Natural Feature

Bonneville Salt Flats is the most outstanding natural feature in Utah and the whole world in general. This salt flat covers areas of over 30,000 acres. As the name suggests, Bonneville Salt Flats as a natural feature is so flat. Therefore,  when you standing on the salt you can almost see earth’s curvature. The flats are approximately on the west side of the Great Salt Lake along I-80 near Utah- Nevada border in western Utah. These salt flats were formed when Lake Bonneville shrank. It, therefore, did not have an outlet hence its water became salty. When the water evaporated, salt deposits remained. The Great Lake salt is also a remnant of Lake Bonneville.

This unique and eye-catching environment can be seen easily as one drives along the I-80 between Wendover, Nevada and the Salt Lake City. The renowned Bonneville Speedway is located on the western side of the salt flats. No vegetation can survive on this side of the flat due to its thick salty soil crust. The best imagery for it is a frozen lake bed that is all snow. Small hills and mountains break this flat terrain on other sides of the flats with sparse and scattered vegetation on the hillsides. On hot days, the mirages formed appear so real. Thus, you could think the whole salt desert is covered with water.

Racing

Racing at Bonneville Salt Flats is not an activity that started just recently. The flat was identified a potential course for races back in 1896 by W.D Rishel who was looking for bicycle courses. Rishel later convinced risk takers in his hometown to race their automobiles on the flats. The flats were tested and developed after which Teddy Tazlaff raced on the flats on an official speed record of 141.73 in 1914. A few years later in the 1930’s, Sir Malcolm Campbell, a famous British racer took to the salt flats to introduce his style. By 1950, numerous attempts of breaking and setting land speed records had been made with speeds going from 300, 400, and 500 and up to 600 mph speed barrier which was still broken.

Jet powered cars in the 1960’s also took to the flats with the likes of Nolan White, Craig Breedlove, Tom Green, and John Cobb among others. These fragile flats are administered by the Bureau of Land Management to the public for leisure. However, the Bonneville Salt Flats being fragile need preservation. The appearance of a firm is a hard surface. Therefore, most of the area is a thin salt crust over mud which easily breaks under vehicle weight. For that reason, during races, people racers should keep to the designated roads for vehicles.

Overnight stays when racing is also prohibited. Hookups and camping are encouraged on private ground near Wendover, ten miles from the Bonneville Salt Flats. Other forms of accommodations are also available in Wendover which is west of the salt flats. For the race lovers, the Bonneville Salt Flats is the place to go. The landscape is very convenient as well as breathtaking.