See thousands of kokanee salmon

Strawberry Wildlife Festival set for Sept. 14 and 15

STRAWBERRY RESERVOIR — Thousands of fluorescent red kokanee salmon should make an appearance at the annual Friends of Strawberry Valley Wildlife Festival.

The festival will be held Sept. 14 and 15 at the U.S. Forest Service visitor center at Strawberry Reservoir. The visitor center is along US-40, about 20 miles southeast of Heber City.

Kokanee salmon swim in the Strawberry River during their annual spawning run.

Photo by Scott Root, DWR

Strawberry Wildlife Festival

The festival is held annually to highlight the September spawn of the salmon and to celebrate the many other wildlife species that are found in the valley. A fish trap and egg-taking facility is located behind the visitor center. Biologists from the Division of Wildlife Resources will be available at the facility to talk with you about the peculiar life cycle of these fish.

Festival activities will run from noon to 6 p.m. on Sept. 14, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sept. 15. Activities include a chance to hook and land a 'virtual' fish on a fishing simulator; an animal tracks display; a fishing booth for the kids; and a replica of the Strawberry Reservoir state record cutthroat trout caught in 1930.

Smokey Bear will also be on hand, and several other booths and displays will be available.

The festival ends at 5 p.m. on Sept. 15 with an "Ice Fishing the 'Berry" fishing clinic presented in the visitor center by angler Dan Potts.

More information

For more information, call the Uinta National Forest at (435) 654-0470 or Scott Root with the Division of Wildlife Resources at (801) 491-5656.

The festival is sponsored by the Division of Wildlife Resources; the U.S. Forest Service/Uinta National Forest; the Strawberry Anglers Association, Wasatch County; American Land & Leisure; the Utah Snowmobile Association; the National Wild Turkey Federation; the Salt Lake County Fish & Game Association; and other organizations.