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After reading ETDT's post about Little Dell, I decided to check it out on my day off today. I like to fish early when the fish are more active. I arrived at the lake a little before daylight. The sign said "OPEN $5.00." The only problem was the gate was padlocked. Everywhere I looked there were no parking signs. So I didn't dare park and walk to the lake, even though there were plenty of safe parking spots. I hung around for about 1.5 hours untill 7:30 and no one had shown up to unlock the gate. I bagged it and came home to work on the honey do list.
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Im not sure what time they get there . I would hope no later than 8:00 That kind of sucks for your early planned fishing day. Maybe the twins or somebody can jump in and tell you when they open the gate or an alternative.
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They are open 8am to dusk.
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i had the same thing happen to me there once before and i waited till 8 and then they showed. it sucks that you cant park at the spot east of the gated parking now, cause you used to be able to park there and just walk down from the highway, it kinda sucks[frown]
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Ok you can park where the highway turns to Immigration Canyon. At that intersection you can park at the pullout. I have done it a few times actually. There is not a ton of room and it is a walk but if you want to fish super early that is one way.
A alternative is Parleys Creek. Just before Mtn. Dell you should have seen a trail head parking lot on the right side of the road.
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So, this winter you can no longer park in the upper and walk down?
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well so you have the gated parking area on top next to the toll booth and just east of that right below where they close the gate to EC is a little parking area and thats where i always used to park but now there are saign that say no parking, i think its cause they want people to pay but i dont know what they will do in the winter cause i never see anyone in the booth then and if the gate isnt opened then really there is nowhwere to park.
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[quote flygoddess]So, this winter you can no longer park in the upper and walk down?[/quote]
It was open all of last year during the winter so no worries there. The only gate that is locked is the access that gets you to the launch ramp and the day use areas. The main parking lot by the booth is open year round.
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I haven't been there in awhile but why couldn't Nkunz park and what is up with all the no parking signs?
Are trying to make it more difficult for walk ins. I kind of makes sense as it is our drinking water and they can't keep someone up there all the time.
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That upper parking lot was all locked up as well!
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That's because it was closed until 8am. Beginning Nov 1 ( or occasionally earlier if itl snows hard early) they won't man it and no longer charge for use. That's when you can park up above anytime. Technically it's only open dawn to dusk in the off season but they don't come and open and close the gates each day.
My understanding is
Memorial Day - Oct 31 open 8am to dusk
rest of year dawn to dusk.
The guy at the booth and the SLC website both will tell you the hours from my experience in the past.
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So, are these gates left open in the winter, or does someone actually go up and open them every day?
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I guess I wasn't clear. But yes they have left the gates to the upper parking open all off season in the past as far as I know.
If the gates are closed Little Dell is closed.
In the winter while it's not open 24/7 they just leave the parking open above the whole time. This is from past experience not sure if others have encountered anything differently in the off season.
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Same here Dog. That is why I was wondering if something changed. Thanks though
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If I'm not fishing before the sun comes up I feel that I have wasted the day.
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