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Imagine a place so flat you can almost see the natural curvature of the earth, so barren no life form can survive.
Imagine the passing thunder of strange vehicles hurtling by on a vast, dazzling white plain. This is Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats.
The Bonneville Salt Flats is a unique natural feature, stretching over 30,000 acres, and a fragile resource. Thousands of visitors, commercial film makers and auto racers come here.
Although he never visited the salt flats, the area is named in honor of Captain B. L. E. Bonneville, whose expeditions in the 1830s proved the area was a part of the ancient basin.
During the last Ice Age, Lake Bonneville was the size of Lake Michigan. It covered one-third of Utah and parts of neighboring states. Traces of the shorelines, representing different levels of the receding lake, are etched into the mountains surrounding the salt flats.
The flats and the Great Salt Lake are remnants of ancient Lake Bonneville. Wind and water combine to create the flat surface of salt. Each winter, a shallow layer of standing water floods the surface. During spring and summer, the water slowly evaporates while winds smooth the surface into a vast, nearly perfect, flat plain.
The salt surface contains potassium, magnesium lithium, and sodium chloride (common table salt).
Humans have lived in the Great Basin for thousands of years. Excavations at Danger Cave have proven occupation as early as 10,300 years ago. While Native Americans adapted to the desert environment, more recent arrivals found the area less hospitable.
When visiting the flats, stay on existing roads or areas designated for vehicles. Despite the appearance of a hard surface, much of the area is a thin salt crust over soft mud. It easily breaks under the weight of a vehicle. Visitors must also stay off the salt surface when it is covered by water. When wet, the salt surface is soft and easily damaged by vehicles. The salt water is highly corrosive and can damage a vehicle's electrical system.
Be prepared for desert conditions. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees F in summer and drop well below freezing in winter. There are no facilities nor services on the salt flats. Temporary facilities are available during racing events.
The Salt Flats begin about 1.5 hours from Salt Lake City west on I-80. Exit 4 is another half-hour drive, about four miles east of Wendover.
Overnight stays are prohibited on the salt flats. Camping is encouraged on surrounding public lands.
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