Utah's Great Salt Lake Shrinks to Unsustainable Levels 

I'm a local and used to go to Antelope Island weekly in the summertime as a teenager in the mid 80's. I believe it was free or a very minimal fee to enter the park back then. My friends and I had the greatest time exploring all over the island. Back when life was unhurried and uncluttered. It was the best! I remember there was springtime flooding, and the water was very nearly level with the causeway road as we traveled on it with the windows down, the wind in our hair, and desert dust in our shoes. However, today, as I watched through your lens, Antelope Island and the Great Salt Lake are now telling a very different story since the last time I ventured there with its stark lack of water. Even so, there is still much to be appreciated in amazing beauty and the soulfulness of the desert scenery. Thanks so much for sharing this video! 😊

Hey, Russ. Right now we're just calling it the Pretty Good Salt Lake. It definitely goes through cycles. It was almost as low back in the early 60's, then maxed out in the mid 80's. There are mineral companies on the north and southwest sides of the lake that are pumping very large quantities of water out, 24 hours a day, and evaporating it away as fast as possible in giant ponds to collect minerals (salt, magnesium, etc). I believe this contributes more than anything to the low level. Also, the increased farming of hay and alfalfa, which is very lucrative right now, is consuming a ton of water before it even reaches the lake. The campground you stayed at is one of our favorite places to camp. In just a few miles you can leave the city lights and enjoy the great expanse of the desert, with very few visible lights. Just don't go in the late spring, the bugs are terrible. Enjoy the rest of your trip through Utah!

Hey, Hey, RVerTV Russ is taking us to the Great Salt Lake today. To Cool for SCHOOL my friend. 👍

Sure hope these videos never dry up! Thanks Russ!

In 1982 the lake was full, the snow melt was so bad that had to raise the highway . I saw it.

Great video. It is 6:20am now. If I was to get in the car right now I can be at the A.I. causeway in like 15 minutes yeah, I'm a local to the area. I've lived here all my life. I have seen that lake at its fullest. The snowpack and floods of 1983 filled that lake over filled and causing major flooding. Not to mention the flooding in the city. I remember driving out to the causeway seeing that road under water and the waves lapping at the shoreline there. It was something to see. Just yesterday the Dog and me took a drive to the mountains just east of home. I visited 3 of the lakes that were my favorite fishing holes. All of those lakes are very, very low. Some were I'd say 75 feet plus low. The drought of the west and all of the people moving into the Wasatch area are putting a toll on the water supply here. You missed one of the lakes best attractions. If you would have stayed going south on that road it ends at the Feilding/Garr Ranch. It's a museum and part of the lake's history from back when the S.L.C. Valley was being inhabited. It's an old Ranch where sheep and cattle were raised. There are many buildings on that site. The main house, out buildings and small sleeping shacks for the hired help. It's really something to see. At that point of the F.G.R. is where the original causeway road was made, It went from Northwest Salt Lake area over to the Island. Now it isn't passable at all. I think by satellite it can be seen. Thank you for coming to the area. Utah is a very pretty place to live. It has changed a lot over the years. Thousands have moved here due to how good the economy was here. Now it has turned into just like every other City in the Country. All about Money and greed and everything 5 times more expensive than what it needs to be.

Never thought see The mighty Salt Lake ,into a puddle,we up north been having a drought too,rains are slowly coming back,but like rains where others needs,and the otherside don't.

Gee, that really is history in the making, shocking sight. Seeing the Buffalo was wonderful! Stay safe. Thanks

Thanks for Sharing! Utah is always Beautiful...Nizhoniful...

After the Storms of 1983-1984, when I began driving tractor-trailer, all that water that the Wasatch squeezed-out forced Utah to RAISE the roads. As they did that, we drove 25 miles an hour for MILES... What a mess, broke axles, hubs, etc...

Another stellar video from Russ. Thanks.

Wow - this is quite the site!! Even though the lake is drying up - the scenery is breathtaking!! The skies and clouds are my favorite. Thanks for the ride! 😎

I have read in news articles that the drying Salt Lake is a serious health risk to residents because the dirt has natural arsenic that the wind kicks up in the environment. Very scary and discouraging to see all these beautiful lakes just dry up. On the bright side, the buffalo sure are cute! I would love to see them in person some day myself.

Thank you for all the videos that tell us non travelers what's happening to the lakes and rivers. Sad but interesting tales.

Wow,it's getting scary. Thanks for the info on the lake.

Wow! I haven't been there since 1995! Thanks Russ! Safe travels. 🙂

Russ- great video! My husband LOVED the video about the golden spike ! We were in Kingman in April and I said I thought we had been there before- my husband laughed and reminded me you had done a video of it! It was exactly like you video LOL THANKS !!

Ahhh Shoot! At Buffalo point, you parked right next to our car while we were on a hike. Would have loved to meet you and say Hi. Can even see myself in the video walking away as you pull in

That was an old stomping ground of mine! Lived in an apartment on Antelope Drive (about a mile East of where yo turned onto it) when I first arrived at Hill Field. The lake looks a different than it did way back then! In the early eighties, there was so much rain that the Utah legislature actually passed a law to make it illegal for the lake to exceed a certain elevation! Like a lot of laws, the lake broke it. Interstate 80 (along the Southern Shore) actually had to be raised THREE times! I have a photo of my wife and a kid standing in front of that gatehouse, in 1987, which was in a foot of water! Consequently, the causeway was covered by a foot of water. So much for visiting the island! Of course, sights such as those will hopefully will never be seen again. Because of the high water in the eighties, there is a large pumping station on the West Shore that pumps excess lake water out into the western Utah flats. Memories. Thanks much!

Thanks Russ! Enjoy following your travels. Hope you are safe as a lot of Utah got hit with flooding Saturday night.

Thanks Russ!🙋‍♀️Hot, humid, and stinky. I guess you don't work for the state department of tourism. LOL.Had no idea the lake is evaporating. Really surprising.

Love your video great camera work. My husband and I were just there and it was beautiful. The day we were there a huge cell blew through with lots of rain and thunder really cool. Someday you should check out lake Powell it’s really low too. Keep the videos coming.

Yep thats the best time to drive through Salt Lake City , early morning on a weekend. Safe travels Russ .

Moab had flash floods last night!

Can't believe Great Salt LAKE IS ALMOST GONE Thanks for the video Russ

Love the videos!

I remember when the great salt lake use to flood over the freeway, 30 years later they needed cranes to remove the boats

Good video; but sad like so many waterways; thanks Russ😎😎😎😎😎👍👍👍👌👌🤩🤩

At the bottom of Lake Mead they found human bodies. But when the GSL evaporates, what do we find? Live bison! Were they there all along?

We locals refer to that smell as "lake stench". If the winds are just right the whole Salt Lake Valley smells like that.

That is so cool Russ haven't seen you in a while nice to be back Buffalo that is a good site I'm going to have to go check that out love watching thanks so much can't believe the Great lakes is almost low I watch another gentleman from salt lake City and it's crazy he's in a recovery business the biggest in the country in salt lake but thank you so much enjoy the program

The best part was at the end of that road where the buffalo were. A old farm. Wicked good place. You need to go back.

I have a lot of relatives in Salt Lake City. When my Grandpa and Grandma were alive we would go out to The Salt Lake at Saltaire. Lots of good memories The water has got low before but this is the lowest. Very sad. I believe it will come back. Remember it is very shallow. I think like 25 feet when it is full. Your video brought back lots of memories.

Thanks for the ride. Hope you were able to get your campsite with someone already there. Safe Travels

Wow those big skys are a beautiful thing that reminds me of Africa when I was a young man. I'm amazed at how good the roads are in the US. The visitor centers and amenities are so well appointed I'm very impressed. Makes me wish I had the ability to travel. Thanks for showing us around.

That is cool. Florida here. Water on three sides.

Bonneville Salt Flats was once a lake! It is West of Salt Lake City on the Nevada border! There are other areas near there that sometimes have water and sometimes do not!

Happy Trails , United States America , Russ , RVerTV Fans. We Love RVerTV - Grand Journey Thru U.S.A. - Grand Videos - Grand Music. Russ Too Cool 4 School - Canadians Need RVerTV Eh.

I was shocked to see this lake receding. Thanks for the update

🙋‍Hello Russ! It was sad to see the Great Salt Lake. I loved seeing the Buffalo roaming free. The campground was nice. It seems quiet. Loved seeing that blue sky. Send it this way when your done with it, ok. I loved visiting our Buffalo every chance I got while growing up. You can see them, type in the address bar: Buffalo, South Park, Pa. These have been there since 1920. Not far from the Parkway where you videod the Trading Post toward the end, there's a farm not far from there with Bison on it you can see from the road. Enjoy the rest of your evening.👍

Visited today and glad to report that the water has returned looking good---and with heavy snowmelt to come the lovely Island will come back to life--although it looked beautiful today and the bison were enjoying it.

Now that Marina is a truly sad sight

The more coverage you provide about vanishing bodies of water throughout the west, Russ, the more convinced I am that the government's response will be too little to late to avert catastrophe.

I like your travels and videos Russ, but I’ll stick to Eastern Woodlands camping myself 👍🏻

Love your videos Russ. I’ve taken my family on several trips based on locations you’ve shared on RU-vid and we’ve made wonderful memories. Thank you!!!

That’s beautiful country! Hope the water returns. 😥

I went there when I was a teen around 1968. I recall the water was all the way up to whatever road we were on. I don't recall a State Park. It was said that one could float on your back effortlessly. We didn't do it.

That’s amazing. Everything in Nevada is drying up. Holy Moley.

Thank you for posting this video. I grew up not far from here. Last time I was there was 2002 and the Lake was full.

23:00 It will be interesting to see how things are there. A few days ago, all the fast car operations were shut down there because they'd had some rain and flooded the area where they run the cars. LET US KNOW!!!

Thanks for sharing 💯👍. Scary thing is all the poisonous pesticide in the playa from the runoff will go airborne eventually. "Heavy metals " I hope it's not to late to save .I agree 💯 reminds me of the Salton sea 🤔🙏

Russ your videos are always excellent quality and very informative. I really appreciate how you take the time to keep your glass chrystal clear. Thanks for all of the hard work that goes into these videos.

You're at a small part of the great salt lake at Antelope island. You need to head towards the Bonneville Salt Flats I-80 W to see how really big the Grest Salt Lake is. Antelope island is actually really pretty when it's not so dry and hot. Spring is best.

Always enjoy the video s Russ. Did you see what happened at Quartzite this week? Rain storm and big wind... Did lots of damage.

I'm from Salt Lake City living now in St. George, UT The lake is some 50 miles long when we had water. In 1983 the lake was flooding the was water running down the street in the down area of Salt Lake City, it was all sand bag with bridges over the intersection for sidewalks the streets were turned into rivers. of course the roads we closed to traffic. That year the state of Utah spent 56 million dollars to buy huge diesel pumps to pump the water from the great Salt Lake City, into the west desert because it will not run out there due to the elevation difference. The pumps were never used again after the cost of 18 million a year to maintain the pumps they were taken out after several years. There used to be a train trestle that was built so trains could go from the North end of the lake called Promontory point out across the lake, to cut some mile off the route to the west. That has since been torn out and the trains go around the lake to the west. The Lake used to be 20 feet deep in the deepest spots. The nates are actually Bryn flies. They farm for Bryn shrimp, of course salt and manufacture chlorine and other corrosive chemicals that would be unsafe to do in the city.

Well dang it Russ, I live in Syracuse and could have come over to see you, but I am at Flaming Gorge right now. Maps sure gave you the runaround getting to the island!!!

"....where the deer and the bison-ie roam." 🤣

Wow, I used to live in salt lake City when I was about 4 or 5 years old and this is the first time I've seen it since then. I can't believe the lake has dried up like it has, I mean I can because of the droughts but I am speechless looking at it. Thank you for sharing this video.

Wow what a flat and straight road. I haven't seen a road like that in England. The music made me imagine that before the road, people would have ride across these on horseback.

Amazing! TY, Russ., another interesting report👍👍😎🇺🇸

Love this place, was there a few years ago in summer. It was a walk back then to get to the water, but not that far.

The causeway to Antelope Island is about 7 miles long. I know cause my family and I used to bicycle to the island and back. I can even remember when the was no gate at the entrance. The place to get bison burgers was just a trailer. But that was in the late 80's and early 90's.

Thank you.

Thanks Russ! These have been very informative and so much fun! We sure do Love you!

Sad to see it's almost gone you know like you say it is history I mean I was down there in Utah during the Olympics all the equipment in there for that help build roads down there I raced at the Salt Flats Good Times be safe for us thanks for a great video

I really enjoy your videos. I'm also glad I had a chance to see what has become the Great Salt Pond.

Shame about the lake, scary. It's still pretty, just different environment. Road in is sure Nice. Special to see all of the buffalo. Your camera is so clear. Nice visitor center. Seems a little high priced to camp. Ty for taking us along. 🙂👍

"Antelope Island ".... with Buffalo living there... Makes sense ! xx🇬🇧💕🇺🇸☺️🦉🐒🇬🇧

Kind of funny : The "island" has disappeared because there's no more water, just dry land everywhere ... Utah is kind of "dry" anyway. Bare rock, bare "bones of the Earth". Nice video. RICHARD

Hey Russ, thanks for showing us around Antelope (used to be an) Island. I remember going out there the first time, when I thought it would be a "quick trip" from the SLC airport...ha! I remember the gnats too -- the front of my truck was absolutely plastered with them. I guess I'm lucky to have seen the lake back in the day before it started drying up. Wonder what the Saltair Pavilion on the south shore looks like now. In it's heyday it used to be right on the edge of the water.

Never knew there were buffalo there. I remember that smell, when driving through salt lake city at night i knew where we were just from that smell.

Mother Nature, doing her thing.

Disappearing lakes. There's a name for your summer series 🙂

holy cow i bet lake mead will be like that someday too

Great video.. had no idea it was evaporated. Still beautiful. Thanks for a great adventure blog

Russ, thank you for the video, I'm from SoFla but been to Great Salt Lake and Lake mead a few times, I am amazed at how bad it is, does GSL stand a chance of recovering like Lake Mead, don't know if you can answer it.

Russ. They'll be breaking landspeed records soon at the Salt Lake.

Wow. I hadn't heard a thing about Salt Lake going dry too. I wonder what they'll find there. I'm sure there's no bodies waiting to be found as it doesn't have Los Vegas as a neighbor 😆. Still, I have to admit it's a bit spooky. Safe Travels, Russ!

My wife and I went out there in 83 or 84 when the lake was rising and it was just a gravel road out there. The waves were blowing across the road after that it was closed for a few years until they raised the road and paved it. It's steadily gone down since. Been out there winter and summer and once in the fog, dense fog!

Hey Russ, another cool journey the Buffalo look so neat. Mother earth is letting us know were wearing out the planet. Nice trip. That is a nice rig you have there have you ever filmed it inside? It would be neat to see your home on wheels.

Good Video...... Safe Travels !

It's been drieing up for. A long time!

Thanks for the informative video, as usual

My great great grandfather use to work out at the ranch on the east side of the island. To bad you didn't go any farther down the road with the buffalo on it.

6:26 Interesting that you made a comparison to the Salton Sea, I'd been wondering if you were planning a drive out there, to take a look at it this summer. Gotta hope that at least one large western lake is still holding up.

Thanks Russ for showing this to us. I had not heard of the Great Salt Lake disappearing to this level. Mississippi needs to send some of the flood waters up this direction. I last saw this lake in 1990 and it was so beautiful. This brings tears to my eyes!

cant believe the marina russ, i was up there a year ago for a night on the island . there was water in the marina then. wow the water is really gone down.

Bonneville salt flat and speedway is before Wendover on I-80. you can see it from the highway.

This is like being in the exploration club . Need some marmalade or hat like Paddington’s ! Take care! Hope you have some good eats .. even just a side order of hash brown casserole.

Awesome Video post.. I feel like Fred Flintstone watching it...Without the "yabba dabba doo!"

Hi Russ... I used to go there stay a couple of days....wow it looks so sad 😥 not good 😐

Had no idea Great Salt Lake has already lost 75% of its water since 1987, unbelievable!

We were on Antelope Island last November talking to a camper in the same campground he's staying in on this video. He told us a buffalo came into his site and he was stuck in his pull behind camper for some time.

Wow I can’t believe the Great Salt Lake is gone! I hope the Buffalo have enough fresh water! It’s so sad that the lake is gone! I wonder if Lewis and Clark discovered it! I’ll have to research it!!❤️😀🚙🦬🦬🦬

One more sign we are in the last days

I know I sound nitpickin but they are technically/biologically classified as Bison. Matter of fact, I have one at home. In a small package, in my freezer!😄 Thanks again for letting us viewers live vicariously through your lens!

There is also a Historic Farm there. The Mormons started it in the 1800s and then the state (I think) ran it. It doesn't look like much from the road but we went into it and we loved it! It's worth seeing! 😊👍❣️

Thanks for sharing your travels :) Yup those puddles bred bugs ;)

wow In the 80's I was driving truck and they had to raise the interstate at the south end about 2ft because it kept flooding the freeway.

1983 they had way to much water and all of the infrastructure was under water, and they had to build a pipeline to move water to the West Desert area.