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I was actually planning to try to see the newly transplanted big horned sheep, but they like high elevations. After seeing how much snow was on the island, we decided to do this trail instead.
Quick Details:
Length: 4.8 mile loop, 5.6 out and back (if you don’t want to climb). We did 2 miles out.
Trail Type: Loop, or out and back.
Difficulty: DR3. Its generally flat for the original Lakeside trail, some rocky sections, but it’s not bad. If you do the full loop there will be a bit of a climb.
Elevation Gain: We did about 180 ft, but there would be more with the loop as you will climb up and around Buffalo Point.
Restroom: No, but there are some at both campgrounds (at each end), or the Visitor Center.
Dogs? Yes. 6’ max leash required at all times. Please clean up after your furry friends!
Other Info: Fee Area: $10.00 per car.
To Get Here:
After paying your fee, and crossing the causeway, once on the island you will take the first left. Stay on the main road, follow signs for White Rock Bay Campground. After about 1 mile there will be a left, and an immediate right. Go all the way to the bottom, and go right into the parking lot. Don't take the additional right to go up into the group camping site.
The park sign (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)). I seem to recall this being damaged, so it is good to see they fixed it up.
Freemont Island, I think (PSP).
The causeway (PSP).
You can see the different waters mixing from an opening in the causeway.
Well, lucky us we managed to see an antelope.
It still amuses me that they don’t seem to mind the bison, and the bison don’t seem to mind them.
Handsome fella.
The Trail:
Trailhead sign. Looks like they show the new section that completes the loop, but don’t mention it in the mileage.
The trail below Buffalo Point. You know, I really ought to go back and do that one day. It’s super short. I just remember there being a spot I didn’t like.
Looking back towards White Rock Bay. One of those ridges is over there called Elephant Head… I think I finally might see why.
I think that is Frary Peak. If not, then it is hidden by whichever peak that is. Frary Peak is the highest on the island. We haven’t done that one yet, but we have done the offshoot from it to Dooley Knob.
Some bison off in the distance. Also, I think that is where the new loop trail goes up over the ridge.
The trail starts a little ways off from the lake, but it gets closer.
The view platform at the Buffalo Point trailhead.
Buffalo Point again.
Here is where the trail loop split starts.
The bison again.
A little closer.
Cropped in a little closer still.
There were a couple muddy spots, but it wasn’t the awful clingy mucky mud.
Looking back towards White Rock Bay.
The lake again.
Great storm clouds.
The streaking shores of the shallow Great Salt Lake.
Neat rock formation.
Starting to hit a rocky section.
That rock formation looks like a witch.
Rocky hillside.
Little rock bench. I wonder how old this is.
View from it.
I thought this was a curious depression. After some thought I figured it was likely due to the bison. So, starting with that, I am pretty sure what we have here is a bison wallow. Bison tend to roll around in wet or dry depressions. They do this for relief from shedding, male interactions, relief from bugs, etc. etc. Absolutely fascinating.
The lake.
Panoramic.
I turned around and oh. Hello bison. This is about as close as I am comfortable getting to them so I wasn’t too worried. You want to keep at least 2 bus lengths between yourself and a bison. A good general rule of thumb, if they stop what they are doing to look at you, you are too close! More bison safety tips on the official Antelope Island Page.
Cropped in a little closer.
A neat little bay.
Random pile of rocks.
Continuing along.
Entering one of the smaller ‘rock gardens’ as I have dubbed them.
Some of the rocks are really kind of neat.
I thought this last time we did this trail and again this time. It looks like something you’d see in southern Utah.
Out towards the lake.
Just neat.
Miniature archway.
The lake again.
The trail weaves it’s way through the boulders.
Some random metal doohickey rusting away.
Hollow rock.
We are getting close to rounding the point.
Little sandbar point.
We’re up on a little bench here.
The lake again.
Entering another ‘rock garden’ area.
Another hollow rock. I wonder what causes that here? The pamphlet says Tintic Quartzite is found on the northern 1/3 of the island.
Like a giant geode.
The lake across some rocks.
Again.
Another hollow rock.
Rocky hillside.
The biggest and best rock garden is at the northern tip of the island.
This is about where it started to look familiar for me and I felt like we had reached the point that we did from the other direction. It’s actually a little further back, but this is where I started to recognize things. You can see the tiny window!
More fun rocks.
The lake again.
Another hollow rock.
Well, like I said, this is the best ‘rock garden’ and I was really hoping to do the full loop, but we were getting tired of being blown around by the wind so we agreed to turn back at 2 miles, which was right about here. If you want to see from here out to Bridger Bay here is when we approached from that direction.
The lake again.
The itty bitty window again (right side).
Rocky beach.
This is one of my favorites. Hollow rock with a little arch.
Different views.
Small break in the clouds.
More rocks.
Closer.
White Rock Bay. This is about where we turned around last time when we started the trail from the other end. I wanted to push on until I could see it.
The lake and the overcast clouds.
Heading south again.
Fun layers in the clouds.
Entering another rocky area.
I like the purple quartz.
More rocks.
Upper view of the weird piles of pebbles.
The bison are still grazing here.
Another cropped in image.
Skewampus lake shore.
White Rock Bay and Elephant Head.
A couple more bison wallows.
The lake and the weird shore again.
The bay again.
Another hollow rock.
Oh. There is another stone bench that we missed on the way in.
Bison off in the distance.
I noticed this faint, rock lined little side trail so I went to investigate.
It was super short and just ended at this. I… I don't understand. Probably non-sanctioned “art” but, who knows.
There was also a random off shoot trail that paralleled the main trail a little north of here that I wonder if there was something on it, but we didn’t explore it. That one looks like probably original trail, vs. desire path (strait line) though.
Back to where the loop splits off.
I can see the car, almost done!
I think these are the same bison from a couple images back.
A pair of deer.
And they’re off!
They decided to go chill with the bison. I guess they feel safe around them? This experience led me to wonder if I mixed up antelope and deer when we did the South Island Trail, but nope, those ones were definitely antelope. I guess both antelope and deer don’t mind hanging out with bison. Neat.
Some bison closer to the trailhead, still far enough off that I felt safe.
The white rock of White Rock Bay.
Little bit of sunlight on the otherwise dreary day.
Lots of bison off in the distance.
Some more as we headed back towards the causeway (PSP).
Speaking of, said causeway (PSP).
You can see the inversion off in the distance (PSP).
Different colored water on each side (PSP).
One last look at the island (PSP).
That was a fun trail today. It was nice to finally complete the original Lakeside Trail, even if the plan was to do the whole loop. We did see loads of wildlife on this trail today so I am pretty pleased. Plus the different ‘rock gardens’ were neat. Not a lot of people today either. 9 squirrels today.
As for difficulty, the original lake side trail from White Rock Bay to Bridger Bay is fairly flat, some rocky sections but not too bad. DR3. To do the full loop you will climb up over the spine for Buffalo Point so there will be s short climb, but it doesn't look too bad either.
Dogs are allowed, with a strict 6 foot max leash rule.
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