State Parks- Antelope Island- Salt Lake City, Utah

We stayed overnight at Antelope Island State Park on the night of June 12th. It is the largest island  located in the Great Salt Lake of Utah and is accessible by land bridge. The island is 15 miles by 4 ½ miles. There are eleven islands in total in Salt Lake; eight are always visible and three appear and disappear as the level of water in the Lake changes. 

View of mountains and Salt lake from van driving across land bridge.

Photo Credit: Erin Maguire

View from hill of Lake, landscape and mountains.

Photo Credit: Erin Maguire



Erin among the scruffy vegetation of island.

Photo Credit: Erin Maguire

We were eaten alive by knats when we hiked along the Western Loop Trail. It was worth the hike and  tiny annoyances because we got to see bison up close and personal.

The West Loop Trail.

Photo Credit: Erin Maguire

Buffalo in the distance.

Photo Credit: Erin Maguire

Buffalo print along the trail.

Photo Credit: Erin  Maguire

The bison are not native to the park, they were introduced in 1893. The park says that the bison on the island have proven to be”a valuable genetic pool for bison breeding and conservation purposes”. The bison survive because the island is covered in grasses that they eat but the bison destroy the vegetation in the process of eating it. They also drink the limited fresh water supplies of the island which should be used by native species to the island.  The island is native to Pronghorn Antelope (hence the name of the island) , Bighorn Sheep, porcupine, badger, coyote, bobcat, and millions of waterfowl. In my mind, the bison were put there as a tourist attraction.

Pronghorn Antelope

Bighorn Sheep