Day 1: Bonneville Salt Flats and Great Basin National Park
Chicago to Salt Lake City
On Wednesday, October 11, 2023, I took an evening flight from Chicago O’Hare to Salt Lake City. My friend Heidi was kind enough to pick me up from the airport, and we headed back to her place in the suburbs to spend the night before starting our adventure the next day.
Bonneville Salt Flats
The next morning, on Thursday, October 12, 2023, we made our way to Great Basin National Park, stopping at the Bonneville Salt Flats along the way. The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 30,000-acre expanse of bright white salt crust in northwestern Utah, formed by the evaporation of an ancient lake. Known for their flat, otherworldly landscape, they’re famous for land speed racing, stunning photo opportunities, and a sense of vast, open space. It was so cool to see!
We only spent about 20 minutes there, as we wanted to reach our Airbnb in Baker, NV, before dark, and we still had a three-hour drive ahead of us. But you could definitely spend more time there if you wanted to!
Afterward, we drove about an hour and a half to Rack's Bar & Grill in Ely, NV, for lunch. We then continued on to our Airbnb in Baker, NV, with a quick stop at the general store along the way.
Great Basin National Park
After dropping off our bags and supplies at the Airbnb, we headed out to catch the sunset at Great Basin National Park. We drove along Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, stopping at Mather Overlook for some of the best views of the park. With plenty of parking and a spacious viewing area, it’s a perfect spot to admire the famous Wheeler Cirque! After taking some photos, we returned to the Airbnb to relax for the night.
