Park of the Week – Antelope Island State Park

Hike, mountain bike or horseback ride the park’s backcountry trails for spectacular views of lake and island scenery; spend a star-filled night in one of several primitive campsites; stroll along sandy beaches and take a dip in the lake’s salty waters or step back in time with a visit to the Historic Fielding Garr Ranch. A visitor center offers information on the island’s unique biology, geology and history.

Antelope Island State Park, the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, is home to a roaming herd of 500 bison. Pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyote, porcupines and other animal species share the rangelands that overlook the desert lake. Millions of birds congregate along the shores surrounding the island, offering unparalleled opportunities for birding.

Visitors to Antelope Island State Park drive across the causeway, a narrow two-lane road spanning from mainland to island, leaving the bustle of the Wasatch Front for a refuge of rangelands floating on a desert sea. Visitors will want to visit the Fielding Garr Ranch located on the southeast side of the island. The Fielding Garr Ranch House is distinctive for two reasons: first, it is the oldest continually inhabited Anglo home in the state of Utah (from 1848 to 1981 when the island became a state park), and second, it is the oldest Anglo built house in Utah still on its original foundation.

Three campgrounds and one group campground are available year-round. Reservations are recommended on holidays and weekends. For reservations, please call 800-322-3770.

Check out these upcoming events:

August 4
Tour of Utah Stage 3 Kickoff Party: Join us from 6 to 10 p.m., as we prepare to welcome the nation to Antelope Island for the 2015 Tour of Utah. Enjoy live music and food at the visitor center. At 6 p.m., barbeque and Dutch oven samples will be available for a minimal fee as part of a local cook off. Join Hogle Zoo inside the visitor center from 7 -7:45 p.m., as they talk about Utah’s wildlife with live animals.  From 8 to 9 p.m., enjoy the acoustical talents of Sierra the Nicole while watching the sun set over the lake. Free park entrance. 801-773-2941

August 5
Tour of Utah Stage 3 Start: One of the largest stage bike races comes to Antelope Island during the 2015 Tour of Utah. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to come watch the start of Stage 3 which will take cyclists 109 miles from Antelope Island, through Davis County and into Bountiful. Spectators are encouraged to come early. The first 200 kids (up to age 14) will receive a free Antelope Island State Park/Tour of Utah t-shirt that can be signed by the athletes. Free park entrance from 6 to 10 a.m. Race begins promptly at 10:05 a.m. Access to the island roads close at 9 a.m. All traffic will be diverted into the marina. www.tourofutah.com/stages/3

August 8
3rd Annual Antelope Island Spider Festival: Every year the Island seems to become overrun with spiders. Join us from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., for a day full of spider related activities, walks and talks to learn more about these residents of the island. Discover which are harmless (and even helpful) and which ones to watch out for. No registration required. Park entrance fees apply.

Directions:
Antelope Island State Park is located approximately 41 miles north of Salt Lake City. Take Exit 332 off Interstate 15, then drive west on Antelope Drive to the park entrance gate.