What it is

The Bonneville Salt Flats are about 30,000 acres of hard white salt, left behind when ancient Lake Bonneville dried up. The surface is so flat and so wide that you can see the curve of the earth. It has been the home of land speed racing for more than a century.

How to get there

The Salt Flats are on I-80 at the west edge of Utah, about 110 miles and an hour and a half from Salt Lake City. There are two easy stops:

• The rest area. A rest stop on I-80 about 10 miles east of Wendover has a viewing platform and a place to rinse the salt off your shoes. You can walk straight out onto the salt.
• The speedway road. Take exit 4, just east of Wendover, and follow Bonneville Speedway Road north. The pavement ends at the edge of the salt.

Best time to go

Late summer and fall are the most reliable, when the salt is dry, hard and bright white. In winter and spring a thin sheet of water often covers the flats and turns them into a mirror. That's beautiful for photos, but you can't drive on it. Sunrise and sunset give the best light.

Racing on the salt

Speed Week is held in August when the salt is in good shape, with more events in September and October. Events are sometimes cancelled when the salt is wet, so check with the organizers before you travel.

What to bring and know

• There is no shade, water, food or gas on the flats. Wendover is the closest place for all of it.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen matter. The white salt reflects the sun like snow.
• Stay off the salt when it's wet. Cars sink into the mud underneath and tows are expensive.
• Salt sticks to everything. Rinse your car's underside afterward.
• It's public land and free to visit.

Nearby

The Tree of Utah, an 87-foot sculpture, stands beside I-80 about 25 miles east of Wendover. Danger Cave and Blue Lake are close to town.