Discover Antelope Island - Salt Lake City’s Hidden Natural Gem
Read about Antelope Island, an often overlooked natural beauty in the middle of The Great Salt Lake. Then, discover how you can visit this hidden gem.
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📍- Antelope Island, Utah
After almost a year and a half of driving our tiny RV through America, this grand and wild country of mine never ceases to surprise me. At this point, Drew and I should be accustomed to constant shock and awe, but when we rolled up onto Utah’s Antelope Island, we drove over the Farmington Bay Causeway with our mouths hung wide open as if we were trying to catch flies. Who would have thought, after spending the last three weeks exploring the powerful geysers of Yellowstone, and admiring the dramatic peaks of The Grand Tetons, that we would fall so deeply in love with this lesser-known state park in the middle of the Great Salt Lake?
As state parks are typically our favorite camping accommodations, we have spent the last 15 months getting very acquainted with them. I almost hate to let this secret out of the bag, but Antelope Island is now one of our favorite state parks of all time, even rivaling our previously favorited Bottomless Lakes State Park which we stayed at while exploring the alien-obsessed town of Roswell, New Mexico.
27,000 acres of rolling golden hillsides make up the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, and it is surrounded by white salty beaches and panoramic mountain backdrops. It is truly an oasis in the middle of one of the highest salinity lakes in the world and it’s worth a visit from locals and far-off travelers alike. So, if I’ve done a good job convincing you that Antelope Island is worthy of your exploration hours, keep reading to find your full guide on visiting Antelope Island like an absolute pro!
Antelope Island FAQs
Antelope Island is located 60 miles northwest of downtown Salt Lake City and is the largest island in the middle of the famous Great Salt Lake.
The only way onto Antelope Island is via the 7-mile Antelope Island Causeway which stretches over shallow portions of the Great Salt Lake to connect you with the island. Located in Davis County, if you’re visiting Antelope Island from Salt Lake City, you’ll take Interstate 15 north until exit 332, then drive through Syracuse toward the Causeway. You can choose to walk, bike, or drive a vehicle onto the island from there.
There is a fee to visit Antelope Island, although I believe that it is reasonably modest. As of October 2022, it costs $15 per vehicle or $3 per pedestrian or cyclist to pass through the causeway. This fee is included in the camping reservation fee if you are a camper like we were and there are discounts for senior citizens, commercial tours, and educational groups. You can get more information on their park entrance fees or purchase annual state park pass right here.
Of course! Antelope Island’s namesake is the pronghorn antelope, but this island is home to much more than just them. You will likely see hundreds of bison scattered along the mountainsides and if you keep your eyes peeled you may encounter mule deer, bighorn sheep, badgers, and porcupines.
Antelope Island is super dog friendly! This is one of the reasons why we loved this state park so much because your little pup has had to be left behind a lot recently with your midwestern national park stays. Your dog is welcome to join you at campgrounds, and on all of your hikes as long as you keep him on a leash and under control at all times.
Charlie enjoyed wildlife watching more than we did. We often found him looking out our bedroom window as he looked for bison.
Antelope Island is open year-round which gives you plenty of opportunities to explore this amazing park. Do note that its gate hours are from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm from March through October, and from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm from November through February. While you can exit this park at any time, there is no admittance outside of these hours so these are important to keep in mind if you are camping in the park.
Yes, you can! From dipping your toes in the water to going in for a full-on plunge, Bridger Bay has the easiest beach access on the island. Swimming in the Great Salt Lake is not like swimming in any other body of water. Depending on the water level, you can expect a long walk on sand, eventually turning into mud, before you reach water that is deep enough to submerge yourself in. As the name would suggest, the water is also intensely salty and will make you float, then subsequently form an encrusted layer of salt on your skin and bathing suit. Be ready to rinse off nearby, and pack clean clothes, plenty of water to rehydrate, and a good amount of lotion to rejuvenate your skin.
Cell service on Antelope Island is surprisingly fantastic. As remote workers who depend on cell signal for internet access, this was a pleasant and welcome surprise. While at the Bridger Bay campground, we had a full-strength LTE connection on our T-mobile, Verizon, and AT&T devices. The signal even stayed usable throughout all of our hikes and scenic drives.
The Island Buffalo Grill is the only restaurant on the island and is a casual burger spot giving visitors an opportunity to try buffalo burgers, classic burgers, chicken fingers, fish n’ chips baskets, and corndogs. It’s nothing fancy, but it is handy if you run out of food while on the island. Their hours can be sporadic, so be sure to check their latest hours of operation on their facebook page before you go.
During our trip to the island in October, the brine flies were a minimal disturbance, but we have heard that they can be overwhelming during the summer. If you do visit in the summer, you may want to pack a mosquito head net to keep them away from your mouth and ears. Luckily, they don’t bite. Mosquito repellant, while ineffective against the brine flies, will help keep mosquito bites to a minimum. Also, remember that you will be surrounded by some of the most saline water in the entire world, so hydration is key. Pack plenty of water, food, and sunscreen to keep you protected and energized throughout the whole day.
Taken at sunrise from our campsite, the views and the wildlife at Antelope Island are some of the best we have encountered along our travels.
Best things to do at Antelope Island
A stop at the Antelope Island Visitors Center is a great way to start any island adventure. Here you can pick up maps of the island, speak to a ranger about their recommended trails, book a horseback riding adventure, and get up-to-date information on the local bison population. It also happens to house the cleanest and nicest restrooms on the island and gives first-time visitors a fantastic introductory viewing of the Great Salt Lake.
There are 20 miles of hiking trails that weave over the rolling hillsides of Antelope Island. While they vary greatly in length and difficulty, they remain the same by rewarding hikers with sweeping views of the Great Salt Lake, the Wasatch Mountains, or both! During our stay, we went out to tackle Frary Peak, a 7-mile, moderately challenging hike that is said to give hikers one of the best views on the island. During your arrival, ask for a map of the island and inquire with the parking attendant about which hike they recommend for your skill and endurance level. No matter what hike you choose, you are sure to be satisfied with the experience. Just be sure to bring along some mosquito repellent, because those little buggers were active and hungry during our hike.
Drew made his descent down Frary Peak as I admired the view of the Great Salt Lake beaches ahead of me.
Swimming in the Great Salt Lake is a unique experience and will be different than any other swimming experience you may ever have. For many, the intrigue in this activity is to have the opportunity to weightlessly float atop the salt-saturated water. If this sounds like something that intrigues you, then we encourage you to chase your salty dreams but to do so in a smart and prepared way. Firstly, it is wise never to stray away from your car without plenty of water, and this includes the walk to the shoreline. While you will likely only have to walk 1/4 of a mile to deep water, salt in the lake and the surrounding air leave you dehydrated faster than you may expect.
We also recommend you wear a bathing suit that you’re not particularly attached to. When you get out of the water, you will be coated in a layer of salt which will harden every piece of clothing that you have on your body. You’ll either have to wash these out at home or pitch them if you’re willing to part with them.
Since there are no outdoor showers in the area, we suggest RV camping at Bridger Bay or staying at a nearby hotel which will allow you to rinse off all of this accumulated salt. In any case, swimming in the Great Salt Lake is sure to be a memory that you keep for the rest of your life. Have fun with it, don’t be afraid to get messy, and try your best to keep the water out of your eyes… Ouch!
There are several camping opportunities on Antelope Island, all of which offer quiet evenings and spectacular views of the Great Salt Lake with varying levels of amenities. Bridger Bay campground, where we chose to stay, is open to RVs and tent campers. It was ideal for our week-long stay because it offered electric and water hookups with a sanitary dump on site. It also sat next to Bridger Bay beach, giving every spot a clear view of the water which never failed to light up in brilliant shades of peach to reflect the nightly sunsets. White Rock Bay and Ladyfinger campgrounds are both primitive alternatives that provide tent campers with pavilions, picnic tables, pit toilets, and another set of fabulous views near the water.
Split Rock Bay is the only backcountry camping site with only four tent sites in the campground. It is five miles from the nearest parking area and only provides pit toilets for guests. Be sure you are prepared for a backcountry experience if this is the campground you choose to go with.
Although the park is named after the pronghorn antelope, it is the abundant bison population that makes it nearly impossible for you to visit Antelope Island without encountering wildlife. The maintained herd, reaching up to 700 individuals, started out as only 12 when ranchers William Glassman and John Dooly first introduced the bison to the area with the monetary motivation to start a hunting ranch and charge people to come and hunt.
It wasn’t until 1926 that the pair realized their plans were financially doomed, and a planned eradication of the bison was planned. While almost successful, a few surviving bison quickly repopulated the island and became the ancestors to the dominating herd who call the island home today.
With no natural predators, yearly roundups are held on the island to keep population numbers from destroying Antelope Island’s ecosystem and to vaccinate the ones who remain. Overabundant bison are rehomed to nearby parks, such as Yellowstone, or purchased by local farmers.
While not native to the area, these bison are graceful and wonderful to watch from a safe distance of 25 yards. Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, and bighorn sheep are among the other large mammals that you can spot roaming the island. More keen observers will also be able to spot badgers, porcupines, and one of the many birds that nest on the island such as blue herons, ibis, red-winged blackbirds, and California gulls.
Most bison are gentle and tolerant of people. Even still, it’s important to stay 25 yards away from them so as not to risk agitating them.
A visit to the Fielding Garr Ranch is a chance to step back in history. While this historic ranch was purchased by the hunting ranch hopeful John Dooly, it was originally constructed by widower Fielding Garr. A Mormon and member of the LDS church, Garr settled on the island to manage the church’s herd of sheep and other cattle.
The ranch was continually operated for over 100 years and was one of the largest sheep ranches in the country in its prime. Today, the ranch is operated as a living museum and gives demonstrations on wool processing, blacksmith work, and sheep sheering on select days.
What better way to feel like you’re a real rancher from the 1800s than by traveling over the Antelope Island vista via horseback? While this may sound like a fantasy, Rhodes Valley Outfitters actually makes this a reality. They offer guided tours on your own horse, a rented horse, or even give you the opportunity to ride a vintage stagecoach pulled by a pair of impressive Clydesdales. These experiences allow you to see Antelope Island in a way that is unique from any other tour you could take of the land. Watch bison and pronghorn sheep graze across the wild landscape, learn about the island ecosystem from somebody who knows it better than anybody else, and see the open ranch land like a real wrangler did when the Fielding Garr Ranch was still operating.
The miles of flat open roads along Antelope Island make the park a fantastic place to bike. While we were here, we chose to ride our manual bikes and worked up a sweat on an uncharacteristically balmy day in October as we waved at the grazing bison that we drove by. If you don’t have your own bike, though, Antelope Island comes through for you by renting electric bikes through Antelope Ebikes. Located right by the visitors center as you enter the island, you can choose to pick up a bike for the day or you could even opt to partake in a guided tour of the island.
If you’re unfamiliar, Ebikes are like any other mountain bike, but they are equipped with an electric battery which makes getting up hills or catching up with your group of friends as easy as squeezing a throttle. It’s basically like a super-bike and I am a big fan of their ability to make bike riding more accessible to a greater number of people.
Before your visit to Antelope Island is over, we encourage you to stay past sunset for an incredible opportunity to see the night sky. Antelope Island was deemed an International Dark Sky Park, meaning it is held to nighttime thresholds for light pollution which makes stars, constellations, and even galaxies ultra visible.
Check the moon phase of your visiting day before you go, and if you are lucky enough to be visiting the park when the moon is at a low percentage of illumination, then there will be a spectacular light show waiting for you once the sun sets! Drew and I was lucky enough to be here over a new moon. We set up our lawn chairs, stared toward the Milky Way, and watched for shooting stars for what could have easily been an hour. There are not many places left where the night sky is preserved as well as Antelope Island so we don’t think any visit to the park is complete without a little bit of stargazing.
While the colorful sunset displays are something to be admired, it’s hard to say that they hold a candle to seeing the Milky Way lit up before your eyes.
We hope you enjoyed reading this guide Salt Lake City’s hidden natural gem, Antelope Island. If you have any questions, or you know of another natural gem around the Great Salt Lake, comment down below so that we can help future travelers together!
Thank you for joining us at Discovery Detour, where the destination is always unknown.
