Great Salt Lake State Park: Old Shipwreck

In May of 2020 a big storm blew 50 mile per hour wind gusts across the Great Salt Lake. Which shifted some sand and unearthed an estimated 100 year old boat on the shores of the lake. How often do you get a chance to see a super old shipwreck in a land locked state? So I have been wanting to see it for some time. It's not the most fascinating shipwreck, but it is still pretty neat.

For some reason I thought it was right near the marina so every time I had been out there I looked around there with no luck. Today, after viewing the Mirabilite Spring Mounds I finally decided to ask a ranger and learned it is just a little further east than the mounds.

Quick Details:

Length: About 6/10ths of a mile out and back.
Trail Type: Out and back. 
Difficulty: DR3. Its mostly flat, packed beach sand with a short steep hill.
Elevation Gain: About 30 feet.
Restroom: Yes
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info: Fee area $5.00 per car.

To Get Here:

Take i80 to exit 104. Head north. Turn left in front of Saltair. Continue down the narrow rd to the fee station.

The wreck is on Silver Sands Beach, which starts behind the visitor center.

The Trail:

The Kennecott smelter stack. Tallest structure west of the Mississippi.

I like the way this looks. I don’t know for sure but it looks like salt is building up around the plants.

The smelter stack again.

The little sand bar we are following along on Silver Sands Beach.

Antelope tracks.

First glimpse.

With Saltair.

Random door. Between the 2 historic resorts, and all the boats, the random objects you can find on the beaches through here is mind boggling.

Well. There isn’t much to it.

Antelope Island.

Back to the shipwreck. I am pretty sure this is the front.

It is believed to be a boat belonging to the Southern Pacific Railroad that was likely used to build or maintain the causeway across the lake in the early 1900’s.

From the side. Yeah, not a whole lot to this.

From the back.

Antelope Island again.

Stansbury Island.

The wreck again. Well, it was not as neat as I anticipated so we decided to head on back.

The Kennecott smelter stack again.

The Mirabilite Spring Mounds on the way back.

Loads and loads on cairns. Normally I am 100% opposed to random cairn building. Their original purpose was to be a waymarker. But Instagram “influencers” have gone crazy with them and have actually made some dangerous situations building them where they do not belong. However, here, the State Park encourages them as in the spring the orbweaver spiders will use them like little spider condos. They did knock over some of the taller, more precarious cairns though.

Stromatolites, often referred to as Great Salt Lake Coral. It is not a true coral though as it is not a living organism. It is a cyanobacteria which is an algae that builds bulbous sedimentary rocks, They have only been exposed this year due to the lake hitting historic low levels during our extreme drought.

Looking back across Silver Sands Beach with Saltair in the distance.

Antelope Island and some cairns.

The smelter stack again.

Saltair (PSP). The current iteration is neat, but the older iterations were a lot more extravagant.

Historic monument to the old Black Rock Resort.

Huh. I knew about the historic Saltair resorts, but I had no idea there was also a historic Black Rock Resort. You'd think these signs would be out there. Anyway, in 1847 a party of pioneers bathed near here. In 1851 the first recorded 4th of July celebration was held here (wow had no idea). In 1860 a rock home was constructed, and entertained guests. And finally in 1880 100 bathhouses, bowery, boardwalks and other amenities were built. 

From 1851 to 1893 it was known as Garfield Beach and was the finest recreation resort on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. With a railroad stop, lunch stand, restaurant, bath houses, a pier, and a 3 story hotel. 

The signs don't really go into why the resort seemed to have failed, but I suspect Saltair might have had something to do with it.

Well, it is neat to see some old historic stuff, but I would say don’t make a special trip to see it. Add it to your trip to see the Mirabilite Springs, or if you decided to walk out to Saltair. But don’t come out here just for this. It was neat, but not neat enough to warrant a special trip. I am glad it was an add on adventure today. 6 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, it’s pretty easy going and flat beach sand, with a short steeper hill.

Dogs are allowed, but must remain leashed.