Great Salt Lake State Park

The Great Salt Lake State Park marina is the base for one of the more unusual sailing scenes in the country, a fleet of boats crossing a lake far saltier than the ocean. The extra salt makes the water denser and the boats ride higher, and generations of Utah sailors have raced and cruised here beneath the Oquirrh and Wasatch ranges. On a breezy afternoon the sails against the pale water and dark mountains make a fine sight even from shore.

The lake's dropping level has made the marina's story a difficult one in recent years, as low water strands boats and closes ramps, and the fleet's future rises and falls with the lake. It is a vivid, on-the-water reminder of how the shrinking of the Great Salt Lake touches everyday life around it.

The Great Salt Lake is the remnant of a huge Ice Age lake called Lake Bonneville, and because it has rivers flowing in but no outlet, its water can only leave by evaporating. That process has concentrated the minerals over thousands of years until the lake is intensely salty, saltier than any ocean, which is what makes a swimmer bob on the surface like a cork.

That same saltiness means almost no fish live in the lake, but its shallows swarm with tiny brine shrimp and brine flies. Those small creatures are the foundation of the lake's astonishing birdlife and, in the brine shrimp's case, a real local industry, harvested as eggs and shipped worldwide to feed farmed fish and shrimp.

Near the park stands Saltair, a domed pavilion out toward the water that recalls a grand era of lakeside resorts. In the late 1800s and early 1900s the shores of the Great Salt Lake blossomed with bathing pavilions, dance halls, and amusement piers, and crowds rode the train out from the city to float in the buoyant water and dance the night away over the lake.

Fire, flood, and the ever-shifting shoreline destroyed the old resorts one by one, and today's Saltair is a later building that serves mainly as a concert hall. But it keeps the memory alive, and standing near it you can still feel the old pull of the lake as a place to come out to, play in, and watch the sun go down.

The lake is one of the great bird stops on the continent, and the south shore shares in that wealth. Millions of birds pass through on migration, feeding on the brine shrimp and flies, and along the beach you may see pelicans, gulls, avocets, stilts, and rafts of grebes. Spring and fall bring the biggest numbers and the best birding.

Summer is the busy season for the beach and marina, warm and bright, though the brine flies and the lake's smell peak in the heat. Winter is quiet and stark, the water gray under the mountains. In every season, though, the reason people linger is the sunset, when the light spreads across the still water and the whole scene glows, one of the finest evening views anywhere near the city.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Great Salt Lake State Park is a state park and marina on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake near Magna, offering the most convenient developed access to the lake from Salt Lake City and the airport. It is a place to launch a boat, take in the vast salty water, watch spectacular sunsets, and experience the strange beauty of the lake, near the site of the historic Saltair pavilion. It is an easy, quick way to reach the shore of this remarkable inland sea.

The park centers on a marina, so sailing and boating are popular, along with floating in the buoyant salty water, birdwatching, and simply enjoying the sweeping lake views and famous sunsets. The nearby historic Saltair, a landmark pavilion that has served as a resort and concert venue over the years, adds interest. It is more a lake-access and marina park than a hiking destination, ideal for getting out on or beside the water.

The Great Salt Lake's level rises and falls and has reached historic lows in recent years, which has affected the marina and left the shoreline and open water farther out at times, sometimes with mudflats between. So it is worth checking current conditions before you go, especially if you plan to boat. The salty water also leaves a residue, so bring a towel and a change of clothes and rinse off if you get in.

Spring and fall are the most comfortable, with milder temperatures and fewer of the brine flies that swarm the shoreline in summer, so if you visit in the warm months, go early in the day and bring insect repellent. Sunset is the highlight at the park, when the sky and lake glow with color. Being close to Salt Lake City, it is an easy stop any time you want a quick taste of the lake.

Come prepared for a salty, exposed environment. Bring plenty of water and sun protection, since there is little shade, and if you plan to wade or float, pack water shoes for the salty, sometimes muddy shoreline along with a towel and a change of clothes, since the brine leaves a sticky residue. Binoculars are handy for the abundant birdlife, and a camera is a must for the lake's memorable sunsets.