Antelope Island

Get up close and personal with bison! Nice view of and access to the Great Salt Lake. Hike and picnic friendly. Very surreal place – like the ocean with no waves. Beautiful mountains surround.

we stayed here for a night in june of 2006, It was an unreal experience. the water is like glass and the sunset was insane. The causeway smells a little, but goes away once you get off it.

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. It is accessed via a causeway. The drive along the causeway takes about fifteen minutes. As you drive out to the island from the mainland you see a portion of the large population of birds which make the lake their home. Also along the side of the causeway, you can often see deposits of salt which form due to evaporation as the lake’s waters gently lap against the causeway itself.

As you arrive at the island it looks quite barren at first. But as you explore it you will see that there are bison, rabbits, antelope, deer, and other animals as well.

There is a visitors center on the island which has some nice exhibits about the lake, the island, its history, and its ecology.

Be forewarned; the lake does have a peculiar odor. It’s kind of an ocean smell on steroids. The strength of the smell varies depending on the weather, time of year, etc. Most of the time it’s not too bad, but once in a while it can get a bit pungent.

On a clear day, there are some nice views from Antelope Island. Start out with the visitor center to get an idea of what there is to see. You should definitely go to Buffalo Point, where you will more than likely see some buffalo. Then drive out to the ranch. There is lots of old buildings and stuff there that is fun and interesting to explore.

Lovely views, good for taking pictures. The beach leading up to Salt Lake is hard as hell, though. Don’t try to make it to the water without shoes. I learned this the hard and painful way.