Summer time near Salt Lake, 2022

Sunset in Mountain Valley RV Park

Mount Timpanogo caves

We knew that close to us there is cool system of caves on the Mount Timpanogo , but they are closed during the winter. This summer we finally got a chance to visit it. Beautiful , narrow road which usually closed through the winter, weaved along the tall grasses, blooming flowers, amazing white trunks of aspens and fragrant junipers. It was impossible not to stop to take picture!

In order to get to the cave there is 1.5 miles quite steep, paved path (“strenuous climb”- a little bit exaggeration) completed with resting benches, abundance of geology information, and safety precautions. There are three caves which are small, but very beautiful with narrow passages, tons of formations, and cool air.

Balloon landing

Ooh, sh..t. I slept too long this morning, and missed most of the fun. Huge private air balloon landed right on the middle of our camp. The owner happened to be full-time RVer, travels all over and flies the balloon. When I asked him where he would land next time, so I would take pictures, he said, that it is always the wind to decide.

Another ride in Park City

Historic Union Rail Road trail

Salt flats

The famous salt flats stretch for over 30,000 acres and are found just west of Great Salt Lake. They are right off of Interstate-80 when you drive between SLC and Wendover.

Historically speaking, the Bonneville Salt Flats were formed when the lake of the same name dried up. The lake was massive and the salt deposits were left after the water evaporated.

One of the unique things about the Bonneville Salt Flats is that it contains a few microenvironments. Many of the places look to be completely desolate and void of any life because the soil is so salty that it prevents life from growing.

However, in other parts of the Bonneville Salt Flats, you will easily find vegetation and plants and animals. With that being said, the salt flats are a sensitive ecosystem and should be treated and respected as such.

There are various races that take place at the Bonneville Salt Flats but the biggest ones are August’s Bonneville Speed Week and September’s World of Speed. Bonneville Salt Flats is closed to visitors during this time.

The best thing to do at the Bonneville Salt Flats is to enjoy the scenery. The salt flats offer one of the most mind-blowing landscapes in all of the United States and just being there and photographing and observing them is worth the visit itself. It is one of the best places in the US to put newly learned photography tips to work!

Bonneville Salt Flats is a very unique environment that gathers racers and speed lovers from all over the US. Each year Utah Salt Flats Racing Association organizes SCTA/BNI Speed Week in August, the World of Speed in September, and the SCTA/BNI World Finals in October. One really interesting thing to know about the Bonneville Salt Flats is that the speed limit is 1,000 mph, essentially meaning that there isn’t one! This allows people to visit from all over the world and set records. Current record is 622 mph (about 1000 km/h)

Dead sea of Utah

Great Salt Lake, in northern Utah, is the largest lake west of the Mississippi River and the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere. Sometimes referred to as America’s Dead Sea, it is nevertheless a critically important habitat for millions of native and migratory birds and is a federally managed bird refuge. It is also home to several types of algae, brine shrimp and brine flies.
Great Salt Lake contains several islands, causeways, a railroad, three state parks and an earthwork sculpture called the Spiral Jetty. The lake is a popular recreation area, with hiking, sailing and swimming available.
Great Salt Lake is typically bigger than the states of Delaware and Rhode Island, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The size changes, however, as water levels rise and fall. The lake is only 14 feet (4 meters) deep on average so a foot of water loss can make a big difference in its total size.
Lake Bonneville formed about 30,000 years ago from a small saline lake. Nearly 17,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville overflowed at Red Rock Pass in Idaho and a yearlong flood ensued. The lake lost about 375 feet (114 m) of water, according to the USGS. Lake Bonneville underwent several periods of shrinking and stabilizing. These changes were due to increased evaporation and a warming climate. There are four different shorelines visible as ridges on Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. The Bonneville Salt Flats in western Utah are a remnant of Lake Bonneville.
As Lake Bonneville shrank, all of the minerals in it — including salt — concentrated into steadily less water. Every year, 2.2 million tons (1,814, 369 metric tons) of salt flows into Great Salt Lake from tributary rivers, according to USGS. “This accumulation of minerals and no outlet to the ocean results in a salt lake,” said Baxter.
Great Salt Lake is a sodium chloride lake, said Baxter. The hypersaline northern arm (also called Gunnison Bay) is about 30 percent salt. The southern portion of the lake (also called Gilbert Bay) fluctuates between 6 and 27 percent salinity. About 4.3 billion tons (3,628,738,960 metric tons) of salt are in Great Salt Lake. As with many other saline lakes, including the Dead Sea, it is possible to float in Great Salt Lake.
Great Salt Lake has a vibrant and unique ecosystem. It is most famous as an important refuge for migrating birds. “Great Salt Lake is the largest inland body of water on the Pacific flyway,” explained Baxter. “This is a critical habitat for migrating birds to feed and grow in before they move on. There are only two invertebrates in the lake, brine shrimp and brine flies, but the numbers of these species provide an amazing amount of food for these birds.”