You are going to die when you see the Pink Water at the Great Salt Lake. Guess where you can find pink water? At the Spiral Jetty! Lisel is here sharing her recent trip, like this week recent! If you head out that way, be sure to read up on our itinerary on Utah.com and don't forget to stop at Golden Spike National Monument on the way!

I grew up in Utah and have been wanting to visit the Spiral Jetty for a while now. The motivation came when I realized that the Great Salt Lake is PINK at this part of the lake! I thought about it when my 2-year old daughter asked me why we live in Salt Lake, but we are not in a lake…I realized we needed to actually experience at least touching this lake.

The Spiral Jetty is only visible when the water levels are low enough. It has been visible for the last 5 years.  

Read here for some info about the artist.

We headed out first thing in the morning to avoid the heat of the afternoon.    

We stopped in Corinne for fuel and drinks before continuing on.

I did not have any cell service at this point so I HIGHLY RECOMMEND having directions before getting to this point.  Google maps took me on some wrong dirt roads which made for a long(er) drive.  We eventually arrived to the small parking lot to see one other vehicle parked there. My 2 year old (Olive) was excited to go explore. It was really neat to finally see this in person!  We walked down the rocky path to get close up.  It was cool to see everything encrusted in salt. We walked around the spiral for a few minutes before heading out on the salt flats.  It was about a 20 minute walk for us from the Spiral Jetty to the water.

The water was pink! So pink! The water appears pink because of tiny microbes that come in the summer through the fall. 

Olive immediately ran to the water and started dancing in it.  My 1-year old crawled off of the towel I had set out and began playing in the wet salt, which was very amusing to him.

We ran around in the pink waves for a little bit, taking in the beauty.

It was surreal to be out there, no one else in sight, in this beautiful water. 

We were ready to head back to the car after about an hour.

The Golden Spike National Historic Site is on the way there. I had planned on visiting this on our way out, but both kids were asleep at that point so I took a picture and kept driving. This looks like a cool spot to check out and I will definitely be back to check it out!  After the visitor center, it is all dirt road.

As recommended by a friend, I brought extra water to wash off some of the excess salt before heading back to the car. This was a really good idea. The water is so so so salty and can sting any scrapes or cuts, and cause itchy skin. Both kids fell asleep within minutes of being in the car on the drive back. I would recommend bringing snacks, lots of water, towel, wipes, and sunscreen. My only regret is not going with anyone else!  

Because there is no cell service, and a lot of dirt road driving, I would recommend going with someone else just in case.  The dirt road is very well maintained and suitable for all vehicles. This is a great half-day road trip adventure!

-Lisel

Check out this crazy drone video.

Guess what, if you are aching to go, we've got a perfect excuse for you to go! UMFA is having a meet-up and it's free and kid friendly! 

The UMFA is hosting a Community Meet-up at Spiral Jetty on Saturday, September 29, 1-4 pm. All ages are welcome to create art, learn about the science of the lake, and explore the landscape with UMFA educators and curators + scientists from Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College. Clarinetist Katie Porter and percussionist Devin Maxwell will provide live music. Meet at Spiral Jetty on Rozel Point in Great Salt Lake.