The Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake - Basic Facts:
- The Great Salt Lake is the largest remaining piece of Lake Bonneville.
- It is the largest salt lake in the western hemisphere and is the second saltiest body of water in the world.
- No rivers drain out of it, which makes this a terminal lake. It is the fourth largest terminal lake in the world.
- It is the 37th largest lake in the world.
- On average, it covers 1,700 square miles and is 35 feet at it's deepest point. Most of the lake is only 13 feet deep.
- Jordan, Weber and Bear River all run into the Great Salt Lake.
Where is the Great Salt Lake?:
The Great Salt Lake lies just east of Salt Lake City. You can reach the south side of the lake by following I-80 to the Great Salt Lake Marina exit number 102.
Visit the north side of the lake by following I-15 to the Sunset exit number 335. Head west on state road 108, then go west on state road 127 over the Antelope Island causeway to the Antelope Island marina. There is a fee and if lake levels are high, the causeway may be covered by water.
Islands on the Great Salt Lake:
Islands on the Great Salt Lake aren't really islands at all. During low water levels, the islands turn into pennisulas and during high water levels, some of the islands can't be seen at all.
The Utah Geological Survey has listed 11 official islands. They are:
- Antelope Island
- Stansbury Island
- Fremont Island
- Carrington Island
- Dolphin Island
- Cub Island
- Badger Island
- Strong Knob Island
- Gunnison Island
- Goose Island
- Browns Island
- Hat Island
- Egg Island
- Black Rock Island
- White Rock Island
Cub, Gunnison and Hat Islands are all restricted by the Utah Wildlife Management in order to protect the nesting areas for American White Pelicans.
Wildlife Refuges and Management Areas:
On the west side of the Great Salt Lake, there are a number of wildlife refuges and state wildlife management areas. There are small pockets of fresh water that forms a wetlands.
These wildlife refuges and management areas are:
Minerals and Industry on the Great Salt Lake:
The Jordan, Weber and Bear rivers that dump into the Great Salt Lake leave behind nearly 1.1 million tons of minerals each year. Residual salts from Lake Bonneville are rich in magnesium and selenium.
Companies that process minerals from the Great Salt Lake pay royalties to the State of Utah since the state owns the lake.
Perhaps one of the largest commercial uses of the Great Salt Lake is the harvesting of brine shrimp for fish food. The eggs of the brine shrimp are collected and used in children's scientific experiments called Sea Monkeys.
Can I Float in the Great Salt Lake?:
Yes. If the water level is lower, the salinity levels in the lake will be higher and most people can float in the Great Salt Lake. Here's a tip though. Because the railroad causeways have divided the Great Salt Lake into three separate parts, Gunnison Bay is separated from the part of the lake that has the rivers running into them. Gunnison Bay only receives its' water from precipitation, which makes it saltier than the rest of the lake. If you really want to float, head to the north arm of the Great Salt Lake and jump in Gunnison Bay.
Railroads of the Great Salt Lake:
You can still see the wooden trestles of the old Union Pacific railroad line near Saltair. These trestles became too weak to support the weight of a chugging train and were replaced by stone causeways. You can see the Union Pacific railroad at the Lucin Cutoff Crossing on Promontory Pennisula.
The Spiral Jetty:
In 1970, artist Robert Smithson created an earthwork piece of art on the north side of the Great Salt Lake. The Spiral Jetty is a 1500 foot long spiral that juts out into the Great Salt Lake and spirals counterclockwise.
Smithson created the Spiral Jetty with black basalt rock from the region. Dunaliella Salina algae and a bacteria called haloarchaea combined to create an orange-pink crust on the spiral.
During wet seasons and high water levels, the Spiral Jetty cannot be seen. Visit during droughts or low water levels.
The Lake Effect:
The dreaded lake effect is often accused of being the source of every snowstorm, rainstorm and thunderstorm in Salt Lake City. While the Great Salt Lake does impact the weather in Salt Lake City, only 10% of precipitation is directly because of the lake.
Other weather conditions related to the lake are water spouts and flooding.
Salt Lake's Top Ten Free Family Outings
What's better than spending time with your family? It's keeping your wallet in your pocket while you're out and about. Here's a list of top ten free things to do in Salt Lake City.
Clark Planetarium
Entrance to Clark Planetarium is free. See scale models of the planets, play with a kinetic sculpture, walk on the moon and watch the giant Foucalt pendulum swing. IMAX shows are additional.
Where: 110 South 400 West in Salt Lake City
When: Opens 10:30 AM 7 days a week.
Utah Museum of Natural History
The Utah Museum of Natural History is free the first Monday of the month thanks to the Zoo, Arts & Parks funding. Check the museum web-site for rotating exhibit information.
Where: 1300 East President's Circle at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City
When: 9:30 AM - 8:00 PM. Get a parking pass from the front desk and park free in University Circle.
Lowes Build & Grow Kid's Workshops
Register online at your nearest Lowes store to participate in kid's building workshops.
Where: Put your zip code in the store locater to get the nearest location
When: Workshops are generally held every other Saturday from 10-11 AM. Pre-registration is required.
Lakeshore Learning Free Crafts for Kids
Lakeshore learning provides materials for a free craft project for children ages 3 and up. Check the web-site for photos and craft schedule.
Where: 5480 South 900 East
When: Saturdays from 11 AM - 3 PM.
Great Salt Lake Shorelands Bird Refuge
The new visitors center offers educational exhibits on the natural habitat of the Great Salt Lake. Take sunscreen, bottled water and binoculars to view the shorebirds. Visit the web-site for driving instructions since there is no exact address.
Where: Between Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area and the Antelope Island State Park Causeway at the end of 3200 West in Layton.
When: Opens 8 AM - 5 PM every day.
Hill Aerospace Museum
The yearly air show is free but parking is hard to find and it can get hot for the kids. Entrance to the museum is free although donations are appreciated. Take a look at fighter jets, helicopters and Utah's airforce history.
Where: Exit 338 on I-15 in Roy, Utah about five miles south of Ogden. Enter through the gates. No pass required.
When: Opens 9 AM - 4:30 PM, 7 days a week.
Barnes & Noble Super Saturday
Readings, crafts and other events are held every Saturday at most Barnes & Noble. The events and crafts vary from store to store and from week to week.
Where: Your local Barnes & Noble
When: Varies by store.
Wheeler Farm
Feed the ducks and tour Wheeler farm for free. Activities such as hayrides are additional but there's plenty to do and see without paying a fee.
Where: 6351 South 900 East
When: Opens 9 AM - 5 PM, Mondays through Saturdays.
Water Fountains at the Gateway
Dress up in your swimsuit and bring a towell. Kid's will love running through the timed fountain trying to guess where the water will shoot up next.
Where: 100 South 400 West in Salt Lake City at the Gateway
When: Summer months only.
Salt Lake Main Library
Check the library web-site for weekly events and readings. During Utah Humanities Book Festival in October, there are free crafts and books for kids. Local children's authors read from their books and there are writing workshops for older kids.
Where: 210 East 400 South in Salt Lake City
When: Opens 9 AM - 9 PM, Monday - Thursday. 9 AM - 6 PM, Friday - Saturday. 1 PM - 5 PM, Sunday.
盐湖城历史 History Of Salt Lake City
西部山区的重要城市，犹他州首府。位于大盐湖东南，临约旦 河，海拔1295米。市区面积145平方公里，人口16万(1990)，居民半 数以上信奉摩门教。大市区包括盐湖等县，人口占全州的2／3。早期 为向西部拓荒者和采矿者的物资供应中心。1847年为摩门教徒所 建。1870年随铁路的到达而兴起。1896年成为州府。第二次世界大战以来，随着工商业的兴旺，城市也得到较快的发展。美国西部山区的矿业中心，金属冶炼和加工工业发达。城区东、西两侧的山区是国内重要的铜、铅、钻等金属矿产地。城西南的宾厄姆是世界著名铜矿区之一，矿石在城西的马格纳和加菲尔德冶炼加工。在城郊灌溉农业的基础上，建立了规模较大的食品工业，以制糖、罐头、食品、乳品、肉类加工等为主。电子工业发展很快，已成为主要工业部门；其他有矿山机械、炼油、宇航等。地当横贯大陆运输线的要冲，有多条铁路、公路伸向周围地区，又是重要的航空站，与全国各地联系称便。长期来为西部山区主要商业中心。市内有数条小溪穿越，外侧有一些隆起的阶地。以坦普尔广场为中心，有一系列宗教建筑，如摩门教堂(建于1853-1893年)、圣殿、现代圣徒博物馆以及新落成的全市最高建筑——28层的摩门教堂办公大楼等，显示了这个美国摩门教中心的城市特色。市中心外侧为商业区和州议会大厦、盐宫、展览中心、银行大楼等建筑物。西面是州贸易市场，每年的州商品交易会在此举行；近处有许多工厂。东面是犹他大学(建于1850年)和住宅区。市内还有威斯敏斯特学院以及二百周年艺术中心等文化设施。
盐湖城是犹他州 (Utah) 首府和最大城市，是早期殖民者勤劳与远见的见证。这些人还创办了末世圣徒教会。如今，摩门教徒占人口不足一半，但在建设这座城市过程中，仍充当主要角色。
对于末世圣徒、滑雪人士、远足人士、骑爬山单车人士和任何喜欢享受户外活动奔放乐趣的人来说，这里是一个极棒的地方。这座广袤无垠、令人心旷神怡、忘却烦嚣的都巿，坐落于内陆海和顶部覆雪、高达 3千3 百米的山峰之间。
1847 年，末世圣徒教会信徒逃避迫害向西艰苦跋涉，他们的领袖杨百翰 (Brigham Young) 将包裹放在大盐湖岸边，希望他的团体能最终在此和平地生活。他调查这片看似贫瘠的荒地后，说了这句至今仍非常闻名的话，「这就是我们要找的地方」。这座城市建成后，居住几乎全都是摩门教徒，直到 1869 年，横穿大路的铁路才带进大批外来者。 |
