visiting the bonneville salt flats in december

If you visit when it is wet, you will be amazed by the mirror reflection of the sky, clouds, and outlining mountains. The eye-catching white surface and the area’s breathtaking sunrises and sunsets create a setting your camera will simply eat up.

Photo Ops – The remarkable beauty and flat appearance make the salt flats are an ideal spot for photographers and Instagramers.

Be prepared for your taste buds to go into overdrive. Yes! The salt was once mined for use in food. This is an extremely hot time of year (often over 100 degrees Fahrenheit), but it is the ideal time for driving because the salt is dry and hard. The best time is in summer and fall (July to October).

Seasonal closures are marked with posted signs when standing water is on the salt surface. Avoid driving when the ground is wet or flooded otherwise, you damage the salt crust and risk becoming stuck in the mud. (Related: Why Are The Bonneville Salt Flats Vanishing?) Can You Drive on the Salt Flats?Ībsolutely… if the weather is right. The area is protected by the Bureau of Land Management and is categorized as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern and Special Recreation Management Area. The entrance is free and open to the public most of the year.

It is also renowned for automotive racing and is the home of many land speed records. The remarkable beauty and flatness have made it an international destination for tourists and a popular backdrop for photographers and television and movie directors. It is so flat that you can see the curvature of the earth. The salt ranges in thickness from a few inches to 5-feet thick and is blown by the wind to create a perfectly flat surface that shines white under the desert sun. The lake was expansive, covering a third of the state of Utah and extending into Idaho and Nevada. It was formed by receding water of Lake Bonneville that existed during the last Ice Age 32,000 and 14,000 years ago. The Bonneville Salt Flats are 4,000 square miles of flat, salty ground on the western side of the Great Salt Lake basin in Utah. And if you happen to be a car enthusiast, it brings some excitement as well. It provides truly unique and breathtaking scenery and plenty of room to take it all in. The globally-renowned location ranks as one of the top geographic destinations in North America, and it is easy to see why. If you’re looking for stunning scenic beauty and a truly other-worldly experience, Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats should be firmly on your travel list.

Visiting the bonneville salt flats in december