Day 66 - Great Salt Lake

My trip to the Great Salt Lake started with a 30 minute drive north on I15 and then head west to Antelope Island State Park.

After paying $10.00 to enter there is an 8 mile drive across a causeway before reaching the island.

Welcome to Antelope Island

A trip to the visitors center gives you an orientation to the history of the island and what is currently available.

Yes they have bison on the island and have a yearly fall roundup on this nearly treeless island.

View of causeway from visitors center.

They have a campground that is currently full, marina, beach, hiking trails, biking trails, and a working ranch.

This is the beach,

My goal today is to hike, and on the way here was a bison about 40 feet from the road.

Here is my objective. The climb will yield a 360 view of the island and give me some exercise.

The climb starts off gradually and then gets steeper.  Here in looking back at the parking lot.

Some very small spring flowers on the way.

I've gained some elevation but not at the top yet.

Almost at the top.

Some different flowers.

View looking west.

View of salt deposits.

View along the ridge that runs north and south through the island.

Looking east and seeing reflection of mountain in salt water.

It was a nice morning before the clouds came in.  The hike was 3 miles round trip and with a 1300 foot elevation gain.

If you lab on visiting the park try to plan in the hike to the ridge as it gives you the best perspective of the island from a point of view,

The current lake was part of the Great Lake Bonneville that covered about 20K square miles.  The current lake that has no discharge is 75 mile long and 28 miles wide with a maximum depth of 33 feet.

You can go online to learn more about the lake and its history.

This afternoon I drove to Park City, UT to see son Clayton & family that they are skiing.

I will review Park City tomorrow.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com