Baja to Dakota...slightly off-course. ( last post - Bonneville Salt Flats)

SLIGHTLY OFF THE TRAIL? …AGAIN
TRIP REPORT ON THE COLORADO RIVER NEAR LAUGHLIN, NEVADA



I was supposed to be heading north by northeast directly to my place in the Dakotas, but instead got a little off-course… again. But hey, it’s all about the journey, right?…not the destination. So please come along with me on this slight detour.

The following account is a boating (and poker) trip I took to the casino town of Laughlin, Nevada on the Colorado River starting on May 3rd, 2012.

For any of you who might not know where this oasis in the desert is…here’s some maps.




Plus here is some interesting history ...at least to me…of this place on the Colorado River. I hope you’ll find it of interest, too.

Naturally, the first recorded human inhabitants of this location were the indigenous aboriginals…namely the tribe known as….

Mohave – sub-tribe: Aha Macav



Their story…their religion

Creation

There was chaos in the beginning, and from the earth and sky was born the Great Spirit Matavilya. People sprang from Avi kwa' ame, the great mountain. But, Matavilya was killed by his sister, Frog Woman, before he could teach the people how to live. Little brother Mastamho took charge and with a willow stick he drew a line in the sand and the line became the river. With the river came the ducks and the fish, and Mastamho scraped the mud from the banks of the river and made the mountains.


The People

Even though they were not Norwegian, or even Swedish, the people knew nothing, and Mastamho showed the people everything, to know day from night, to plant, to build a fire and a house for shelter. He showed them how to hunt and fish, how to count and the four directions. And when the people learned to do these things, he gave them all he had created. The river and everything along it -- it was theirs, they were the Aha Macav, the people who live along the water…kinda like the burbs, y’know?


Territory

Three groups, made up the Aha-Macav along the Colorado River, mostly in the area where the states of Nevada, Arizona and California come together.

The northernmost group was the Matha lyathum, who lived in Black Canyon south to the Mojave Valley.

The Hutto-pah inhabited the central Mojave Valley.

The Kavi lyathum occupied the area south of the Mojave Valley to below the Needles Peaks.


Aha Macav

The dream world to the Mojave, was just as real as the physical world. Through dreams they could travel back to the time of creation and learn the meaning of things. A lot like my uncle Ole when he got into a jug. They could learn of gifts they had been given. Powers and abilities certain men had been given to heal or lead in battle. These people would fast for days and prove true to tests designed to verify their talents and receive their visions.

The tall men would walk naked and cake their hair with mud, twisting it into shapes. Yah…Uncle Ole again, you betcha. The beautiful women would wear rabbit and beaverskin capes. They practiced face tattooing and painting. The spirit of a Mojave who died without face tattoos would go into a rat hole in the ground and remain. They would tattoo their captives and slaves with marks of ownership.


The Colorado River

Their life centered around the river. They relied on annual overflow to irrigate their crops of melon, corn, pumpkin and beans. They would gather mesquite beans as wells as other wild seeds and roots. They would use traps and nets to take game and fish from the river. They were traders, and would follow the trails as far as the Pacific coast to obtain items that were not available to them in the desert.


Warriors in Battle

They could defend their territory with great fierocity. They were brave in battle. War parties could travel hundreds of miles, living on chia seeds and water. They fought with clubs, hitting the tops their enemy's heads driving them down, then swinging up to crush their jaws. They would take scalps and prisoners. Captives would later be sacrificed to serve fallen warriors in heaven. They would follow the warrior master's spirit up Avi kwa' ame, the way to heaven, the Spirit Mountain. They would purify themselves before returning home, so that dark spirits would be lost and not follow them. Ya sure, just like Uncle Ole, except he purified himself mostly in Buffalo Mary’s upstairs room at the Longfeller Branch Saloon.






. The panel and area is called "HUM-ME-CHOMP", the English translation means "The rock where the river once churned to make this place inaccessible to the living."

“We are the Aha-Makaa, Mojave Nation, People of the Colorado River.

The beautiful land graced before you in all its natural splendor and grandeur is a sacred and holy place to the Aha-Makaav. Since the beginning of time traditional songs and narrations have passed to succeeding generations. This sacred site is one that brings joy, awe, gratitude and utmost respect to the living as well as the spirits of our departed.

The Petroglyphs (rock writings) before you indicate this and tell our story. The history of our people is depicted, as the Mojave people hand this oral history down from one generation to another.

You are requested to respect these sacred grounds as you would your own place of worship and help preserve our heritage which existed since the beginning of time

We are joined in this request by fellow Native Americans, the Chemehuevi, who have lived in this area before the coming of non-indians.”



Back to the present:

THE CITY OF LAUGHLIN, NEVADA HISTORY

A sliver of the Colorado River Valley where Nevada, California and Arizona meet has been transformed into a fast-growing tourist destination and gambling resort in a few short decades.

Laughlin's current location was established in the 1940's ..then named South Pointe due to the many construction workers who built Davis Dam.its proximity to Nevada's southern tip. The settlement consisted of a motel and bar that catered to the many construction workers who built Davis Dam and to the many gold and silver miners who dotted the map.



Davis Dam was designed to help regulate the mighty Colorado and to provide electricity to the Southwest. Once the dam was completed, construction workers left and the motel fell into disrepair.

In 1964 Don Laughlin, owner of Las Vegas' 101 Club, flew over Laughlin and offered to buy the property. In less than two years the motel and bar, now called the Riverside Resort, was offering all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents, play on 12 slot machines and two live gaming tables. Guest accommodations were available in four of the motel's eight motel rooms. The Laughlin family lived in the other four rooms. South Pointe was renamed Laughlin when the U.S. Postal Service inspector insisted Don Laughlin give the town a name…any name…in order to receive mail. Don Laughlin recommended the name of Riverside or Casino, but the postal inspector used Laughlin instead.

In 1972 the Riverside Resort added 48 rooms, followed by several additions and in 1986 built the first 14-floor high-rise.

A second casino, the Bobcat Club opened in 1967 where the Golden Nugget Laughlin currently operates. In 1968 a third casino, the Monte Carlo opened its doors.

Across the River, Bullhead City flourished in the glow of the casino light.



Shuttle boats transported customers from the Arizona side of the river to Laughlin's resorts.




During the 1980s a surge of casino construction exploded in Laughlin. The Colorado Hotel (now the Pioneer), the Regency Sam's Town Gold River (now the River Palms) and the Edgewater opened early in the decade. The activity attracted other investors to begin a second boom resulting in the construction of the Colorado Belle, Harrah's Del Rio, Ramada Express and finally, in 1990, the Flamingo Hilton.



Want to take a riverfront ride and see all those casinos? Well, matey…Jump aboard and let’s get ‘er done!









History continued: In 1987, Don Laughlin funded and built the Laughlin Bridge at a cost of $3.5 million. (pic bottom right) He donated the bridge to the states of Nevada and Arizona. That bridge carries 2,000 vehicles daily.



Today there are nine hotel/casinos and one motel in Laughlin providing over 10,000 rooms, 94,000 square feet of meeting space, 60 restaurants, two museums, a 34-lane bowling center and a variety of boutiques, spas and salons. Although, I didn’t see a single taco stand. More than 14,000 casino workers now cross the Colorado by shuttle boat or the Laughlin Bridge each day.

Today, hundreds of private waterfront homes line the Colorado River shorelines north and south. Not exactly everyone’s lifestyle, but hey? Those condos…Sardines in a can, you say?




The city by the river now attracts nearly 3 million visitors annually who visit Laughlin to gamble, enjoy water sports on the Colorado and attend many high-profile special events hosted by the community.


And now that the history lesson is over, the following is the reason for my detouring off my main route Up North….mainly, Boating & Floating the river..with some evening poker games thrown in.

This was a trip without the motorhome, so I stayed a week at the AVI Resort where I had much better success on the river than on the casino’s poker tables, but both were highly enjoyable. Finest kind of hospitality..…and good weather blessed the days spent there.

AVI RIVERSIDE RESORT

Rates were $75 for riverside rooms per night if I recall correctly. Nice place…great views from my riverview and poolside room. My only complaints were small potatoes: no room service, no in-room coffee…ah, well..I can rough it for a bit.

On this side-trip I am not fishing….But…..
These are the fish you can expect to catch around this area on the Colorado River:
Rainbow trout, black bass, striped bass, flathead catfish, bluegill, black crappie, sunfish and even some walleye. Razorback sucker and the bonytail chub are federal protected species living in the river; plus the flannelmouth sucker is a non-game species. (Hmm…flannelmouth? Yow-zer! We’ve all had that a few mornings, mmm?)
In the vicinity of where I was near Laughlin, largemouth and smallmouth bass are among the most sought-after game fish in the lower Colorado River. Largemouths over 5 pounds and smallmouths over 3 pounds are not uncommon, and you can catch trout in some sections. Channel and flathead catfish are also abundant, sometimes approaching 50 pounds and common carp get big enough to test any angler. Crappie and redear sunfish are also available, as are striped bass over 10 pounds in some areas.


Some other good fishing locations neaby:

Take heart, you fellow fishermen! Many sections of the lower Colorado River are known for their fishing. Lake Havasu is a large reservoir on the river that contains all the species mentioned above. From the lake's Parker Dam downstream to Headgate Rock is an exceptional smallmouth stream, with bass over 2 pounds and some redear sunfish approaching 2 pounds as well. Palo Verde Diversion Dam downstream to Walter's Camp can produce catches of smallmouth bass in the main channel and largemouths in the backwaters. You can catch big catfish and a few largemouths from here down to Picacho State Park, and the section from the park to Imperial Dam can be excellent for largemouth bass and catfish.

Launching and retrieving your boat is very easy:

You can access the river at a number of state parks and other recreation facilities on both sides of the lower river, including Lake Havasu State Park, Buckskin Mountain State Park, Picacho State Park and Yuma West Wetlands Park. Additionally, most towns and cities along the Colorado offer boat launch facilities and public access, and you can reach the river at dam sites, of which there are several on the lower Colorado.

A word of warning:
The lowest stretch of the river before it flows into Mexico--from Pilot Knob to Morelo Dam-- has been the scene of increasing border issues and illegal activity in 2010, so extreme caution should be exercised if you have plans to fish in this stretch of the lower Colorado River.

HERE’S AN APRIL-MAY FISHING REPORT FROM A LOCAL COLORADO RIVER GUIDE …and a good one, Capt. Doyle. I spent some time discussing the fishing with this fine fellow and he knows his business well. This is from one of his brochures:

“Welcome to the Colorado! With the exception of a few off days–lingering lows and wind,
Early April-early May has been a stellar month for bass and sunfish in the Topock Gorge! Most of the bass have been taken on minnows and night crawlers. Smallmouth sizes have been ranging between 2- and 5-pounds and the sunfish have weighed up to 1.5-pounds. I would like to petition anglers to please exercise catch and release so our bass have a chance to reproduce which in turn will further a fish rich river. Bass are territorial, so releasing them where they were caught is also beneficial. Ray Schaefer and Jerry Jacobs of Goodyear, Arizona recently boated a limit of smallmouth and ten nice sunfish. Brady and Kyle Spilker of Seven Hills, OH caught a bounty of tasty little Bluegill on
night crawlers and a mixed bag limit of largemouth and smallmouth bass on live
bait. Fishing exclusively for bass, Robert Abella from Las Vegas, NV and his party picked up some impressive bass–a 2-, a 3-, a 4- and the biggest so far this month, a 5.5-pounder! Striped bass have finally begun to move up river. It’s a soak your bait all day event, but the sizes may be worth the wait. John and Pat Morris of Golden Shores, Arizona took home two, a 2- and a 4-pounder, from the Blankenship Bend area and another pair, a 3- and a 4-pounder, higher up into the Gorge. Anchovy was, of course, the bait of choice. Pat told me they took another couple of stripers in the 3-pound class a
week later. Another Golden Shores resident, Bob Meltzer, also caught a 3-pound
line-side. Meltzer was pitching chovy in the reeds near the Elbow. Bait fishermen
need to check their bait regularly. If there’s no bait on your hook you’re just fishing on credit.
Fishing news from Topock Marsh has finally surfaced. It appears fishers are reaping crappie at both Catfish Paradise and at North Dyke. No sizes were reported. Because of the time of year, there’s a good possibility the fish are black crappie rather than white.
See you on the river. Until the next time, Keep your sinker in the water and the plug in your boat, and remember no matter what time of day or year it's always FunFishing on the Colorado! “

Capt. Doyle and one of his guides, Jamie.










Launching and retrieving your boat is very easy…plus the area has excellent Camping

You can access the river at a number of state parks and other recreation facilities on both sides of the lower river, including Lake Havasu State Park, Buckskin Mountain State Park, Picacho State Park and Yuma West Wetlands Park. Additionally, most towns and cities along the Colorado offer boat launch facilities and public access, and you can reach the river at dam sites, of which there are several on the lower Colorado.

This was a nice RV park and boat ramp at rivers edge.


Set up a tent or an RV campsite in the Big Bend State Recreation Area, a Nevada state park 5 miles south of Laughlin. Fish from the shore or launch a private boat into the river; non-anglers in the family have 4 miles of trails to hike. Or, get a site in the campground at Katherine's Landing on Lake Mohave and rent a fishing boat from a concession-operated marina nearby. Close to 100 secluded coves on both the Arizona and Nevada sides of the lake provide for great fishing. The immediate vicinity of Davis Dam is closed to fishing, as are harbors and casino docks.

A word of warning:
The lowest stretch of the river before it flows into Mexico--from Pilot Knob to Morelo Dam-- has been the scene of increasing border issues and illegal activity in 2010, so extreme caution should be exercised if you have plans to fish in this stretch of the lower Colorado River.

Other things to do in the area:

- Horseback Riding
- Hiking Desert
- Swimming
- River Cycling
- Geocaching
- Poker! Texas Hold-Em. Need I say more?

One day’s adventure on the Colorado River was always better than the day’s before. Yesterday it was north to Davis Dam and some neat sights sunning themselves on a lonely beach. Love the nude codes around here. Today I went exploring downriver and motored past a picturesque bay called Pirates Cove. Hey, the signs said restaurant and saloon….which kinda go together in my vocabulary, y’know?
So… hard to starboard! …(that be over there to the right, mate.)… and into the Cove I drove mi trusty Yarcraft…time for vittles and have a pull at the jug, by gar.
Odd thing: I ALWAYS get an appetite in a boat…to this day …and ever since I had that first peanut butter and jelly sammy in my old rowboat at age 5 on the Little Missouri. Washed down with some Rochester Root Beer..ahhhh, what a treat that was!





I met a charming pirate lady. I offered her some of my fruit cup, but she wasn’t much of a talker. But.. Hey, that’s okay, too.


I inquired about taking a possible flight over the river and surrounding mountains in this old beauty, but the breathalyzer kept me grounded.


I soon had some buddies swim over to join me and other café patrons for lunch. Ker-honk! Backatcha amigos.


Okay, we had our fun, boat rides, poker, and now lunch. And with that, it’s time to find the Up North Trail again…it’s burning daylight and I’ve a long ways to go before I sleep… in the Dakotas.

Whadya say, amigos? Let’s get this lashup on the Road and put the pedal to the metal?














[Edited on 6-27-2012 by Pompano]

Hi Roger,

THANKS FOR THE PICS AND INFO!

I like Laiughlin for a getaway. My sis and her hubby have a place nearby in Bullhead City and I've been there quite a few times. It's located on the Chaparral Country Club (9 hole) and we play a lot of golf and then hit the buffets and casinos at night.


Miguelamo

Pompano, Thanks. Looking forward to the next tour.

Hola Allen,

Go if you get the chance...you won't regret it. U2U me or email this fall. I might just see you up there this season. I know the Kelvington area very well, and have stayed at the old hotel there many times. Plus the newer motel just out of town...Sportmans, I think? The owner is a guide, but we generally do our own scouting, guiding, & sets.

That whole area is one of the province's best for all game birds, especially mallards and honkers. Finest Kind, amigo. My hunting buds and I have had more great times there than you can imagine.

First photo below...Have great memories of this morning after getting up at 4 am, driving about 15 miles from Kelvington, setting the deeks in a pre-scouted field, and enjoying a fine day's hunt flagging them in..as this photo of that set shows.





Other fine hunts in that same area:

Mike, I figured that was a rare old gal, to be sure. A real classic bird. About the only floatplane I have not flown in yet. You see all kinds of floats in Alaska and northern Canada.

I stayed at the Nautical Inn in Havasu in during St. Pat's Day in 1975 enroute to my place in Baja. It was an eerie place then..all dressed up, but no tourists yet. Took this timed photo of myself and my black lab, Gypsy posing on the recently re-constructed London Bridge brought over by a guy I met in a local bar...McCullough of the chain saw company. That's me behind the dang pole...

Hah! Out of focus and sight...par for the course.

Roger, I'll give your advise consideration, but basically I'm a lazy ol' phart. In other words, in fly-fishing I prefer the evening hatches and in bird-hunting I prefer walking overland with my pointer on a pleasant fall afternoon. Note: "Afternoon".

This business of getting up at oh-dark-thirty to go out and place yourself in an uncomfortable position in even a more uncomfortable environment ranks right up there with tooth extraction for me.

Nevertheless, my friend assures me that waterfowl hunting in Saskatchewan will be an "unforgetable" experience. But then, I haven't forgotten my drill sargeant at jump school either.

I do like eating goose, though.

Allen R

I hear you, Allen...and agree wholeheartedly with the afternoon choices. I am not a youngster anymore don't struggle against gravity too much these days, either.

Nothing better than an afternoon rainbow or Dolly during Indian Summer times. One each for the pan time back in camp. Or seeing the setter lock up on point, and then flushing that rooster when I walk up on him.

I'll be fishing with an ex-Marine DI in about one week off the Oregon Coast. They sure are tough old characters, aren't they? Now my feet are flat!

Ah...so you are the one that eats those geese?

Freeway Shipwreck

A tear rolled down my cheek as we chanced upon this sad sight going north from the Columbia Gorge to Spokane two days ago.












I didn't see a name on this boat, but I think "Ship Happens" might be appropriate?

Hey, come to think of it, that's a perfect name to etch on Dennis' empty bar stool until he returns.

This gal got a mite scruffy, but let's hope she is sound enough to get a makeover..and hit the water again. Buene suerte, amiga.


Note: Hmmm. Why do I get this strange deja vu feeling? This seems all too familiar??


Oh, yeah....now I recall the time I launched my boat into a wheat field in Saskatchewan...Good Grief, Charlie Brown!







[Edited on 6-24-2012 by Pompano]

port vs starboard

Red & Green

Starboard is supposedly derived from the term "steering arm", the right arm. So right arm/steering arm/starboard/right side of the vessel.

Hot, Windy, and Dry.

Highs today in low 90's to mid 80's from west to east. Very dry in this area with only 15% normal precipitation so far....making danger of summer wildfires very likely. To compound the danger, this spring's higher-than-normal winds are not helping matters.


Winds this morning are gusting to 45-50mph..making travel interesting for all high-sided vehicles.

Note: Here the wind is to 'port' and the truck is heeling to 'starboard'.








This might have been a contributing factor to the boat accident on the freeway...Wind! Be careful..Be aware.

OK, I cheated with the meaning of POSH

My, what a nice set of Tetons you have..

Running north up Idaho #20 towards Yellowstone Park we see The Three Tetons off in the distance and come upon this historical sign (great tourist stuff!)





Hmm...Tetons or Knobs? Well...it's way past lunchtime..and to me the whole thing looks like a banana cream split?


Floating, Fishing, or Kayaking the Gallatin is pure fun!

We enter the area just north of West Yellowstone...very pretty country indeed.











.
.


The single raft below looks flexible, adaptable, and can carry lots of my gear. Oh Yeah....floating and fishing combo is the way to go for me. Spinner or fly?..this is the question.



Naturally, Co-pilots are always better at finding a little more relaxing water..not to mention much clearer, too! Hey, is that a Mepps spinner down there?

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS
Imagine a place so flat you seem to see the curvature of the planet, so barren not even the simplest life forms can exist. Imagine the passing thunder of strange vehicles hurtling by on a vast dazzling white plain. This is not an alien world far from earth; it is Utah's famous Bonneville Salt Flats.














GEOLOGY, LOCATION, HISTORY AND CHARACTERS


The Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most unique natural features in Utah. Stretching over 30,000 acres, the Bonneville Salt Flats is a fragile resource administered by the Bureau of Land Management. It is located along I-80 near the Utah-Nevada border. Wendover is the closest city.

Thousands of visitors, commercial filmmakers, and of course, high speed auto racers, make the Bonneville Salt Flats a world famous destination.

Location

The Bonneville Salt Flats are found west of the Great Salt Lake, in western Utah. They cover a large area and have a very unique environment. The flats can easily be seen as you drive I-80 between Salt Lake City and Wendover, NV, like I did.




The famous Bonneville Speedway is located in the western portion of the flats, near Wendover. It is perfectly flat and has a thick crust of salty soil. It looks like a frozen lake bed covered with snow. No vegetation grows in that area.


In other places, low mountains and hills break up the flat landscape. Sparse vegetation grows on hillsides and is pushing into the flat areas. On hot days, heat waves rise from the salty soil and create mirages that look amazingly real. If you believe your eyes, the dry desert looks like it is covered by water.


Best Viewpoint


I pulled in here for some photos. Perhaps the most impressive spot to view the Salt Flats is along along I-80, about 10 miles east of Wendover. A rest stop has been established there (offering restrooms and water). The rest area is surrounded by perfectly flat land that looks like it is covered by snow. To the north and west, low mountains break the view. To the east and south, it looks like flat land extends virtually forever.

At the rest stop you can walk out onto the salty soil. When you return, a water spray station has been set up so you can wash the salt from your shoes.


Geology & Environment

The Salt Flats were formed when ancient lake Lake Bonneville dried up. The lake was huge, filling much of the Great Basin. It eventually shrank below its outlet and so its water became salty. As water continued to evaporate, salt deposits were left in many areas. The Great Salt Lake is a remnant of Lake Bonneville.

Several roads probe the Salt Flats from many directions. They often extend into very remote locations where conditions are harsh and there are no services.

The flats include a variety of micro environments. In some spots the soil is so salty it prevents vegetation growth. These spots seem to be totally desolate. In other places you will find numerous kinds of plants and animals. Ponds and marshy areas can be found in spots near the edges of the flats and they provide critical habitat for plants and animals.

The environment is fragile and needs to be treated with respect. When you drive, stay on established roads. If you camp or hike, do so in ways that are environmentally friendly.

The federal government owns almost all of the land in this area and large portions are used by the military for storage depots, test areas and bombing ranges. These sections are fenced and marked, and public access is prohibited. It’s not cool to be blown away or met with deadly force.

A Barrier Of Salt- History of Western Development of USA

Humans have lived in the Great Basin for thousands of years. Excavations at nearby Danger Cave have proven occupation of the area as early as 10,300 years ago. While Native Americans adapted to the desert environment, more recent arrivals found the area less hospitable.

By 1824, Jim Bridger and other mountain men explored the Great Salt Lake desert region. The first recorded crossing of the desert was made in 1845 by Captain John C. Fremont's survey party, with scouts Kit Carson and Joe Walker. Early the next year, 23 year old Lansford Hastings retraced Fremont's trail across the salt plain. Joe Walker's writings warned emigrants not to attempt the untried route; however, Hastings convinced several emigrant parties to follow him.

Despite Walker's warnings, the Donner-Reed party, seeking a shortcut to California in 1846, attempted the "Hastings Cutoff". They failed to take enough water and lost a critical number of oxen. Four of their wagons were abandoned just 10 miles northeast of the salt flats. Time was lost, and the delay resulted in their late arrival to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and their tragic winter.

Later, in 1910, the first permanent crossing of the Bonneville Salt Flats was completed when the Southern Pacific Railroad was built linking Salt Lake City and San Francisco.

Ancient Lake Bonneville

Although he never visited the salt flats, the area is named in honor of Captain B.L.E. Bonneville, whose expeditions in the 1830's proved the area was part of an ancient basin.

During the last Ice Age, about 15,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville was the size of Lake Michigan. It covered one-third of present day Utah and parts of neighboring states. You can see traces of the shorelines, representing different levels of the receding lake, etched into the mountains surrounding the salt flats.

The Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake are remnants of ancient Lake Bonneville. Wind and water combine to create the flat surface of salt. Each winter, a shallow layer of standing water floods the surface of the salt flats. During spring and summer, the water slowly evaporates while winds smooth the surface into a vast, nearly perfect flat plain.

The salt surface contains potassium, magnesium lithium and sodium chloride (common table salt).


Nomads visiting?

The Bonneville Salt Flats is administered by the Bureau of Land Management for public use and enjoyment. Due to its unique geology, history, and scenic beauty, the Bonneville Salt Flats was designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern in 1985.

Help preserve the Bonneville Salt Flats!


Some tips for visiting the Salt Flats:

Stay on existing roads or areas designated for vehicles. Despite the appearance of a hard surface, much of the area is a thin salt crust over soft mud. It easily breaks under the weight of a vehicle.
Stay off the salt surface when it is covered by water. When wet, the salt surface is soft and easily damaged by vehicles.

Furthermore, the salt water is highly corrosive and can "short-out" the electrical system in your vehicle...like this scene I came upon below:


Below: At the rest area just off I-80 I met this couple who were working hard to remove lots of salt from the underside of their car, which they had foolishly driven out onto the salt flats. Bad idea for many reasons.





Be prepared for desert conditions. Temperatures can exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer and drop well below 0 in the winter.

There are no facilities or services on the salt flats. Temporary facilities are available during racing events.
Overnight stays are prohibited on the salt flats. Camping is encouraged on surrounding public lands. Private campgrounds and hookups are available in nearby Wendover, ten miles west of the Bonneville Salt Flats. I have stayed there and can attest that they are well-maintained with full-hookups.


What made the Salt Flats what they are?

The Bonneville Salt Flats of the western Great Salt Lake Desert were formed through the evaporation of the Pleistocene-era Lake Bonneville. The salt flats are actually the bed of that once massive lake which rivaled in size present Lake Michigan. The flats are composed mainly of potash salts ranging in thickness from less than one inch to six feet.


In 1827, trapper, trader, explorer, and frontiersman Jedediah Smith was perhaps the first white man to cross the salt flats in 1827 while returning from his first expedition to California.





Six years later, Joseph Reddeford Walker, another trapper, mapped and explored the areas around the Great Salt Lake and crossed the northern perimeter of the flats while in the employ of Captain Benjamin L. E. Bonneville. It is from Benjamin Bonneville that the salt flats and prehistoric lake derive their name, although it is unlikely that Bonneville himself ever saw the flats.




In 1845, John C. Fremont and his expedition crossed through the very heart of the salt flats in an effort to find a shorter overland route to the Pacific. In the following year, Fremont's route across the flats would come to be known as the Hastings Cutoff.

The Cutoff, promoted by Lansford Hastings as a faster and easier route to California, proved to be just the opposite for the ill-fated Donner-Reed party of 1846. A factor contributing to the Donner-Reed tragedy in the Sierra Nevadas was the delay the party experienced on the salt flats when their wagons became mired in the mud found just below the thin salt crust. Abandoned wagon parts from the party were present on the flats well into the 1930s, and the wheel tracks of their wagons were still visible in 1986 when archaeologists examined several sites associated with the party.

The tragedy of the Donner-Reed Party inhibited extensive use of the Hastings Cutoff as an overland migration trail.

Fifty years after the Donner-Reed party slogged their way across the flats, the area's first use as raceway was conceived by publisher William Randolph Hearst in a publicity stunt. Hearst hired William Rishel of Cheyenne, Wyoming, to attempt a crossing on bicycle. Rishel completed the journey, crossing the salt flats in 22 hours.

Early attempts to promote automobile racing failed until 1925 when Ab Jenkins, driving a Studebaker, beat a special excursion train by ten minutes in a race across the flats. Since that time the Bonneville Salt Flats have attracted racers from throughout the world and have become the site of numerous land speed records. Their attraction for these racers is due to the hard, flat surface expanse.

Bonneville Salt Flats became the destination for men who aspired to push it to the limits. In 1970, “The Blue Flame”, a rocket propelled vehicle, made the headlines by reaching six hundred and thirty miles per hour. The record stood for 13 years.


Remember the almost unbelievable 630mph reached in the Blue Flame?


In 1970, “The Blue Flame”, a rocket propelled vehicle, made the headlines by reaching six hundred and thirty miles per hour. The record stood for thirteen years, then was busted over and over again..until finally...


The current record holder for Fastest Land Speed:

Thrust SSC – Great Britain (763 mph)
Former British Royal Air Force Pilot Andy Green set the fastest recorded speed in October 15, 1997 at Black Rock Desert, Nevada. At 763 mph, Green is the frist to reach supersonic speed on land. The ThrustSSC, blended the know how of 4 British gentlemen, Glynne Bowsher, Ron Ayers, Jeremy Bliss, and Richard Noble, himself a record holder. They used a turbine gas engine (turbofan) by Rolls Royce, the recognized leader in aircraft engineering.

763 mph!





"Nomad Drivers, start your engines!"

ROGER....


As ALWAYS...thanks for sharing the stories, history and pics with us. I always look forward to opening up your posts!!


Miguelamo