OurNextStop: Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island and its reflexion!

We really enjoyed our stay in September in Ogden UT, immediately north of Salt Lake City on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Off shore in the Lake is a wonderful island that is a State Park that warrants a visit, if not a trip to see it!
The park is Antelope Island State Park and it is vast wonderland of interesting terrain and animals. Dominating the island is a mountain that raises 2200 feet above the lake.

BJ on the beach!

It has a large public beach with beach shelters, a grill for lunch and beautiful vistas!

At the south end of the island is a compound with the buildings, both residential and shops, of the former cattle ranch that covered about half the island until early in the last century. It was originally started by the Mormon church and was operated by the church for many years, but late in the 19th century they sold it to a private ranch that was also on the island and that combined operation carried on for about 40 years before it was finally to the State who owned the rest of the island by then.

In the mid-50's the State completed a 7 mile causeway from the mainland out to the island and started really developing the land then as a State Park.

The causeway out to Antelope Island with marina on left!

There is a marina at the island end of the causeway that is crowded with boats in the summer time. It was nearly empty when we were there in late September. On the north end of the island near the public beach is well done visitor center that explains the ecology of the island and its history and helps you understand the environment you are visiting.

There is a herd of 700 free roaming buffaloes on the island. Only a cattle guard at the end of the causeway keep them from visiting the mainland! Also, about 300 antelope are permanent residents along with untold number of mule deer and also some mountain sheep that live higher on the mountain.

There are several hiking trails, including one that goes to the peak of the mountain. We opted not to do it because it was getting late in the day. But, we did do a shorter one at the base of the mountain.

Part way up the mountain. Mainland in background.

Another thing I liked about the park was the causeway. It was wide and level and gave me a perfect place to go carving on the Trikke. I took one day and went out and carved all the way out to the island and then back to the mainland. BJ enjoyed some lone time while I did that. It was nice since we have not been around any level ground for carving in quite awhile.