Our paddle back was rough due to a strong headwind. I think our kids would have had a hard time paddling with the head wind. If paddling with little ones, I recommend starting earlier in the day when the water is calm. We paddled back around 5pm when the water wasn’t calm.

Check out this link for an awesome map from the Standard Examiner on where to find Kokanee Salmon in Causey Reservoir.

Kokanee Salmon via Hiking

You can also view the Kokanee Salmon run at Causey via a 4.5 mile Skull Crack Trail starting from the south end of the reservoir. This is a harder hike for kids due to length and elevation gain. Make sure your kids have done some decent hiking before hiking the Skull Crack Trail. 

Skull Crack Trailhead

The trailhead is located at the very south end of Causey Reservoir. More people take the hiking route than the paddling route. There is a map below to the trailhead. The parking lot can become full on weekends. It was full by 9am on the Saturday we were there. There is some parking on the road.

The Hike

This Skull Crack Trail is absolutely beautiful. It follows the skyline of Causey Reservoir and provides beautiful mountain scenery with stunning views of the reservoir. This hike does has some elevation change with a total of 830 feet of elevation gain.The trail is mostly downhill on the way to the Kokanee Salmon and uphill on the way back. 

Finding Kokanee Salmon

After about 2.2 miles you will reach the stream where you can find Kokanee Salmon. You will need to continue following the trail about another 0.1 to find the pools with the salmon. I recommend trying out the trail on each side of the stream. Each side provides different views of the pools. The hike is worth the work to see the Kokanee Salmon up close. We saw about 20 Kokanee Salmon in this area.

The standard examiner map shows that Salmon can also be seen on the North end of Causey Reservoir. We weren’t able to see any here but we visited early in the Salmon season when they may not have been here yet.

PROS & CONS

PROS

• Salmon viewing in Utah!

• Beautiful fall and mountain scenery

• Two ways to see: paddling or hiking

CONS

• Might be rough water when paddling

• Parking lots may be crowded
• Longer hike for kids 

DIRECTIONS

Causey Reservoir is located just off Highway 39 on FR20139 and is 40 minutes east of Ogden and just 20 minutes from Huntsville. Put Causey Reservoir into your GPS device and you will get the right place. To get to the Skull Crack Trailhead put Skull Crack Trailhead into your GPS or follow my map below.

MAPS

MORE INFO

There are several other places to view the Kokanee Salmon in Utah in the fall including Jordanelle, Fish Lake, Flaming Gorge, Electric Lake, Smith and Morehouse Reservoir, Porcupine Reservoir, Stateline Reservoir, Strawberry Reservoir. Here are some other resources if viewing in other areas.

wildlife.utah.gov

utahoutdooractivities 

Standard Examiner article and map of where to find Kokanee Salmon run at Causey Reservoir 

OTHER NEARBY ADVENTURES

Pineview Reservoir (20 minutes)

Snowbasin Ski Resort (30 minutes)