Great Salt Lake

Introduction

The Great Salt Lake northwest of Salt Lake City, Utah is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and one of the largest inland bodies of water in the contiguous United States. It measures about 120 kilometers long and 48 kilometers wide, with salinity of 13 to 25 percent, far above the ocean, because it has no outlet and minerals accumulate over time. The largest islands, Antelope and Fremont, are home to American bison and wild horses reachable by causeway. The lake is a critical stopover for migratory birds, with millions of shorebirds, pelicans and gulls in spring and fall. Salt flats along the shore gleam white like snow, and at sunset the lake and sky merge into a dramatic pink-purple expanse. Because the lake is shallow and broad, water level and temperature fluctuate seasonally and drop markedly in drought years. It showcases the unique ecology and geology of an endorheic basin and is the most distinctive natural feature near Salt Lake City.

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