Utah’s ancient lake turned into a moonscape

Racing fans know the Bonneville Salt Flats well, but the thick, flat crust of salt draws just as many visitors to marvel at the unique, natural environment.

On my way to the airport, when I told the Uber driver where I was heading, he scoffed, “Why would you go there? It’s miles of nothing!”

It made me nervous about what we’d actually find… until we arrived…and it surpassed my expectations!

Getting there:

Conveniently, one of the best spots to head to for photos and exploring is a rest stop on the I-80 (westbound). There was plenty of parking. The salt flats look dirty and bland from the freeway, but don’t be turned-off during the boring drive.

While you can see a lot of people walking or driving around on the salt flats, the reality is: it’s such a vast space, you’ll have plenty of space to yourself.

You do have to walk 100 yards away from the parking lot to see the amazing landscape.

The photo below is from the parking lot, and shows a lot of people taking pictures very close to the lot. Keep in mind: you don’t get to experience the geometric designs and patterns in the crust so close to the highway.

You’ll see see family photos, wedding photos, etc. happening all over the salt flats.

There are two popular spots for photos.

A second parking area is four-miles west of the rest stop, off exit 4. You’ll follow a long dirt road to another parking lot. Google maps has it listed as the Bonneville Flats on Bonneville Speedway Road.

You never know what you’ll find at the salt flats. Weather-wise, it could be 100 degrees in the summer, or ice cold in the winter. In addition, at certain times of the year, water pools on the surface of the flats. If the wind isn’t blowing, the water creates a glassy, mirror-like quality in photos.

On our visit, we found some water at the second lot, but totally dry conditions at the rest stop. We lucked out with the best of both worlds, I suppose.

Several land speed records have been set near this spot over the last 100 years, with some vehicles topping 600mph. The salt crust racing track has deteriorated over the years, but events are still held at the site each year.

Drones are permitted, and can capture awe-inspiring shots from above. Depending on the sun, clouds, time of day, etc, the flats will look white, yellow, or blue.

The drive is easy from Salt Lake City. It’s a straight shot west. Along the way, you’ll pass the “Tree of Utah,” and some other whimsical “public art” setups off the side of the freeway.

Crucial info!

This is important to keep in mind: if you’re aiming for sunset photos, you need to pick one of the spots ahead of time and commit.

The I-80 doesn’t have exits in the area which allow you to easily go between the two sites.

If you’re driving from SLC, you’ll hit the rest stop first. If you decide to then go to the speedway site, be prepared for a long drive back around to the rest stop.

While you can easily get back on the I-80 heading east… the next closest exit you can use to turn around is half-an-hour away! So it’ll literally take an hour to get from the speedway back to the rest stop… even though “as the crow flies” it’s only four miles.

While some people illegally use the “emergency vehicle only” U-turn options, it’s a risk. The I-80 is heavily-patrolled by Idaho State Troopers, and the speed limit is 75mph… so traffic is flying.

If we had more time, we would’ve done sunset at the rest stop, spent the night in Wendover, and shot sunrise the next morning at the speedway.

The photo below shows parts of the salt crust cracking and forming ruts in the mud.

Facts on the flats

Around 20,000 years ago, the salt flats were a huge lake. The Great Salt Lake is basically what remains of the ancient Lake Bonneville.

These days, the Bonneville Salt Flats are a 30,000 acre area managed by the Bureau of Land Management. People are welcome to drive across parts of them, as long as the conditions are right.

Several land speed records were set on the salt flatslats, which became a raceway more than a century ago.

If there’s water on the flats, the advice is to stay off. In spots, the salt crust is thin, and can break into the mud below. Seeing one car stuck in the mess was all the warning I needed to keep our rental off the flats and in the parking lot… and enjoy the natural wonder on foot!