Antelope Island Salt Lake City
The Lake Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. With an estimated population of 189,314 in 2012, the city lies in the core of the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,175,905. Salt Lake City is further situated in a larger urban area known as the Wasatch Front, which has a population of 2,328,299. It is one of only two major urban areas in the Great Basin (the other being Reno, Nevada), and the largest in the Intermountain West. The city was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young, Isaac Morley, George Washington Bradley and several other Mormon followers, who extensively irrigated and cultivated the arid valley. Due to its proximity to the Great Salt Lake, the city was originally named “Great Salt Lake City”—the word “great” was dropped from the official name in 1868 by the 17th Utah Territorial Legislature. Although Salt Lake City is still home to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), less than half the population of Salt Lake City proper are members of the LDS Church today.
Antelope Island is known for its scenic beauty, especially in the northwest quadrant of the island at Buffalo Point and White Rock Bay, where mountains and hills overlook beaches as well as the reflecting waters of the Great Salt Lake and other islands that are visible in the lake. A balloon festival is held yearly, around Labor Day. Birdwatching on Antelope Island is well known.[Hiking and Cycling are popular activities, but
water is scarce and there are few trees on the island. Though not strictly a Desert Island there are no permanent human inhabitants and conditions are quite dry and can be very hot during the summer. Freely flowing fresh water is not readily available on the island, though there are a few natural springs, mostly in the mountainous spine of the island and towards the south end of the island. Water and restrooms are available in the visitor areas of the island. There is a giftshop and small fast food restaurant that is open during the main visitor season. It is located at Buffalo Point. Pub-
lic beaches, a marina and overnight camping areas are available and popular on the northern part of the island. Observing wildlife is also popular on Antelope Island, especially the large numbers of bison which are part of the Antelope Island Bison Herd. Coyotes and antelope are sometimes seen close to the main roads and campsites, and bison often wander across the roads, though the bison are most often found towards the south end of the island near the Fielding Garr Ranch. Other activities on the island include visiting the historical Fielding Garr Ranch, horseback riding and photography. on the island each year at distances of 25 kilometers, 50 kilometers, 50 miles and 100 miles.
“Antelope Island is known for its scenic
beauty, where mountains and hills overlook beaches as well as the reflecting waters of the Great Salt Lake.�
Antelope Island State Park is a Utah State Park and the entire island is included in the park. Early in the 20th Century, because of its wildlife and scenic beauty, some suggested that Antelope Island should become a National Park, but the movement never came to fruition. When the Utah
State Parks System was created, proposals were made to turn Antelope Island into Antelope Island State Park and the proposal gradually gathered public support, but Antelope Island was privately owned at the time. Originally, Antelope Island was used as a ranch for cattle and sheep,
The island is accessible via a 7 miles (11 km) causeway from Syracuse in Davis County. Access from I-15 is via exit 332, then west along Antelope Drive (SR108). The island’s shore (all but west side of the island) is mostly flat with beaches and plains to the base of the mountains on the island. These steep mountains are
visible from most of the northern Wasatch Front, reaching a maximum elevation of 6,596 feet (2,010 m), which is about 2,500 feet (762 m) above the level of the lake. On the east side of the island, 11 miles (18 km) south of the causeway, is the Fielding Garr Ranch.
Salt Lake City has a total area of 110.4 mi2 (285.9 km²) and an average elevation of 4,327 feet (1,320 m) above sea level. The lowest point within the boundaries of the city is 4,210 feet (1,280 m) near the Jordan River and the Great Salt Lake, and the highest is Grandview Peak, at 9,410 feet (2,868 m). The city is located in the northeast corner of the Salt Lake Valley surrounded by the Great Salt Lake to the
northwest and the steep Wasatch and Oquirrh mountain ranges on the eastern and western borders, respectively. Its encircling mountains contain many narrow glacial and stream carved canyons. Among them, City Creek, Emigration, Millcreek, and Parley’s border the eastern city limits. The Great Salt Lake is separated from Salt Lake City by extensive marshlands and mudflats. The metabolic activities of bacteria in the lake result in a phenomenon known as “lake stink”, a scent reminiscent of foul poultry eggs, two to three times per year for a few hours.