Antelope Island State Park

On our way out of Salt Lake City heading north toward Twin Falls Idaho, we stopped at Antelope Island State Park. This is the largest island in Salt Lake. It is connected to the mainland via a 7 mile causeway.

Betty posing with a mule deer statue
The causeway to Antelope Island is in the background.

The place is known for the pronghorn antelope and bison, but our first encounter with the wildlife was a snake that slithered within inches of my feet before I even noticed it.

unidentified snake at Lady Finger Point trail on Antelope Island

From the visitor's center we saw a few pronghorn antelope bounding across the field. Note that the pronghorn is not a true antelope.

pronghorn on Antelope Island
Antilocapra americana

After that initial encounter with the pronghorn, we never saw another one, but bison were everywhere.

bison on Antelope Island
Bison bison

We drove out to visit the historic Fielding Garr Ranch. On the wall of the museum I spotted this old poster that I had to photograph because the Jayhawk hay stacker is manufactured in Salina Kansas. Salina is just down the road from Solomon Kansas where my sister Kathy lives.

Jayhawk hay stacker poster

We also saw the real thing out behind the barn.

Jayhawk hay stacker

We spent all morning exploring the island, and Betty was getting hungry. We stopped at the Island Buffalo Grill to eat. Betty didn't have a buffalo burger, but she said the hamburger she ate was one of the best she ever had.

After lunch we did a little more exploring before taking off for our next stop.

View from Buffalo Point, Antelope Island