Bonneville flats - worth the trip?

Seangie · September 20, 2014, 05:56:17 PM

We are in Boise tonight headed to Salt lake tomorrow. Thinking since it will be Sunday and most of the things we want to see and do there will be closed that we should take a hike out to the salt flats tomorrow and spend a night.

Anyone been? Can you just pull up anywhere and park for the night? Is it like a national park? Easy to get there from Twin Falls?

Thanks for any info.

-Sean

grantgoold · September 20, 2014, 06:21:14 PM

Think of a very flat desert, now think of a very flat desert that is all white. Nothing to see really unless there is an event going on! If you are headed west after Salt Lake City, you will basically see the salt flats about the last twenty miles before you hit Wendover. I would stay in Salt Lake and go see Park City, or take a hike in any one of the nearby canyons.

Grant

eagle19952 · September 20, 2014, 06:29:48 PM

race trials are 6 days away....
from the web:
If you're passing through, then maybe, go check it out. If not, don't waste your time driving hours to see it. I witnessed 3 cars getting stuck in the slush flats. It'll cost you $$$$$ to get pulled out. Save your time and gas money.

Public parking is south of the pit area, on the west side of the race track, outside the cones. Be sure to bring a hat, dark glasses, sunscreen and shade from the sun. Don't forget a camera with lots of film/memory/tapes, because you will want to remember everything you see and hear. Binoculars are also a great idea since the race

It is an experience and you can walk onto the flats. It warns you not to take your vehicle out there but it's clear some do (not us, wouldn't chance it!!)...anyone like us hiring a car would need to check their insurance for damage/recovery etc!!!

t's beautiful on the Salt Flats and VERY bright: Take hats and dark dark dark glasses. We came for Speed Week which was cancelled due to flooding on the Flats. We drove all that way to fulfill a Bucket List item and of course were disappointed that Mother Nature decided to mess with our dreams! Not sorry we went and definitely WILL go again.

Visited August 2014

10. What about overnight camping? To maintain public health & safety and protect
natural resources, overnight camping is prohibited on the salt flats. There are no
developed campground facilities. You may camp for free on adjacent public lands
accessed via local roads. During landspeed racing events, many participants choose to
camp on the mud flats off of the access road to Bonneville or along the nearby Silver
Island Mountains backcountry byway. Please refer to the enclosed map. RV camping
facilities are available in nearby Wendover.

lvmci · September 20, 2014, 07:10:59 PM

Hi Sean, if you do go, make sure you give the bus a thorough wash after wards, especially the running gear and under carriage, will you be down for the Dam Rally this Nov? I hope all is well, tom, lvmci...

Dave5Cs · September 20, 2014, 07:26:55 PM

Bring lots and lots of water to drink. The salt and if any wind will dry you out bad and fast. The dry lip thing. Hands also lots of hand cream, Screen # 95 it is really white out there.

Instead I would look into a salt-shaker and then go to Wendover Casino's to the food buffet. It is cheap and the Turtles can go also Lots of good food for very little.

Barn Owl · September 20, 2014, 07:49:19 PM

Totally not worth it. There are many more worthwhile things to see out there.

TheHollands! · September 20, 2014, 09:12:51 PM

Although it smells a little and is full of brine shrimp, we thought swimming in Salt Lake itself was pretty fun. Not really swimming, more floating without being able to sink feeling. Kinda surreal. I also agree Park City is probably real pretty with fall colors right now. Craig

luvrbus · September 21, 2014, 07:15:44 AM

Spend the time and take the kids north of Boise around Banks and Garden Valley let them play or float the Payette lol lot more to do around Boise than the salt flats,

You can spend a week just visiting the city parks in Boise and the Lucky Peak area ah Boise love the place I found a wife from there 42 years ago

TheHollands! · September 21, 2014, 08:09:51 AM

Crater of the moon east of twin falls is also a pretty cool adventure, you can camp out there as well.

luvrbus · September 21, 2014, 08:32:22 AM

The Ice Caves are in that area also

Linda-XL40-FL · September 21, 2014, 08:53:19 AM

Some years ago, we visited Salt Lake City and while in a campground near there, we also took a drive in the truck over to see the Kennicott Copper Mine. Interesting to see in person. http://utahpictures.com/Kennecott_Copper_Mine.php

Seangie · September 21, 2014, 09:13:10 AM

Thanks all! I think we are going to skip the flats. Would like to see craters of the moon but that's too far out of the way for us. We may try and visit the mine though. That's sounds supercool. Might swing by Park City as well.

Cliff - wish we had known about that before last night! I never would have thought of Boise as a fun city with lots to do

-Sean

John316 · September 21, 2014, 09:17:22 AM

Sean,

A kind of cool stop on the way to SLC is at the Mallad Gorge park. If you don't like heights, not the place for you to go, but I thought it was really neat. http://www.stateparks.com/malad_gorge_state_park_in_idaho.html

Enjoy,

John

Seangie · September 21, 2014, 10:15:33 AM

Quote from: John316 on September 21, 2014, 09:17:22 AM
Sean,

A kind of cool stop on the way to SLC is at the Mallad Gorge park. If you don't like heights, not the place for you to go, but I thought it was really neat. http://www.stateparks.com/malad_gorge_state_park_in_idaho.html

Enjoy,

John

John - we just passed that and had it not been raining we would have stopped. It looked amazing just driving by in the bus.

-Sean

luvrbus · September 21, 2014, 10:28:49 AM

Take the scenic drive hiway 30 off I 84 through the Haggerman Valley it comes back to 84 the kids will love the waterfalls coming from the mountains dumping into the Snake river plenty of fish hatcheries along the Snake for the kid to see salmon and trout