Utah has so many unique landscapes and features, and the Great Salt Lake is certainly one of them. If you’re hoping to visit this amazing spot, be sure to stop by Antelope Island State Park!
Imagine the surprise of the pioneers who settled in the Salt Lake Valley when they discovered this huge body of water was saltier than the ocean! In a land where water is scarce, it must have been quite a disappointment.
I grew up in Utah and love visiting the Great Salt Lake! Antelope Island provides a rare experience to explore the Great Salt Lake that you won’t find anywhere else.
Getting Here
Antelope Island is located north of Salt Lake City, Utah, near Syracuse. Take the Antelope Drive exit on Interstate 15, exit 332, and head west for approximately 15 miles.
As you approach the causeway to reach Antelope Island, you will be stopped at a ranger station. There is an entrance fee to enter the state park — thank you for visiting and contributing to the protection of this beautiful place!
What to Expect
Antelope Island is a desolate landscape with very few trees and shade. Plan to be in direct sunlight for most of your trip to the island. Two primitive campgrounds are the only places to stay overnight on the island, and there is one small restaurant with seasonal hours at the picnic area, so consider bringing your own lunch.
Here are 5 amazing things to see and do at Antelope Island State Park.
1. Hike the Buffalo Point Trail
This trail is the gem of Antelope Island! This trail has gorgeous, sweeping views of the Great Salt Lake and has a lot of fun rocks to climb on when you get to the top.
What You Need to Know
This is a short, uphill climb with one small section (30 steps or so) that hugs a cliff, so if you take little children, just watch them carefully.
The trail is 0.4 miles one-way. The trail starts from the west end of the parking area near the pit toilet. Buffalo Point also has an interpretive center and some picnic tables with a spectacular view if you do not want to or cannot hike.
Getting Here
Take a left as you enter Antelope Island and follow the road toward the White Rock Bay Campground. Make the first right after you pass the road to the Bridger Bay Campground. You will see the trailhead parking lot about halfway up the hillside.
2. Swim at the Bridger Bay Day-Use Area
Yes, you can swim in the Great Salt Lake! Because the lake is so shallow, it stays quite warm, and the beaches are nice and sandy.
What You Need to Know
Take some flip-flops or sandals with you. It is a long trek from the picnic area to the water, and during your trek, you will find several different consistencies of sand. As you get closer to the lake, the sand becomes hard, crusty, and sharp on your feet.
Seasonally, you will encounter huge swarms of flies and gnats near the water, so be sure to check the website before you go. This usually occurs from about April to July or so. Because of this, I would not recommend taking food with you down to the water.
Bridger Bay Day-Use Area has shaded tables, nice restrooms, and showers to wash off the salt after a swim.
Getting Here
Take a right as you enter Antelope Island. Follow the road past the Visitor Center, and you will see the parking area on your right.
3. Take a Stroll to Lady Finger Point
This trail is a short 0.25-mile walk out to the end of Lady Finger Point and provides a great view of Egg Island and the north side of the Great Salt Lake. For many, this is a great bird-watching area, and this is a great little trail for kids.
Getting Here
Take a right as you enter Antelope Island from the causeway, pass the marina, and you will see a shaded picnic table and some restrooms next to a parking area. This is the trailhead. If you get to the Visitor Center, you have gone too far.
4. Tour the Historic Fielding Garr Ranch
The Fielding Garr Ranch was the first permanent residence on Antelope Island and was inhabited from 1848 to 1981. We were able to take a guided tour of the Ranch, given by a park historian, to learn all about how the homesteaders were able to survive in such a desolate place. The State Park occasionally provides guided tours, but you do not need to be guided to visit and experience the Ranch.
What You Need to Know
Fielding Garr Ranch is a hands-on museum, which means that you can touch and feel almost everything you see. The home and the barn are open to walk through. There is even a water pump you can try and some fake animals you can rope.
The Ranch is also the only place on the island that has big enough trees to provide some good shade. A grassy area and picnic tables make a nice retreat if you’ve had enough of the sun and the sand.
Getting Here
Take the left fork as you arrive on Antelope Island and follow the road signs (taking another left) to the Ranch. Stay on the road for approximately 11 miles to reach the parking area.
5. Watch the Buffalo Roam
Antelope Island is full of bison! Enjoy the views (from a distance) of these amazing animals that are true icons of the American West.
What You Need to Know
Always use caution when viewing wildlife. Bring a camera with a good zoom lens to avoid getting too close. Buffalo have been known to charge people if they feel threatened.
Getting Here
We have found that one of the best places to view larger groups of buffalo is along the road on the way to the Fielding Garr Ranch.
Utah has so many amazing things to see and do, and I hope you’ll be able to make it out to Antelope Island State Park soon.
Click NEXT to discover the best things to do in the Utah National Parks!
I’ve lived in Utah for a decade but had never been to Antelope Island. Thank you so much for this blog post and your recommendations! For spring break, my kids and I made the trek to Antelope Island, and we loved our time there! We saw 2 herds of bison, hiked the Buffalo Point trail (with amazing views), waded in the Great Salt Lake and skipped rocks at Bridger Bay, toured through the well-preserved Fielding Garr Ranch, and enjoyed a packed picnic lunch. Thank you, again, for your recommendations!
Of course! I’m a Utah native, and it took me a long time to finally make it out there as well. It sounds like you guys had the perfect day!
Thank you for sharing this list of things to do in Antelope Island. My husband and I really enjoyed visiting there and viewing all the Buffalo grazing.
You’re welcome — glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for this post! Our family just had a wonderful trip with all of your suggestions!
So glad to hear that!
Thank you so much for the helpful hints. It was a LONG walk to the beach and the sand was exactly as you described. But we had our flip flops as you suggested. It was worth the walk and the water was just perfect. The flies were fun to watch (and listen to) as they scattered away as we walked near the shoreline. We also did the short hike to Ladyfinger Pt. It was a perfect length for the time we had. Thanks again.
Happy to help! Glad you had a great time!
Ash
Your Antelope Island post was so helpful! We did the Buffalo Point Trail like you suggested, as I was searching for the best way to see the Salt Lake. Terrific hike! Thanks so much for sharing helpful info and tips with others.
Glad you enjoyed it. It’s an easy hike but the payoff is huge…sometimes those are the best kinds of hikes :)
Thanks for this good advice
. We did the Buffalo Pojnt hike on your recommendation and it was a real highlight! A little windy and chilly in mid October, and too cold to swim , but still beautiful.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Ash,
As always your blog was very helpful. We went there yesterday for sunset and it was breathtaking view! This is a good place to visit in winters as the view of snow capped mountains is stunning , but on a sunny day. We went to Ladyfingers point as well for sunset ?
Hi Prachi, that sounds amazing! I’ve actually never been there in the winter but it sounds magical. Thanks for the recommendation!
We just took a day trip up there yesterday. It was beautiful! It stared out being a bit cloudy, but when we finished it was clear and sunny. The beach was amazing! And the bison were right next to the side of the road. Definitely a fun trip!
Sounds like a great trip! I think that a lot of people don’t realize how much fun Antelope Island actually is….and we love seeing the buffalo too.