I'm already pretty far west, but I am going to live a childhood dream this weekend and visit the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah.
Any Agents in the Field recommend anything in that particular area of Utah for hiking, dust devil chasing, fossil hunting and other activities that scare aware American females?
5 comments:
Nope, but wear sunscreen on your legs, even if you're wearing pants. Srsly...the sun will reflect off the salt and up your pants legs and give you a nasty burn.
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGS400-023
Here in Utah traveling 3-5 hours in a day to get from one place in the state to another is normal. Oh I meant in one direction. Last time we headed south to St. George it was a round trip of 8 hours in one day.
The only things that are right next to the salt flats is the west desert, Wendover and the great salt lake. The lake stinks, you can gamble in Wendover and go off roading in the dunes of the desert.
If you are up for it, closer to civilization the link is to a hike a couple of hours away in the wasatch range. Snow was light this year so maybe you could get to the top. There are also many other hikes in the canyons off shooting from the salt lake valley. Just google it. I know there is fossil hunting and shooting but I don't know good places for that.
Following up on what Mrs. Bob said, and assuming you'll be traveling through northern Utah:
A couple of maps with fossil sites. The first is more "official" and the second is more useful for smaller trilobites and cephalopods generally.
A list of fossil sites in Utah. If you're going to mainly be around the salt flats, you'll want to focus on Tooele County (pronounced two-ILL-uh).
Here are some links for fossil-hunters in Utah. Also of interest to rock-hounds.
Last we have lists of museum sites in the state. Not as helpful at first, but some of these museums are built right on the fossil digs (Dinosaur National Monument being a prime example) and others are staffed by field researchers.
Many of the rest stops along the freeways have free pamphlets and guide booklets with maps of fossil sites, enjoyable hikes, and other points of interest. I recommend stopping at a visitor's center to get a book, though; the free pamphlets are published by the state, and you get what you pay for.
There are also sites like Flaming Gorge.
If you'll be in southern Utah, hit up some national parks and stop by Goblin Valley. (The drive along I-70 is much nicer than I-80.) The scenery and the hikes are great.
I drove Highway 50 "The Loneliest Road in America" several years ago and it was beautiful, I would like to go back and do it in a bike someday.
The Uintahs are amazing if you have a week to spare. Moab is an incredible area if you are going to drive that far south. I'd pick up some rumpie on your way in though...
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