What Bear Lake is known for

The Bear Lake Region is most known for the "Caribbean of the Rockies," otherwise known as Bear Lake. Bear Lake is a natural freshwater lake of around 109 square miles. The lake is split between Utah and Idaho, with one of the most unique lake features being the water's bright turquoise color. The lake brings in around 15,000 campers each year.[3] Many water activities are frequently enjoyed while visiting the lake, including fishing, boating, swimming, paddle boarding, and jet skiing. Though the scenic water is the main draw to the Bear Lake Region, there are many other activities that visitors often participate in and enjoy while visiting the region, one being the Paris Ice Cave. The Paris Ice Cave is a spot worth exploring, with icicles still in the cave in the summer.[4] Another lake within the region to visit is Bloomington Lake. Bloomington Lake is a glaciated lake with a rope swing, trout fishing, and hiking trails.[5] LaBeau's Restaurant is located within the Bear Lake Region and serves burgers, fries, and shakes. LaBeau's is famous for its raspberry shakes, with many tourists convinced that the shakes are the best in town.[18] Logan is another city located within the region with a variety of things to do. The Wind Cave Trail is a popular hike that is 3.5 miles long and leads to a cave and canyon views.[7] 

Logan Canyon is a popular spot to see the changing leaves and a place for hiking, rock climbing, and camping.[8] Utah State University is located in Logan, Utah, and is a historic campus to tour. The university was founded in 1888 and had around 27,000 students as of fall 2019.[9] Utah State University is known for being an agricultural college, and their mascot is Aggie, short for agriculturalists.[12] Logan, Utah, is known for quite a few different products. One of the products that Logan is known for is the dairy made from the Cache Valley Creamery. Butter and cheese are made from "wholesome and real" ingredients.[11] Logan is also known for Aggie Ice Cream, which Utah State University made, having been working on and perfecting their ice cream recipe since 1888.[13] 

Geography

The Bear Lake Region is located in parts of northern Utah and southern Idaho. Some of the region's cities include Clifton, Dayton, Logan, Montpelier, Malad City, Howell, and Garden City. The Bear Lake Region has plenty of outdoor activities and recreation, including mountains, reservoirs, and lakes. Bear Lake is one of the most popular destinations within the region, with around 15,000 visitors a year.[3] The Cutler Reservoir is another natural feature within the area and is built for irrigation and flood control.[17] Garden City is located next to Bear Lake and has warm summers and cold winters. The area gets around 12 inches of rain per year and 59 inches of snow per year. The summer high is during July and reaches up to 83 degrees. The winter low gets down to 13 degrees in January.[2] 

The region is an area where lots of wildlife can be found. Some wildlife includes white-faced ibis, sandhill cranes, various shorebirds, moose, mule deer, muskrats, and cottontail rabbits.[14] Bear Lake has some native species in its area, including Bonneville cutthroat trout, Bonneville cisco, Bonneville whitefish, Bear Lake whitefish, and Bear Lake sculpin.[1] Bear Lake is known for its' raspberry cultivation, specifically in the southern end of the valley. Garden City holds "Raspberry Days" as a festival celebrating the city with rodeos, parades, and fireworks.[1]

History

The first known to inhabit the Bear Lake Region was the Shoshone tribes. It wasn't until 1818 that the first European settlers passed through the area. Mountain men and Indians made many trades of their various goods and supplies in the late 1820s. The region was traveled by many pioneers from 1836 through the 1850s. Mormon pioneers that Charles C. Rich led settled in the Bear Lake Valley for a time, but the Native Americans still took up most of the land. The pioneers continued to move south and eventually landed in Garden City, Pickelville, and Laketown. Since the late 1900s, the Bear Lake area has become a popular spot for recreational activities.[1] Garden City is the town closest to Bear Lake and has a population of 562.[15] Logan, Utah is another city within the region, with a population of around 50,000 residents, with 83.90% being White, 1% African American, 1% Native American, 3.30% Asian, .5% Pacific Islander, 8% from other races, 2.3% from two or more races, and 13.9% Hispanic or Latino.[16]