Antelope Island

(Last Updated On: April 9, 2021)

With its 15 miles length, Antelope Island the largest island within the Great Salt Lake. However, it’s not for its size that this island is so engaging. Antelope Island is a distinctive site for nature fans, wildlife viewers, geologists, beginner photographers. It’s a place of a hanging magnificence, away from the group.

This article will give an overview of Antelope Island’s frary peak, state park, hikes, camping, weather, open, trail map, directions, bison, peak, etc.

Antelope Island is situated north of Salt Lake Metropolis, Utah close to Syracuse. Take the Antelope Drive exit on Interstate-15, exit 332, and head west for about 15 miles.

As you method the causeway to succeed in Antelope Island, you may be stopped at a ranger station. There’s a $10 charge per automotive to enter the State Park.

The huge, dreamlike landscapes of the Great Salt Lake in northwest Utah will be seen most simply from viewpoints alongside interstate 80, although a quieter and extra evocative perspective is offered by a number of promontories and islands reached by less-traveled routes, together with Promontory Level within the north (close to Golden Spike National Historic Web site), Stansbury Island within the south and the Lakeside Mountains within the southwest.

Some components of those areas are privately-owned, nevertheless; the most effective place to see the lake might be Antelope Island State Park, which encloses a stark, mountainous island 15 by three miles in extent, centered on peaks rising as much as 2,000 toes above the water.

On the lookout for an ideal path in Antelope Island State Park, Utah? AllTrails has 13 great mountaineering trails, mountain biking trails, operating trails, and extra, with hand-curated path maps and driving instructions in addition to detailed opinions and photographs from hikers, campers, and nature lovers such as you.

Prepared for some exercise? There are 6 average trails in Antelope Island State Park starting from 2.Four to 11.4 miles and from 4,219 to five,262 toes above sea stage. Begin checking them out and you will be out on the path very quickly!

It’s mentioned they shot a pronghorn antelope on the island and in gratitude for the meat they named it Antelope Island.

Antelope Island has pure scenic magnificence and holds populations of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, American bison, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, mule deer, and thousands and thousands of waterfowl.

Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island State Park is simply over 28,000-acres and is the biggest island within the Great Salt Lake. It sits between the Wasatch mountains on the east and the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west. Guests may have the chance to hike, bike, and discover the wildlife within the space.

The backcountry trails are open to horseback driving, cross-country snowboarding, and mountain biking. Though the realm is surrounded by saltwater, the island has recent water springs which help the native wildlife.

Bison, Pronghorn antelope, Mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, badgers, and bobcats are just a few of the wildlife that roams the island.

Guests may see owls, hawks, or a falcon. The land handed by means of a number of homeowners till 1981 when the State of Utah bought the land.

Throughout the month of Could and June, there are biting gnats so a hat or different protecting barrier in your face and neck is advisable. Go to Antelope Island State Park in your subsequent out of doors journey!

The huge, dreamlike landscapes of the Great Salt Lake in northwest Utah will be seen most simply from viewpoints alongside interstate 80, although a quieter and extra evocative perspective is offered by a number of promontories and islands reached by less-traveled routes, together with Promontory Level within the north (close to Golden Spike Nationwide Historic Web site), Stansbury Island within the south and the Lakeside Mountains within the southwest.

The hills and lowlands of the island are uniformly devoid of timber, coated solely by quick grass and small granite boulders but are dwelling to a various vary of wildlife together with deer, bobcats, bighorn sheep, coyotes, pronghorn antelope and a 600 robust herd of bison, who roam freely over the prairie, descendants of an inhabitant established in 1893.

The shoreline is a mix of rocky outcrops, white sand seashores, and salt/mud flats, bordered by deep water on the west aspect and a shallower lagoon to the east – at occasions of low water, in the summer season, the flats lengthen over a mile from the island.

Amenities on the state park are two campsites, a customer middle, marina, a restaurant, a number of quick paths and 20 miles of mountaineering trails, all targeting the northern tip of the island leaving the vast majority of the rest empty and fully undeveloped, although nonetheless accessible by cross-country mountaineering.

The park is open all 12 months, the one unfavorable occasions being Could and June, when biting midges are prevalent.

Strategy and Amenities

The method to Antelope Island is thru Layton and Syracuse alongside UT 127/108 (W 1700 S), a straight highway previous blended suburbs and farmland, reaching the doorway station (charge $10 per automobile in 2015) proper on the fringe of the mainland, firstly of a six-mile causeway throughout the lake.

The environment change from quick grass to salt flats, then shallow swimming pools, and at last deeper, choppier water because the island nears.

The surroundings are uncommon and photogenic because the shallow, calm, blue waters create good reflections of the hazy Wasatch mountains (see panorama), mingled with wavy sandbars and often dotted with many birds, although this is not a spot to linger because the salt flats are moderately smelly and harbor a mess of sand flies, identical to different saline environments such because the Salton Sea and Mono Lake.

Huge verges enable for straightforward parking anyplace alongside the causeway. As soon as on the island, the highway passes a small marina (because the water on the north aspect is now fairly deep) and a memorial to 12 US army personnel who died in a 1992 air crash simply to the north, after which forks; the left route runs alongside the east shore to Fielding Garr Ranch, a pioneer Mormon homestead inbuilt 1848, whereas proper results in all different areas.

This highway first arrives at a viewpoint on the northern tip of the island, and a trailhead for a 0.three mile path alongside a promontory to a rocky knoll overlooking Egg Island, a well-liked chook residence.

To the south is a large stretch of sand at Bridger Bay, the principle day use space within the park, with concessionaires, a campground (no hookups), showers, loads of parking, and a picnic pavilion. Like a lot of the island, the water’s edge is commonly far from the shore and a stroll of as much as quarter of a mile could also be wanted to succeed in the lake.

Buffalo Point and White Rock Bay

Turning proper on the subsequent junction reaches the less-used White Rock Bay, additionally with a campground however no different amenities other than a trailhead, this being the beginning level for a lot of the park’s backcountry trails.

The land slopes extra steeply so the water is nearer, edged by a narrower strip of salt flats. One other highway ascends half approach up Buffalo Level, a low hill on the fringe of the island, to a parking space and cafe, from the place a 0.3-mile path completes the climb to the summit, which is shaped of pinkish granite with crystalline nodules.

The views are superb – not a full 360° panorama as the highest of the hill is flat, however unobstructed sufficient to see almost all of the Great Salt Lake, throughout to many distant mountain ranges alongside the south, west and north edges (see panorama).

The path continues down the far aspect of Buffalo Level to a slim seashore. The purpose is called on account of the bison herd who inhabit this space, ranging freely over the grassy slopes a lot of the 12 months, retiring in winter to pens situated subsequent to the park headquarters.

The animals are simple to identify even from a distance since there’s little or no vegetation other than the quick grass, yellow-brown for a lot of the 12 months, and sprinkled with weathered, whitish boulders.

The East Shore Highway

The one different highway within the park is alongside the east aspect of the island, operating typically a bit of approach above the shoreline, although for a lot of the 12 months the sting of the water is a mile or extra additional east.

The highway is paved for the 11 miles to Fielding Garr Ranch, unpaved for the remaining 5.5 miles to the southern tip of the island.

Two aspect roads climb just a few hundred toes into the mountains to trailheads, for hikes to Sentry Peak and to the islands highest summit (6596 foot Frary Peak), whereas one other path, little or no used, parallels the highway typically nearer to the lake.

The Wasatch Mountains stand up on the far aspect of the water (Farmington Bay), past the continual suburbia of Clearfield, Layton, Farmington and Bountiful, with downtown Salt Lake Metropolis simply seen to the south, 20 miles away

You may drive around and see some websites (customer middle and ranch) however the most effective components of the island are off the principle highway.

The place to sleep around Salt Lake Metropolis?

There are many lodges in Salt Lake Metropolis and round. We spent the night time at the Sleep Inn in Ogden. A really snug and inexpensive place in comparison with the lodges in Salt Lake Metropolis.

Four primitive campgrounds”: Bridger Bay Campground, White Rock Bay Campground, Lakeside Campsite, Ladyfinger Campground.

What to do and what to see on Antelope island?

There may be a lot to do! Mountaineering, horse-riding, chook watching, …and the park presents academic packages.

Different recommendation?

Entrance charges: 10$ per vehicle (as much as eight folks)
Throughout heat months, Biting gnats are current on the island. The park suggests taking fine-mesh head nets. Mosquitoes are additionally current. Being on the island in September, we had not observed such bugs.

Seasons/Open Hours

March – October: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. November – April: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. May 15 – September 14: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. September 15 – May 14: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

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Antelope Island – State Park | Hikes | Camping | Directions