Antelope IslandBrochure |
Brochure of Antelope Island State Park in Utah. Published by Utah State Parks.
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Park Guidelines
Please observe the following park regulations to
ensure everyone’s visit is pleasant.
Fires - Seasonal fire closures are posted. Fires are
allowed only in designated areas, and gathering
firewood is prohibited.
Parking - Park only in designated parking areas. Do
not park along roadside. Horse trailers are limited to
designated trailheads.
Pets - Pets must be on a maximum six-foot leash
and under control at all times. Dogs and horses are
not allowed on the beach. Horses must remain in
designated hitching areas when not on the trail. Horses
are not allowed in ranch area or on Frary Peak Trail.
Plants and Animals - Wildlife, plants, minerals, cultural,
and all other natural features within the park are legally
protected. It is unlawful to remove, alter, destroy or
harass them.
N
Facilities and Services
Antelope Island is open year-round, and hours vary by
season.
Visitor Center - Open year-round. Amenities include
wheelchair accessibility, exhibits, publications, gift shop,
restrooms and amphitheater. Junior Ranger booklets
are available for young visitors.
Hiking
Visitor Center
Camping
Picnic Area
Restrooms
Showers
Dump Station
Road
Trail
Fielding Garr Ranch - Accessible year-round. Many
amenities are accessible to those with disabilities,
and include self-guided tours, exhibits, picnic areas
and restrooms. Special events are scheduled during
summer months and holidays. There is no drinking
water available.
Day-use Facilities - Bridger Bay offers a sandy beach,
indoor/outdoor shower facilities, pavilion, picnic areas
and modern restrooms. Covered picnic areas are
available near the visitor center, and drinking water
is available at beach facilities and the visitor center.
Interpretive exhibits along the eastside road describe
island history and geology.
Trails – Trails are non-motorized and vary in length and
difficulty. Please consult trail maps or signs for more
information. No water is available along trails, please
plan accordingly. Horseback riding, hiking and bicycling
are permitted only on established trails, which are
designated with trail markers. Trails may be closed in case
of natural hazards, fawning or lambing seasons, and other
circumstances.
Gas, food, lodging and medical services are available
in Davis County, which is seven to 14 miles east of the
island.
Camping – Camp only in designated campgrounds. Each
camping permit allows one vehicle and any attached
recreational equipment. RV campers should fill water
tanks before coming to the park. It is unlawful to dump
or drain water from campers or trailers onto the ground.
A disposal station is available just south of the visitor
center. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Address Inquiries To:
Bridger Bay Campground – 26 primitive campsites
include picnic tables, shade pavilions, fire pits/grills and
vault toilets. There is no water or electricity. Wheelchair
accessible campsites are available by reservation. One
vehicle and up to eight people are allowed per campsite.
There is a fee for additional vehicles or recreational
equipment. Horses are not allowed.
White Rock Bay Group Campground – 20 primitive
campsites include picnic tables, fire pits/grills and
vault toilets. No water or electricity. Shade pavilions are
available in select sites. Two vehicles and up to 16 people
per site. Two equestrian sites are available.
Ladyfinger Campground – Five primitive campsites include
picnic tables and tent pads. Open fires are not permitted.
No water, electricity or shade. One tent, one vehicle, and up
to four people per site. Vault toilet is available.
Lakeside Group Campsite – One primitive site includes
picnic tables, fire pits/grills, shade pavilion and a vault
toilet. No water or electricity. 20 vehicles and up to 80
people are allowed.
Other Services – Concessions on the island offer a full
service grill. Hours of operation vary throughout the year.
Guided horseback rides, boat rentals, and cruises on
Great Salt Lake are available by reservation. Kayak tours
and rentals are seasonally available.
Antelope Island
State Park
Operating Hours:
The park is open year-round excluding Thanksgiving and
December 25.
Antelope Island State Park
4528 West 1700 South
Syracuse, UT 84075
(801) 773-2941 Entrance Gate
(801) 725-9263 Visitor Center
(801) 721-9569 School group reservations
(800) 322-3770 Camping reservations
or
Utah State Parks and Recreation
P.O. Box 146001
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6001
(801) 538-7220
stateparks.utah.gov
Utah State Parks Mission:
To enhance the quality of life by preserving and providing
natural, cultural and recreational resources for the enjoyment,
education and inspiration of this and future generations.
Your park fees provide for the care, protection
and enhancement of this park.
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Visit antelopeisland.utah.gov or scan
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for more information.
Information contained in this brochure was accurate at the time of
printing. Policies, facilities, fees, hours and regulations, etc., change
as mandated. For updated information please contact the park.
Printed on recycled paper
03/17
150M
Utah State Parks
ANTELOPE ISLAND
STATE PARK
V
Oolitic sand is a unique feature of Great Salt Lake.
These round grains of sand are formed when mineral
grains or brine shrimp fecal pellets are coated by
concentric layers of aragonite, a form of calcium
carbonate. This is similar to how pearls are formed.
isit the largest island in Great Salt Lake,
which offers camping, wildlife viewing,
hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking.
Antelope Island is home to free-roaming
herds of bison, bighorn sheep, mule deer,
and pronghorn antelope. The island provides
spectacular views of Great Salt Lake, the
Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake skyline, and
benches of ancient Lake Bonneville.
The island’s namesake, pronghorn antelope, are
native to Utah and to the island. These small, deer-like
animals are the fastest animals in North America and
can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour. Like all
other animals on the island, they roam freely and can
be seen at various locations throughout the year.
Great Salt Lake
G
reat Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of
the Mississippi River. The lake is a remnant of
pre-historic Lake Bonneville, which covered more than
20,000 square miles during the last Ice Age. Four
distinct shorelines from the lake may be seen from
Antelope Island.
On average Great Salt Lake is 75 miles long by 28
miles wide, covering 1,700 square miles. At this level,
maximum depth is about 33 feet. Size and depth vary
greatly with seasonal evaporation and precipitation.
Geology
A
ntelope Island comprises 28,022 acres, and is
15 miles long and 4.5 miles across at its widest
point. Frary Peak is the highest point on the island
at 6,596 feet above sea level. The island is part of a
basin and range mountain formation located between
the Wasatch and Sierra Nevada ranges.
A
Salinity is too high to support fish and most other
aquatic species. However, brine shrimp, brine flies,
and several types of algae thrive in the lake and are
primary food sources for millions of migrating birds.
The oldest rocks on Antelope Island are some of the
oldest found anywhere in Utah. The Farmington Canyon
complex, at 1.7 billion years old, is the same age as
rocks found at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. These
rocks, which are banded and contorted, comprise the
southern two-thirds of the island.
Fielding Garr established the first permanent
residence on the island in 1848, which is Utah’s
oldest Anglo-built structure still standing on its
original foundation. Tour the home and Historic
Fielding Garr Ranch, a western ranching history.
Nearly 80 percent of Utah’s wetlands surround Great
Salt Lake, making its ecosystem one of the most
important resources in North America for migratory
and nesting birds. The area hosts 250 bird species
each year, which represents a significant part of the
six to nine million migratory birds passing through
the Pacific Flyway. The lake and its marshes provide
resting, nesting, and staging areas for birds.
Tintic Quartzite, found on the northern one-third of
the island, is 550 million years old and was deposited
in a shallow marine environment. Quartzite, which is
metamorphosed sandstone, can be seen around the
visitor center. The youngest rocks on the island are tufa,
deposited by Lake Bonneville only 10,000 to 15,000
years ago. Tufa deposits typically resemble concrete and
can be viewed from the Buffalo Point Trail.
rtifacts reveal prehistoric people inhabited the
island more than 6,000 years ago. John C.
Fremont and Kit Carson made the first known Anglo
exploration of Antelope Island in 1845, and named
it after observing several pronghorn antelope
grazing on the rangelands.
A
ntelope Island has several freshwater springs
found primarily on the east side supporting island
wildlife and vegetation.
Bison are the island’s most famous residents. Twelve
animals were introduced to the island in 1893 and
were the foundation for today’s herd. An annual bison
roundup is held each fall to assess the health of the
herd and sell extra animals.
Water flows into the lake from four river drainages,
carrying 2.2 million tons of minerals into the lake
each year. Great Salt Lake has no outlet; water leaves
only through evaporation. Because of this, high
concentrations of minerals are left behind.
History
Wildlife
Mule deer and California bighorn sheep are the other
large herbivores on the island. Predators include
coyotes, bobcats, badgers and numerous birds of prey
such as owls, hawks and falcons.
Educational Programs and Activities
E
ngaging and educational programs are offered
year-round at Antelope Island. These include
guided hikes, Junior Ranger programs, bird walks,
astronomy programs and more. Programs help
enrich the visitor experience by providing in-depth
information about the island and its many unique
resources.
School field trips are also offered. Subjects
include Great Salt Lake ecology, plant and animal
adaptions, geology, Utah history and more. For
more information on any of these activities and
events, visit the park website at antelopeisland.
utah.gov.