Bonneville Salt Flats

This leftover of the Pleistocene-era Lake Bonneville is so flat and dense with salt that almost nothing (at least to the naked eye) can survive here. The flats are named after a captain and explorer, BLE Bonneville, who surmised that the surrounding area had been part of an ancient lake basin. The flats are just off the I-80. Despite the appearance of a hard surface, much of the area is a thin salt crust over soft mud. It easily breaks under the weight of a vehicle, and the concentrated salts are very corrosive. To preserve the area, stay on existing roads or areas designated for vehicles.