Hiking & Kayaking Tibble Fork Reservoir - lovin' it!
- Girls Gone Adventuring
- Sep 25, 2018
- 3 min read
What a great group we had for our Tibble Fork Adventure this week-end! A perfect day for a beautiful hike and kayak/paddle-boarding adventure - we got up out of the smoke and enjoyed this amazing, warm, fall weather before it decides to turn on us...
We met part of the group at the mouth of the American Fork Canyon and carpooled up to Tibble Fork together. It's about a 20 minute drive up the canyon. (click here for directions to Tibble Fork Reservoir and info on the full loop hike from Girl On a Hike) There's a $6 fee to enter the canyon - make sure you pay this as we saw a truck at the Tibble Fork parking lot with a ticket on it for not paying the fee and displaying the ticket in his window!... youch...
Our first order of business was to hike a portion of the Tibble Fork loop which starts at the back of the reservoir. Drive the dirt road straight ahead from the parking lot and you'll come upon the parking area for the hike. The trail was pretty thick with dust for the first section, we had a motorcycle pass us on this trail so I assume the thick dust is from the motorcycles churning the trail up.
We went about a mile and a half in and found a little deer-grove to lay out our blanket and yoga-mats and participate in the presentation by the amazing Caroline Welsh. We got comfortable on the mats as she discussed connections with us. We learned how to deepen our connection with ourselves as well as those around us. It was a unique and powerful experience with some poignant moments and healthy realizations.
The mile and a half hike back out was beautiful with the fall leaves changing all around us, and we headed back to the reservoir for some kayaking and paddle-boarding fun! Even though Tibble Fork is pretty low right now, there was plenty of lake to paddle around in and experience the serenity and beauty of being out on the water. It was my first time paddle-boarding and I had only kayaked once before so it was a fun time to try out both in a beautiful setting!
We had some snacks and chilled and talked on the beach area in between bouts of killing it kayaking and paddle-boarding, and were back home when the kids got home from school. I'd definitely call that a win-win-win-win!!
Stay tuned for our next ADVENTURE - canyoneering Cassidy's arch in Capitol Reef! And remember - we're here cheering you on - you've got this! Life's good, you are enough, take the time this month to discover YOU, be YOU, and love YOU.
HOW TO DO THIS YOURSELF:
1) Tibble Fork Reservoir is up American Fork Canyon past Highland and Cedar Hills. The Reservoir is about 20 minutes up the canyon, you'll take a left where the road forks and follow the signs (For directions and info on the full loop hike from "Girl on a Hike" click here) Remember that there's a $6 fee to enter the canyon, which you'll pay at the booth at the mouth of the canyon.
2) Rent a kayak or paddle-board or borrow one from a friend or neighbor and you're all set! You'll want a life-jacket for safety's sake, but no other special equipment or experience is needed. UVU, BYU, UofU all have outdoor centers that rent kayaks or paddle-boards for pretty inexpensive, typically around $30 a day, and many have inflatable versions so they're easy to transport and don't require a truck or trailer. REI and some of the outdoor sporting shops also rent kayaks and paddle-boards. I'd suggest finding the most convenient one to you based on your location and where you're headed kayaking.
3) Timing: We started the hike around 10:00 and did 3 miles total (1 1/2 miles in, about a 30 minute pause for our presentation, then returned those 1 1/2 miles back out to our car at the parking lot). We were back to the lake for kayaking and paddle-boarding by 12:30 to float and paddle to our heart's content :) You could stay at the reservoir kayaking and chilling at the beach all day, or just for an hour or two depending on what you have time for today. Remember that Tibble Fork Reservoir is about 20 minutes up the canyon, so plan your timing accordingly.
** Is there an Adventure you think we should discover? Comment below
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