Get hooked on the Provo River

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Geoffrey McAllister
The cool Provo River waters were a haven for many seeking to escape the 102 degree high Saturday in Provo.

The Provo River lures students every summer for a refreshing break from class and homework. The mountain water from the Uintas gives students a chance to cool off and enjoy Provo Canyon, whether by sprawling out on an innertube, pulling on waders to fly fish or participating in other activities.

The local river is sectioned into three parts. The Upper Provo portion comes out of the Uinta Mountains and flows into Jordanelle Reservoir. The Middle or Mid Provo portion runs from the Jordanelle Dam into Deer Creek Reservoir. The most commonly used Lower Provo portion winds through Provo Canyon and connects Deer Creek with Utah Lake.

Groups can take a 10-minute drive up Provo Canyon for a relaxing float down the Lower Provo portion. High Country Adventure offers tubes, rafts and a shuttle back up to the parking area — all on a student discount.

Chris Bunker
A group of students from Germany interning at BYU spend some time rafting down Provo River. (Chris Bunker)

Steve Myers, owner of High Country Adventure, thinks the proximity of his store to campus and affordable prices help BYU students have the best experience on the river.

“We make it really simple and affordable for students to come and have a good time,” Myers said. “We provide the whole package; once they get to us, we take care of the rest. We provide the life jackets, the equipment, we shuttle them up, and they float down to their cars, all for a very affordable price.”

The Provo River offers a local breath of fresh air and a lot of fun for students

“It was thrilling enough to keep a smile on my face but not crazy enough to get me worried,” said Matt Hendrickson, a senior from Kansas City, Missouri, after floating the river.

Fly fishermen can often be spotted on the shores or wading out into the river trying to catch a big fish. The Provo River is a Blue Ribbon river, meaning it is a world-class fishing river. People travel from all over the world to fish for different kinds of trout.

Jacob Welch, a senior from Cody, Wyoming, loves fly fishing on the Provo River. He has fished some of the most pristine rivers in the country.

“I like fishing on the Provo because there are plenty of shallow areas where you can wade out into the water,” Welch said. “There have been a couple times where I have caught over 15 fish in an hour.”

Catching a fish on the Provo River might be more difficult than it sounds. Eddie Robinson’s Fly Fishing offers a fly fishing school, personal classes and guided fishing trips. Several pro shops in the area rent out fishing gear and waders.

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