Spring Camping Trip at Palisade State Park

Both of my sisters and I went on a quick camping trip last weekend (along with everyone else on spring break) at Palisade State Park.  We have stayed here before in my sister's trailer but this time we stayed in a cabin which was really nice.  It included sleeping for eight, a nice bathroom with a shower, a kitchen with a fridge and a microwave (no stove), and a seating area.  We had so much fun!  We got there Friday afternoon and found a great diner near us with the best burgers and fries for dinner.  We made a fire for s'mores (even though it was a bit cold) and we watched lots of movies late into the night.  We had plans on Saturday (including dinner with our aunt) and then made another fire and watched more movies.  We slept in late Sunday morning and then packed up to come home in the afternoon.  We liked staying in the cabin so much we are planning to come back this summer!

I am so happy that my sisters and I are close and that we enjoy spending time with each other!

Antelope Island Camping Trip

Kristine, Trent, Marilyn, and I went on a winter camping trip to Antelope Island State Park for the past few days and we stayed in one of their new cabins.  They were really nice with a living room area, kitchen area, two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a large loft area.  There was a large porch, a covered picnic table with a fire pit, and views of the Great Salt Lake.

The sunsets were spectacular!

We explored the island during the day and, because it has been so mild, the bison were roaming instead of being corralled like they usually are in the winter.  I got really close to a group of them (which made my sister mad).

More views of the lake.

My family spent lots of time by the fire pit, which is usually my favorite part of camping, but I didn't last very long because I didn't bring a warm enough coat and it got really cold.  I went inside and read my book during the afternoon.

Every night we stayed up late playing Shanghai Rummy!

It was a fun and relaxing trip!

A Drive to Antelope Island

Yesterday I spontaneously decided to take a drive out to Antelope Island in the middle of the Great Salt Lake.  It is about a 45 minute drive from my house, and once you drive across the causeway, the scenery is pretty spectacular.  I drove around the island and up to Buffalo Point to get some good views of the lake, then I drove to the Garr Ranch to see the buffalo grazing (some of them were really close to the road which was thrilling because I love buffalo), and then I walked down to the beach near the causeway.  It was a beautiful day (not too hot and not too cold) and it felt great to be outside!

Go here for more information about Antelope Island State Park.

Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island is the largest of the islands in the Great Salt Lake and can be easily accessed by driving on a causeway from the town of Syracuse.  It has been on my list of places to visit for awhile and I convinced Sean to come with me yesterday.  He has been there many times and I think he enjoyed showing me around.

There are great views everywhere you look (these are from Buffalo Point) and we went on several scenic drives to various points of interest.

The island is known for a herd of several hundred bison who roam freely.  I was really hoping that we would see one and I was so excited when we happened upon this one!

Then we drove a little further and found a whole herd of them!  I may or may not have squealed out loud!

Fielding Garr established the first permanent residence on the island in 1848 and you can tour the historic ranch.

There is a small museum filled with lots of original artifacts.  Sean took me around and explained everything which was just like having my own private docent.  I loved it!

There are various outbuildings that you can explore.  Sean told me that you can usually go inside but they were closed off yesterday due to Covid-19.  You could still see inside and I found it fascinating.

There is a restaurant on the island called the Buffalo Grill (the dining room was closed because of Covid-19 but you could still order at the take-out window).  We got some lunch and then ate it at one of the many campsites available.  Sean got the buffalo burger and then was really upset when he realized that it was buffalo meat.

There are lots of trails to hike all over the island with various degrees of difficulty.  We did an easy one to Ladyfinger Point.  There are also trails for horseback riding and mountain biking.  There is also access to the beach and the water and a Visitor's Center.

To get to Antelope Island State Park, take exit 332 on I-15 and follow Antelope Drive west to the park entrance (it took about 45 minutes to get there from my house in Bountiful).  You can then drive along the causeway to the island.  There is an entrance fee of $15 per car (up to 8 people) and $3 for motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians.  There are separate fees for camping at one of the campsites and reservations are recommended.  The park is open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We spent most of the day on the island and I really enjoyed it.  I highly recommend a visit because there are so many things to do!  Go here for more information.

Note:  Dogs are welcome if they are on a leash.  We brought my sister's dog Ebony with us and she attracted lots of attention wherever we went because she is so adorable!