It is located along I near the Utah-Nevada border. They cover a large area and have a very unique environment. The famous Bonneville Speedway is located in the western portion of the flats, near Wendover. It is perfectly flat and has a thick crust of salty soil. It looks like a frozen lake bed covered with snow. No vegetation grows in that area.
In other places, low mountains and hills break up the flat landscape. Sparse vegetation grows on hillsides and is pushing into the flat areas. On hot days, heat waves rise from the salty soil and create mirages that look amazingly real. If you believe your eyes, the dry desert looks like it is covered by water.
Perhaps the most impressive spot to view the Salt Flats is along along I, about 10 miles east of Wendover. A rest stop has been established there offering restrooms and water. The rest area is surrounded by perfectly flat land that looks like it is covered by snow.
To the north and west, low mountains break the view. To the east and south, it looks like flat land extends virtually forever. At the rest stop you can walk out onto the salty soil. When you return, a water spray station has been set up so you can wash the salt from your shoes. The Salt Flats were formed when ancient lake Lake Bonneville dried up. The lake was huge, filling much of the Great Basin. It eventually shrank below its outlet and so its water became salty. As water continued to evaporate, salt deposits were left in many areas.
Several roads probe the Salt Flats from many directions. They often extend into very remote locations where conditions are harsh and there are no services. The flats include a variety of micro environments. In some spots the soil is so salty it prevents vegetation growth. These spots seem to be totally desolate. In other places you will find numerous kinds of plants and animals. Ponds and marshy areas can be found in spots near the edges of the flats and they provide critical habitat for plants and animals.
The environment is fragile and needs to be treated with respect. World renowned as the place to set land speed records, Bonneville Salt Flats is a fascinating place to visit. Though many zoom by on I, I highly recommend making the short side trip to experience the salt flats up close. The Bonneville Salt Flats encompass an area of 46 square miles. Due to evaporation of historic Lake Bonneville, the area became covered by a layer of salt.
At its center, this layer of salt can be 5 feet thick! The salt flats are named after Benjamin Bonneville, who visited the area in the s as an army officer. In Bill Rishel drove a Pierce-Arrow car onto the salt flats to see if the surface was suitable for cars.
His test was successful and began interest in using the salt flats for land speed records. The first record set on the flats was by Teddy Tetzlaff in at mph. Rishel and Tetzlaff are, not coincidently, also peaks in the Silver Island Range to the west named in honor of the salt flat pioneers. The salt flats have become a place for drivers to test their equipment, skills, and hopefully set a record.
Though known for land speed records, the salt flats are only suitable for racing during dry times of the year. Particularly in winter and spring or after heavy rains , the salt crust is too wet and soft to support vehicles. Visiting in the winter or spring can be a bit of a surreal experience. The salt flats are often under a layer of water and have a stunning reflective appearance.
Abandoned wagon parts from the party were present on the flats well into the s, and the wheel tracks from their wagons are still visible today at certain points along the trail. The tragedy of the Donner-Reed Party limited extensive use of the Hastings Cutoff as an overland migration trail. However, today it is part of the federally protected California National Historic Trail.
Read More. Accessed by a causeway, the island sits in Great Salt Lake and features free-roaming bison and antelope herds. This is the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, an eye-opening stop along Utah's populous Wasatch Front for any traveler and a top destination for any serious birder with gaps on their life lists.
Showing 0 of 0. Bonneville Salt Flats. Weather: Partly Cloudy, 38F. About The formation of the Salt Flats began at the end of the last Ice Age, when the waters of ancient Lake Bonneville began to recede. For more information on the history and formation, click here. Entrance is free and open to the public most of the year. Learn more Leave No Trace Do not drive on the salt flats when they are wet or flooded from precipitation.
Come prepared. Travel and camp on durable surfaces. Dispose of waste properly. Leave what you find. Minimize fire impacts. Respect wildlife.
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