Bonneville Salt Flats...Wendover, Utah

DATE:  October 5, 2015

HISTORICAL SITE:  Bonneville Salt Flats & Speedway

LOCATION:  Wendover, Toole Co., Utah

MARKER #:  75001826

DEDICATED:  December 18, 1975

“The salt flats were formed as ancient Lake Bonneville slowly evaporated and deposited concentrations of salt onto this playa. Shorelines carved into the mountainsides are visible to the north along the Silver Island range and extend to the Salt Lake Valley. Named after Captain B.L. Bonneville, an early military explorer of the West, the salt flats measure over 44,000 acres and are primarily public land.”

“Historically, the flats have impeded man’s movement westward. Early traders like Jedidiah Smith and John Fremont crossed the vast saline plain only to return with awesome stories of the salt’s harshness. In 1846, the Donner Reed party lost animals, wagons and valuable time on the salt. These losses contributed to their late arrival and subsequent disaster in the snowy Sierra-Nevada Mountains. The flats’ potential for racing was first recognized in 1896 by W.D. Rishel, attempted to organize a carriage and bike race. He convinced Ferg Johnson to test drive his Packard here in 1911. In 1914, Teddy Tetzlaff reached 141 mph in his Blitzen Benz. Succeeding years saw many attempts to set faster records. In 1940 Ab Jenkins set 81 new speed records in his Mormon Meteor III, including a 24-hour endurance record of 161 mph. Jet and rocket cars appeared in the 1960’s and exceeded the 500 and 600 mph marks.”

“The speedway, 80 feet wide and 10 miles long, is prepared by the Bureau of Land Management in the early summer. Speed trials are scheduled throughout the summer and fall. They end when the rains cover the area with water. Caution: Salt crust may appear firm, but is often moist and unstable. Enjoy the area; please keep it clean.”

MARKER PLACED BY:  U.S. Dept. of the Interior / Bureau of Land Management

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS: 

We had just finished touring the museum at Wendover Airfield and you’re barely back on I-80 when the sign for the salt flats announce you’re almost there. Dirk and I had already discussed passing by and he was leaving the final decision to me. I had already done some research and knew there were no events going on as the last race at the Speedway should have concluded in late September. I swear I was going to pass by when I thought “what the heck, a short stop can’t delay us too much longer”. 

I am so glad we went. There is an other worldly feel and look to the place. When we drove up, there was only 2 other cars there. You get out of the car and just stare at mile after mile of white. Apparently, it had rained not long ago so there was this very thin layer of water sitting on top of the salt. It made for a reflection of the sky that I’m not sure I have seen before. It was almost like looking at a mirror image.

It was very quiet except for the far off sound of traffic to the south on I-80 but soon, you don’t even hear that too much. It’s quiet and it’s shockingly beautiful and we were unprepared for the beauty.

The Salt beds are the result of old Lake Bonneville drying up. The lake existed about 14,000 to 32,000 years ago. This was not a small lake; taking up most of Utah, and parts of Nevada and Idaho. 

It was 20,000 square miles and was deeper than 1,000 feet in some places. The water levels can be seen in the rock surrounding the area.

The level of the lake dropped drastically about 14,500 years ago because of changes in the climate. As it dried up, it no longer had its natural outlets and the remaining water got saltier and saltier. Water retreated into what is now the Great Salt Lake near Salt Lake City, Utah.

Left over was this concentration of salt and minerals…potassium, magnesium, lithium and sodium chloride…common table salt. Each winter a thin layer of water covers the flats and when warmer weather comes, the water evaporates and the wind smooths out the surface. The thickness of the salt can range from one inch to six feet.

Considered one of the flattest places on earth, the curvature of the earth can actually be seen in a certain direction and the 3,000 square miles of salt flats is 35% larger than any other salt bed on earth.

Archaeologists have found evidence of human habitation as far back at 10,000 years ago. Native Indians adapted to life around the salt flats much more than “modern” man.

In 1824, Jim Bridger and other mountain men explored the area. The first recorded crossing was in 1845 by Captain John C. Fremont with scouts Kit Carson and Joe Walker. Joe Walker wrote of the harshness of the area and warned others to not cross the flats on their way west. Temperatures easily reach over 100° in the summer and 0° in the winter.

The next year, Lansford Hastings made the crossing and against the written warning of Joe Walker, Hastings convince immigrants heading west to follow him. Then along comes the Donner-Reed party trying to find a shortcut to California so they use the “Hastings Cutoff”.

With not enough water, they lost several oxen and wagons were abandoned. Their shortcut wasn’t so short and they headed into the Sierra Nevada Mountains late in the year and the rest is history.

The first permanent crossing didn’t happen until 1910 when the Southern Pacific Railroad built tracks through the flats.

Racing started in the early 20^th century and continues to this day. Currently, there are 5 races held on the flats, including ones for motorcycles and to set land speed records. There is some concern the flats are shrinking and the Speedway has seen 2 years of cancellations due to poor conditions. I have to say I could honestly care less about the speedway portion of the Salt Flats existence rather than its geologic history and future.

While Dirk and I were enjoying the beauty of the flats, a guy and his girlfriend from New Hampshire pulled up. She got out and he proceeded to drive out on the watery flats. I watched with some morbid fascination to see if they would get stuck. The guy said not to worry, he had a wench…great, I said, I’ll just pull you out with my CRV? The woman started taking pictures and we left them to their quest.

I don’t know about visiting during the racing season, but I can definitely say if you ever get the chance to go out there when no one is around, you have to do it!