As of this morning, the Rock Cliff and Ross Creek boat ramps at Jordanelle are out of the water. The quagga decontamination station is scheduled to close for the season tomorrow, October 11, weather permitting. The campgrounds are still open and still take reservations, but Utah State Parks lists October 31 as their closing date, with reopening on May 1.
So the reservoir below Tuhaye is shutting down its summer equipment one piece at a time. The park itself stays open. Its winter terms are a lower fee, plowed access roads, ice anglers, snowshoers, and a nature center on the east end run by an education nonprofit with a full October calendar. On Saturday, October 17, that nonprofit holds two events that together mark the turn from boat season to the quiet one.
The Order Things Close In
Utah State Parks doesn't shut Jordanelle on a single date. The marina store closes for winter, and docks, fish-cleaning stations, campgrounds, and restrooms close gradually as temperatures fall. Pieced together from the park's own pages, the fall sequence looks like this:
- Already done, as of October 10: Rock Cliff and Ross Creek ramps out of the water
- October 11: Quagga decontamination station scheduled to close, weather permitting
- October 31: Campgrounds close
- November 1: Off-season day-use pricing begins and runs through April
- Once the reservoir freezes: Ice fishing begins
The gap between the ramps coming out and the ice forming is the stretch most summer visitors never see. It's also when Rock Cliff's calendar is most active.
Saturday, October 17, at Both Ends of the Day
The Wasatch Mountain Institute calls Rock Cliff its Jordanelle campus, and its two October 17 events cover morning and night.
| Spooky Paddle | Dark Sky Star Party | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | 9:30 a.m. to noon | 6:45 to 11 p.m. |
| Meeting point | Hailstone Personal Watercraft Boat Launch | Rock Cliff Nature Center lawn, off Rock Cliff Campground Road |
| Focus | Valley history, bird and wildlife ID | Telescopes on stars and planets |
| Partner | Wasatch Mountain Institute | Wasatch Mountain Institute with Rocky Mountain Stargazing |
| Cost and sign-up | Kayak rental $35 per person; tickets online | RSVP required; no fee listed |
The morning paddle is worth signing up for because of what it's about. The institute's listing opens with a question that changes how the water looks from any Tuhaye deck:
"Did you know that there are remnants of old towns beneath Jordanelle Reservoir? Come paddle with us and learn about the history of the Jordanelle Valley and the towns that once stood there."
Along the way, the group identifies birds and other wildlife around the reservoir. Costumes are encouraged. Paddlers can bring their own boat, or rent a kayak for $35 per person through the event's ticket page. With the Rock Cliff and Ross Creek ramps already out, the launch is on the Hailstone side.
That evening, the setting moves to the lawn at Rock Cliff Nature Center. The institute describes it as "an evening under Utah's certified dark sky." Telescope setup starts at 6:45 p.m., and guests are welcome to arrive at sunset to lay out blankets and chairs. Several telescopes stay in use until about 11 p.m. The listing asks guests to RSVP through the star party page and to dress warm. It doesn't list a fee.
That makes one day on the reservoir: history from a kayak in the morning, the night sky from the east-end lawn after dark. It also previews the off season, when Jordanelle runs on walking, watching, and the dark rather than on engines.
Rock Cliff Is Where the Off Season Lives
Rock Cliff's main feature for winter is a short walk. Utah State Parks describes elevated boardwalks and trails that pass through upland sage and wetland habitat to a view of the Provo River. The same page lists hiking, snowshoeing, wildlife viewing, and cross-country skiing as winter activities in the park, and says State Parks plows day-use access roads in winter.
There's one gap. The state's page doesn't say whether the Rock Cliff boardwalk stays open all winter, and it sends visitors to the Hailstone office for current Nature Center hours. Any hours printed in older coverage are years out of date. A call to Hailstone is the reliable way to check.
The institute's programming also continues after the paddles end. Its winter calendar from last season shows the pattern:
- Holiday Crafts at the Nature Center on Saturday, December 6, 2025
- Beaver Detectives, a winter river walk to find beaver sign, on Saturday, January 31, 2026
- Bald Eagle Nest Watch, observing a nesting pair from a distance, on Saturday, March 21, 2026
None of these dates is on the calendar for this coming winter. As of today, the institute's public event calendar lists nothing past October. Its site invites people to email for information on upcoming community programs, which it describes as free. For school-age kids, the institute also advertises SnowSchool, a January through March program for kindergarten through high school that mixes snow science with winter recreation. Its program page doesn't yet show 2026–27 dates, registration, or pricing.
The October calendar shows how busy the place is right now. Before the October 17 double bill, the institute had a beginner-friendly Nature Walk and Landscape Photography Workshop at Rock Cliff today, October 10, from 8 to 11 a.m., led by local photographer Joshua Fawcett. The institute's team page lists Hamish Williams as executive director and Tim Grayson as program director.
What a Winter Visit Costs
Off-season pricing at Jordanelle starts in November and runs through April. The park fee table lists day use at Rock Cliff, Hailstone, Ross Creek, and Crandall Point at $10 per day, or $5 for visitors 65 and older. Pedestrians and walk-ins pay $3 per person in the off season, down from $5 during the May through October peak. Day-use cabanas and pavilions close for the off season.
Those prices come from the state. The institute's community programs are described as free, but individual events can carry their own costs, like the $35 kayak rental on the October 17 paddle.
When the Ice Comes
Once the reservoir freezes, Jordanelle gets a second winter use. Utah State Parks says anglers ice-fish after freeze-up, and OHVs are allowed only for anglers traveling from the ramps out to the ice. The fish-cleaning stations close for winter.
The ramps that come out of the water this month become access points to the ice later in the season. The same shoreline that held the summer marina traffic also serves the off season.
For anyone who wants to see the change happen, the clearest date is October 17. The morning paddle leaves from Hailstone at 9:30 a.m., and the telescopes go up on the Rock Cliff lawn at 6:45 p.m.
Living above Jordanelle means seeing every season the water goes through. If you're weighing how a Tuhaye home fits your year as well as your summer, I'm glad to talk through what the quieter months look like from here. You can reach me through Debbie Millar. Let's Connect.
