The Bonneville Salt Flats Are Utah's Most Barren Place

Utah is full of vast, untouched places, and the Bonneville Salt Flats is no exception. These salt flats cover 30,000 acres…and are simply stunning. Sure, it’s a barren place, but you’ll want to visit anyway. Here’s why:

Visit the salt flats by parking at the rest stop 10 miles east of Wendover. You’ll find restrooms, plenty of parking and a water spray station to rinse the salt off yourself after you’re done playing.

Lake Bonneville once covered almost one-third of Utah (and several parts of other states, too). All that’s left of the lake now is the Great Salt Lake, and the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Much of the Salt Flats are uninhabitable. Nothing can grow in this hard-packed salt.

In the winter, the Salt Flats are flooded by a shallow layer of water. The water evaporates in the spring and the wind blows across the flats, spreading them smooth again.

The wide-open skies contrast beautifully with the endless stretch of hard-packed salt flats.

Play "fetch" with your pup - there's plenty of space for him to run here, and no cars to worry about.

Metaphor: The Tree of Utah, by Karl Momen is a cool, interesting land sculpture. Check it out, then argue with your travel buddies about what it means.

Dance and frolic in this wide-open space. Feel free to let loose...there's probably no one around to see you!

Watch the craziness of Speed Week at Bonneville Speedway, where vehicles break land speed records. The Speedway is near Wendover.

Visit as the sun is rising or setting for some truly remarkable scenery.

Enjoy the feeling of complete and total solitude.

If you plan to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats, be prepared for harsh conditions. Take plenty of water (or stock up at the rest stop). During summer months, slather on the sunscreen, wear a hat and expect temperatures in the low 100s. In the winter, temperatures here can dip to below zero. Don’t stray too far from your car!

Please don’t drive across the flats; though the crust is hard, the weight of a vehicle can break it. Definitely keep your car off the flats when they’re covered with water – not only could you get stuck, but the salt water will quickly corrode the electrical system in your car.

Would you like to see more of Utah’s vast terrain? Check out these 12 Scenic Overlooks!

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The Bonneville Salt Flats Are The Most Barren Place In Utah, But You'll Want To Visit Anyway

Catherine Armstrong

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