One of my favorite rides in northern Utah is Antelope Island. It is a very scenic ride that has nice views of the Great Salt Lake and is a great way to escape from neighborhood and city traffic. The difficulty of this bike ride is moderate, but can be harder depending on how much you want to push yourself – or who you cycle with!
Antelope Island is an out-and-back trip that is approximately 38 miles long. It starts from the ranger toll booth at the beginning of the island causeway. A good turnaround point is at the Fielding Garr Ranch on the south end of the island.
You can reach the causeway to the island by taking Exit 335 off I-15 in Layton. When you take the exit, turn west onto Antelope Drive and follow the road until you reach the Great Salt Lake. Just before the toll booth, you should pull into the parking lot on the left hand side of the road. You will have to pay the obligatory toll of $4 for each bicycle that enters the park.
From the toll booth, you bike ride along the seven mile causeway to the island. The causeway is flat. It can be a little tough if there is a headwind. You should keep in mind that this is also the last seven miles of your ride! Returning back on this strip of road after a strenuous workout can be long and tiresome, especially when you are already fatigued.
Once you arrive on the island, you will follow the sign that points left to the ranch. After riding your bike up a slight uphill that goes by a 2002 Olympic buffalo sculpture, you’ll come by another sign pointing left to the ranch. Take the road that goes left because it is the road you’ll follow south all the way to the turn around point at Fielding Garr Ranch.
The ride is pretty flat. You’ll encounter a little downhill before a long hill at appoximatley seven and a half miles. This hill is about a mile long, and then will level out. The summit offers a nice overlook of the bay and causeway. From there on out you’ll go over small rollers until you reach the ranch at about mile 19.
If you are feeling strong and want to test your climbing skills, take the road that turns off to Frary Peak at about mile 12.5. This road goes up a hill that is really INTENSE, even though it is les then ½ a mile long. At the top of the hill, you will come to a stop at a dirt trailhead to Frary Peak. There is a sign that says the road has a 23 percent grade. On the ride down the hill you can easily exceed 40 mph, so be smart and careful while descending. If you feel inclined, you can also ride up a the hill to Buffalo Point or you can hit a small loop that goes by some beaches and the visitor center. This will tack on a few more miles to your ride.
When you ride Antelope Island, be sure to bring plenty of fluids because Fielding Garr Ranch doesn’t have water access. I always take at least two full water bottles but sometimes even that amount isn’t enough. To refresh your sure-to-be parched throat, you can purchase water at the Buffalo Point Bistro, or you can refill your water bottles at a fountain in the visitor center. In addition to plenty of water, take the map of the island available at the toll booth so you’ll know where you are at all times. You will also want to bring insect repellant with you or spray yourself before you ride. Bugs can be an issue on the island, especially mosquitoes. One time I flatted in the early evening and was mauled by mosquitoes. It was a very ugly experience, to say the least. Brine fly swarms can get bad, too. Oh, one more tip. In the past I’ve come across buffalos (bison) crossing the road to the ranch. If this happens to you, I recommend that you either wait patiently for them to go by or ride along the side of slow-moving cars, using them as barriers from the unpredictable animals.
I highly recommend this ride. The flats of the causeway along with the rollers on the road to the ranch make this a nice ride to time trial on. The wide roads and low automobile traffic allows for less stop and go.
Enjoy!
Mick McKinley
slamkablam@yahoo.com
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