Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake

[Frulk_imp]

Cold this morning but dry. Left the house at 8:55 with the temp showing 38 on the thermometer and ran over to my buddies coffee shop and shot the breeze for about half hour and then rode out to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake (about 15 minutes from my house). Antelope Island was recently in the news for setting a world record for the highest price paid for a mule deer hunting tag ($400K+).

The island is connected to the mainland at the northeast corner by a man-made causeway 7 miles long. Pic shows the first 3 miles of the causeway looking back east towards the Wasatch Mt's.



At about mile 5.5 on the causeway looking west/north west across the main body of the lake



Coming off the causeway almost to the island is a small memorial to a special ops crew that perished in a training exercise when their Blackhawk went down in the lake during winter.



Once on the actual island the roads are in pretty good shape, twisty, with expansive views in all directions. This is off a small road between the visitor center and one of the beaches on the north end of the island. Looking north west



On one of the higher parts of the island looking north east towards the Wasatch Front and Ogden (Ogden lies at the base of the mt's towards the center of the pic.



Close-up of Ben Lomond (the mt used as the inspiration for the Paramount Picture Logo)



Antelope Island is also known as having one of the largest free roaming buffalo herds (bison for those of you who feel the need to use the correct name for the species) in the US. You can see 5 of them bedded down behind the bike. Many times I've ridden here and they're standing in the middle of the roads and you just have to give them their space or go elsewhere.



Another, less threatening bison. Looking east towards the Wasatch Front and where I live.



This pic was taken looking southwest towards the terminus of the lake. Beyond that and slightly to the right and several hundred miles is nothing but desert until you get to Reno, Nev



This was taken on the way home about 5 miles east of the island and facing due east towards my house. I've snow-shoed/winter camped and grouse hunted along the ridges visible in the picture.



When I made it home 1.5 hours later the temp had climbed to 42. Good ride with few cars out.

[LongRanger_imp]

Excellent pics -- thanks for sharing. I lived in Alta, UT, for two years a while back, and have ridden to Reno, NV and points west many times. These photos bring back great memories!

[Cormanus]

Nice report and pictures, Frulk. Those snow-capped mountains are a stunning backdrop.

[redbirds_imp]

Lovely pics Frulk. Utah is one amazing place.

[CA200_imp]

Just awesome pictures !

[Rick Froscheiser_imp]

Very nice pictures and write up. Thanks for sharing.

[Django]

Great pictures!

[Rocky_imp]

Nice pictures
This is the first time I had heard about this island. Thanks for posting.

[nvbobr_imp]

Nice views, Frulk...

I haven't been to the island but I make several motorcycle trips a year to visit my son who works in Ogden. He lives in Salt Lake City and commutes to work on the Front Runner train. Maybe I'll tour Antelope Island when it gets a little warmer.

[the Ferret]

Very cool. That first pic is great and also like the one with ceramic buffalo (or bison). I've been close to one on my bike in Yellowstone. They are some big critters.

Man, someone must have wanted a mule deer very badly.