Antelope Island State Park

This is the day I finally organized family photos for my own family. We have not had family photos done together for YEARS. This is embarrassing because I am a photographer. My grandma lived in Layton, Utah which is the city you drive through before you get to Antelope Island State Park. This is an island located on the Great Salt Lake. Since this area is so meaningful to my family I decided this was the perfect place to take our photos.

This island is filled with wildlife, buffalo, antelopes, rabbits, and whatever creatures are able to survive one of the saltiest lakes on the planet…brine shrimp. It is so beautiful and gives you a different perspective on the mountains. I have been to this island every season and one of my favorite things about winter is that the animals are close to the warm road and you can view them from a safe distance in your car.

Ironically this same week, I attended a presentation about the meeting of the railroads at Promontory Point, Utah. I was listening to a historian give his lecture and he spoke about how the building of the railroad changed the ecology of the Great Salt Lake. I have lived in Utah for 20 years and I had NO idea that a railroad runs directly through the Great Salt Lake and that has caused the flow of water from the bottom half to the top half of the lake to slow down and that has increased the salt content in the upper half of the lake. This has caused the top half of the lake to turn red. What?! This is now high on my list to go and see the stark difference. Utah continues to blow my mind!

While we didn’t spend a ton of time exploring the island this go round, I still wanted to show how beautiful it is every season. Below are some photos of when I have visited Antelope Island. It is one of my favorite locations to photograph, always beautiful!

What You Want to Know

Take Me There!

Take Exit 332 into Layton stay along that road until you reach the pay station to enter into Antelope Island. it is $9 per vehicle. From there you can explore the island however you want to!

How long is the hike?

There are designated hikes, but I love driving around the island and stopping whenever I see something beautiful. It would also be fun to ride a bike around the island. The last time we were there they had bike rentals at the marina.

What Do I Wear?!

I wouldn't say any special clothing is needed, wear what's comfortable. BUT BRING BUG SPRAY! At certain times of the year bugs are awful and will bite. I have made this mistake too many times, now I have bug spray in my car so I never forget!

Can I bring my dog?

Yes, dogs can explore the island with you, but because of the wildlife, it is highly recommend that they stay on a leash. I would not want my dogs taking on a bison.