Great Salt Lake

K Visitor Center " t r Your park fees provide for the care, protection and enhancement of this park. el , " w " ! @" ñ " P ; " Ç" " ¸ ail Plants and Animals – All plants, animals, minerals and other natural features in state parks are protected. It is unlawful to remove, alter or destroy them. f-G Tr K " Silver Sands Beach d " Park Location: The park is located 17 miles west of Salt Lake City on I-80, Exit 104 (Saltair Dr). " u l G K " de Pets – Pets are allowed, but should be on a maximum six-foot leash. Service dogs are the only animals admitted into park buildings. Please clean up after pets. e ui Fireworks – Explosives, fireworks and firecrackers are prohibited. L a k S Fires – Campfires are allowed in developed pits only. All developed campsites provide barbeque grills. Firewood is not available. a t S a Please observe the following park regulations to ensure a safe and pleasant visit. e Park Guidelines ! @ Vandalism – Please help keep our parks beautiful. It is unlawful to mutilate or deface any natural or constructed feature. n " Marina Wastewater – It is unlawful to dump or drain wastewater from campers or trailers onto the ground. Utility sinks and a sanitary disposal station are provided. ? ! ñ £" "" Yacht Club Entrance Station Visitor center " Picnic area £ K Overlook " " Other Buildings ; Campground " with hookups ¸ Dump station " , Boat ramp " P " Concessions ñ " Restrooms w Parking " Outdoor Ç " showers Foot washing " station Other w " Quiet Hours – 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. North " S uns et B eac h Su " u nset Beac h Tr ail Marina Office Pavement Trail Great Salt Lake State Park Operating Hours: The park is open year-round. April through September: 8 a.m. to sunset October through March: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Address Inquiries To: Great Salt Lake State Park P.O. Box 440 Magna, UT 84044 (801) 250-1898 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. 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 12/18 Utah State Parks GREAT SALT LAKE STATE PARK G reat Salt Lake State Park is a gateway to Great Salt Lake, with opportunities for boating, birding, kayaking, biking, and sweeping views of the lake. Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds stop by Great Salt Lake each year, making the marina a popular destination for birders. The marina offers visitors a chance to explore this unique inland sea, with a boat launch, observation deck, beach, visitor center, gift shop and camping. Great Salt Lake G reat Salt Lake is a remnant of prehistoric Lake Bonneville, which covered more than 20,000 square miles of land. The present lake is about 75 miles long and 35 miles wide, with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Water levels in the lake are far from constant and depend on seasonal evaporation and precipitation. The Saltair is the most famous resort and is about two miles east of the marina. It was first built in 1893, but was destroyed by fire in 1971. In 1981 a Saltair replica was built, but a flood in 1984 made it close again. With the lowering of the lake’s water level, the Saltair was once again reopened in 1993 and has been open to the public ever since. Wildlife T his unique inland sea contains no fish; only algae, brine fly-larvae and brine shrimp can live in Great Salt Lake’s waters. Brine shrimp are a major source of food for migratory birds. They are also valuable for their hard-walled eggs or cysts, which are commercially harvested and sold worldwide as fish and prawn food. Shrimp harvesting boats can be seen on Great Salt Lake October through January. T he park offers excellent views of the Bonneville Shoreline levels, which mark the presence of the ancient Lake Bonneville. Four distinct shorelines are visible along the mountain ranges surrounding the lake, and on the islands within the lake. To Idaho Golden Spike National Historical Site Gunnison Bay Dolphin Island Silver Sands Beach consists of oolitic sand, which is a unique feature of Great Salt Lake. Oolitic sand consists of round, smooth grains that are formed when concentric layers of calcium carbonate build up around mineral grains or brine shrimp fecal pellets. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Spiral Jetty 89 To Logan Willard Bay State Park Willard Bay Gunnison Island Bear River Bay Railway Causeway (Private) 15 Promontory Point Fremont Island ke La Antelope Drive (Exit 332) Antelope Island State Park Carrington Island Antelo Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area Gilbert Bay nd ury Isla N Farmington Bay nd pe Isla Stansb Salinity Comparison Body of Water Average % of Salinity Dead Sea, Israel ........................ 33% Great Salt Lake, Utah ................ 15% Salton Sea, California ................ 4% Oceans ....................................... 3% Drinking Water ........................... 0% 15 84 alt The shores and nearby wetlands are also home to a number of reptiles and mammals. Geology Marina - Boat slips are available for long-term or day-use. Contact the Harbor Master for availability. tS Great Salt Lake is a popular destination for birders due to the diverse amount of migratory birds that pass through. The lake attracts more than 257 bird species, depending on the season. Ducks, geese, gulls, pelicans, eagles and hundreds of other birds live in the marshes and wetlands surrounding the lake. The lake is an important part of the Pacific and Central Fly Ways for migratory birds and part of the Northern Hemispheric Shore Bird Reserve. Camping - The marina offers five camp spots with water and electrical hook-ups, picnic tables and fire pits/grills. ea Gr Before the 1960’s, most early water craft on Great Salt Lake were for industrial purposes, including everything from mineral extraction to ferrying livestock. Commercial vessels also assisted in the construction of the Transcontinental Railway, contributing to Great Salt Lake’s role as a crucial transportation hub. Day-use Facilities - The marina offers access to sandy beaches, outdoor shower facilities, pavilion, picnic areas and modern restrooms. The covered pavilion can be reserved and rented for private events. ains Black Rock, located about a mile west of the marina, can be seen from both the marina and I-80. This landmark was first seen by Brigham Young three days after he arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. It has also been the site of several beach resorts that eventually fell prey to the everfluctuating lake level. Visitor Center - Open year-round. Amenities include wheelchair accessibility, exhibits, publications, and gift shop. A video presentation may be viewed upon request and a Junior Ranger Program is available for young visitors. e Mount Fish and most other aquatic life cannot tolerate the stress of the hyper saline water. However, brine shrimp, brine fly larvae, and algae thrive in the lake. F rom the mid 1800’s to the present, Great Salt Lake has been visited for recreational purposes by swimmers, boaters, bikers, hikers, and hunters. In the past, eateries and lake-side resorts were spread along the lake front. Water level fluctuations have affected lake recreation over the years; many resorts have either flooded or been left dry. Facilities and Services The first sailing craft was launched in 1847 and by the 1860’s, boating for pleasure began on Great Salt Lake. Various cruises and boat races were held throughout the late 19th century. In 1877 the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club was established and continues to operate today, making it among the oldest in the nation. The Yacht Club still holds sailboat and remote control sailboat races at the marina. Lakesid Four rivers and numerous streams empty into Great Salt Lake, carrying dissolved minerals. The lake has no outlet and has such a high concentration of salt because water evaporates off of the lake and leaves the salt and minerals behind. The lake’s salinity levels range between 5 and 28 percent, compared to the ocean at 3 percent. About 4.5 billion tons of salt are in the lake, and commercial removal of salt equals about 2.3 million tons annually. History Salt Lake City 80 Great Salt Lake State Park & Saltair (Exit 104) To Wendover & Bonneville Salt Flats 36 80 To Park City 215 111 To Tooele 15 To Bingham Copper Mine To Provo