Great Salt Lake Art Loop

One of Utah's unique tourist attractions has always been the Great Salt Lake.  Traveling around this body of water and its western desert provides a variety of recreational opportunities that include birding, hiking, mountain biking, sailing, and many other activities.  Though the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere, it is only a small remnant of the much-larger Lake Bonneville in prehistoric times.  Back in the 1890s and early 1900s, the Great Salt Lake was a popular destination for swimming and beach activities – particularly the famed Saltair resort.  Today, most residents living along the Wasatch Front identify the Great Salt Lake with its lake-effect storms, beautiful sunsets, and the occasional stench whenever the wind blows just right.  Much of this smell comes from the decaying algae and brine shrimp waste that form along the shores of the lake.  Out in the middle of the lake there is no significant smell at all.  For the average person traveling through this area, the landscape may become quite dull – to the point of putting some to sleep.  To lessen the effects of this, occasional rest stops have been constructed and certain artists have left their artistic touch in the area.  This post identifies three particular works of art in and around the Great Salt Lake and its western desert.  It is a motorized road trip description rather than the usual hike or trek on foot.

The first work of art along the Great Salt Lake Art Loop is a sculpture on the north side of I-80 about 95 miles west of Salt Lake City.  Called "Metaphor: The Tree of Utah," it stands 87 feet tall and was created by the Swedish artist, Karl Momen, during the 1980s.  It was constructed to bring brilliant color and beauty to a barren, harsh landscape that hindered many travelers during pioneer times.  There is no official exit at milepost 26 of the freeway to reach this "tree in the desert."  Though not recommended by the Utah Highway Patrol, you can pull off the freeway to have a closer look and/or photograph the sculpture, but please exercise extreme caution when doing so.

Metaphor: The Tree of Utah located on
the north side of I-80 near milepost 26

View of the Sun Tunnels looking
towards the south near Lucin, Utah

A more remote work of art in the northern reaches of the Great Salt Lake Desert is the Sun Tunnels near the ghost town of Lucin.  This large-scale artwork was created by the American artist, Nancy Holt, in 1976.  Consisting of four concrete tunnels that are eighteen feet long and nine feet in diameter, the Sun Tunnels are laid out in an open X configuration.  Similar to England's Stonehenge, the tunnels are aligned perfectly to frame the sunrise and sunset during the summer and winter solstices.  Additionally, small holes have been drilled in the sides to form different constellations from the sky as well as unique sunlight patterns on the inside.  To reach the Sun Tunnels from I-80, take the Bonneville Speedway exit (Exit 4) just east of Wendover and turn north along the paved road.  The gas station just off this exit is a good place to stock up on gasoline and snacks – as there are no more gas stations until Snowville.  While most vehicles should be able to drive across the graded dirt roads in this area, it would be wise to check the weather forecast and travel this route only under dry conditions.  An alternative paved route may be taken through Nevada, if necessary, but this adds at least 30 miles additional to the loop.  Approximately 1.2 miles from the exit, take the left (west) fork and continue northwest along the Leppy Pass Road, staying left (west) of the utility building at about 4.5 miles.  The pavement ends just past the cattle guard into Nevada at approximately 7.6 miles, and at about 17.0 miles a second cattle guard is crossed that puts you back into Utah.  This road offers spectacular views of the Pilot Range to the west and the salt flats and lesser mountain ranges to the east.  Near the south tip of the Lucin Hill at approximately 46.0 miles from I-80, turn right (eastward) onto the graded road; following it for about 2.3 miles before turning right again (south) to reach the Sun Tunnels.

Looking through one of the small
holes in the side of the Sun Tunnels

View of the Spiral Jetty taken from
the slope of an adjoining hill

The third and final work of art described in this post is the Spiral Jetty, which is located on the northeast shore of the Great Salt Lake south-southwest of Promontory.  This unique earthen sculpture was constructed in 1970 by the American artist, Robert Smithson.  Over 6,000 tons of black basalt rock and earth were used to construct the counterclockwise coil that measures 1,500 feet long by 15 feet wide.  Depending on the water level of the Great Salt Lake, the sculpture may be submerged at times – so check the conditions of the lake before going for prime viewing.  It is best seen when the water level is below about 4,195 feet elevation.  To reach the Spiral Jetty from the Sun Tunnels, proceed back to the main road near the south tip of the Lucin Hill and turn right (north) towards Lucin and the railroad tracks.  Back in its heyday, Lucin was an oasis in the desert that served as an important water stop for steam locomotives to be replenished.  Today the area is managed for birds and other wildlife by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.  Continuing along the road approximately 5.5 miles beyond the railroad tracks, turn right (eastward) onto the paved SR 30 towards Rosette and Park Valley.  This highway continues just over 81 miles through these settlements to reach I-84 not far from the Idaho border.  Arriving at Snowville, you can refuel and take care of any other business necessary to continue the road trip.  From I-84, take the Hansel Valley exit (Exit 16) and turn right (southward) onto the Hansel Valley Road.  After about 4.4 miles, make a left (east) turn next to the farmhouse where the road turns to graded dirt, and continue towards the mountains before heading south again along the foot of the range.  Promontory Summit lies approximately 22 miles south of I-84 along the Hansel Valley route.  This is the site where the completion of the first transcontinental railroad took place back in 1869 that joined our Nation together.  To reach the Spiral Jetty, continue on past Promontory for about 5.6 miles and take the left (south) fork of the road over the cattle guard.  At close to 1.5 miles beyond the first fork, take the right (west) fork and drive the remaining 8.8 miles over the graded dirt road to a parking area near the Spiral Jetty.  Again, most vehicles should be able to travel this route provided it's dry and well maintained.

Close-up view of the Spiral Jetty
taken near the parking area

I-15 is reached from the Spiral Jetty by returning to Promontory and taking the paved road towards the east a little over a mile beyond it.  Driving about 6.7 miles from this point will take you to SR 83, where you then turn right (southward) to reach I-15 near Brigham City some 20 miles distant from there.  Total distance from the north junction of I-15 and I-80 around the Great Salt Lake Art Loop to this same spot again is approximately 407 miles.