BlogChatterA2Z Challenge, travel

The Curious Case of the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah – Travel Destinations in the USA for Retired Life

a wide angle view of acres of salt in the curious case of the bonneville salt flats
Wide-angle view of the Bonneville Salt Flats

This post is the twenty-first in the Travel Destinations in the USA for Retired Life series. Therefore this travel destination in the USA starts with the letter U. The ‘curious case’ of the Bonneville Salt Flats is about 110 miles from Salt Lake City in Utah.

While driving through Utah, on the way to California on another great road trip, we came across the unique sight of miles of salt! The Bonneville Salt Flats is a salt bed in Utah. A 12-mile by five-mile area has about 147 million tonnes of salt. The salt is from a bygone era, the Pleistocene era, which stretched from 2.5 million years ago to about 11,700 years ago. The Bonneville Lake dried up and we now have this beautiful salt flat. it is indeed a curious case to see miles of salt in the middle of the continent of North America.

Sign board at the Bonneville Salt Flats

Racing is a yearly feature in the Bonneville Salt Flats. The salt flats are safe for racing. The Bonneville Speedway has an annual race starting in August with the world finals in October. Cars, trucks and motorcycles participate in this season.

This is the preferred location for a lot of Hollywood movies. Movies like Independence Day, A Star Wars movie and Pirates of the Caribbean have shot scenes here because of the otherworldly atmosphere.

Do drive on the Salt Flats here but always make sure it is absolutely dry before you do so. During the rainy season, the salt flats are soft and unsafe for driving. Mobile connections are feeble in many parts of the area. As a result, you could end up without help. At other times, you can see the races on the Salt Flats. You cannot drive on the salt flats during racing season.

While you are there, do take a breath, enjoy the otherworldly views and take photos!

A view of the salt flats in the curious case of the bonnevile salt flats
A view of the otherworldly Salt Flats in Utah

You can stay in Wendover Utah or West Wendover in Nevada, which are closest to the Bonneville Salt Flats. Both hotels and camping are available in these towns. You will need to book way ahead of time because it is popular in summer up to the end of the racing season in October. Of course, you can also make it a day trip from Salt Lake City.

Do not miss this curious case of The Bonneville Salt Flats which is acres of salt in the middle of the continent, on your retired life adventures!

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BlogchatterA2Z 2022 challenge sticker for the letter U

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