Rich County, UT

About Rich County

Rich County, Utah, located in the northeastern corner of the state, was established on January 16, 1864, as Richland County, with its name shortened to Rich in 1868, likely honoring either the fertile Bear River Valley or Mormon apostle Charles C. Rich, who led settlement efforts in the Bear Lake Valley. Covering 1,034 square miles, it had a population of 2,510 in 2020, making it Utah’s third-least populous county, with Randolph as the county seat and Garden City as the largest town. Native American tribes, including the Shoshone and Bannock, inhabited the area for thousands of years, with a notable prehistoric bison jump near Woodruff. Fur trappers arrived in 1811, and the Oregon Trail cut through the county, with trappers’ rendezvous held at Bear Lake in 1827 and 1828. Mormon pioneers, spurred by the 1862 Homestead Act, began settling in 1863, establishing towns like Round Valley (now a ghost town) and Randolph. The county’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, particularly livestock and grazing, with Bear Lake’s recreational growth since the 1970s boosting tourism through activities like boating, fishing, and events like Raspberry Days.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_County%2C_Utah)[](https://kids.kiddle.co/Rich_County%2C_Utah)