5. The Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
On the western edge of the Utah's Great Salt Lake basin lie the Bonneville Salt Flats. Covering about 46 square miles, this expanse of hard, white salt crust once lay beneath Lake Bonneville, a freshwater lake 10 times the size of Great Salt Lake that covered Salt Lake City centuries ago.
Today, the perfectly flat salt stretches off to the horizon, making it a popular place to get away from it all and explore an alien landscape. It's so flat, in fact, that you can see the curvature of the Earth from the hillsides in the nearby town of Wendover. Looking east across the vast, level expanse of the Great Salt Lake Desert, the straight line of the interstate appears to curve away to the horizon.
Where to stay
- Best Western Plus Wendover Inn (685 E. Wendover Blvd., Wendover, UT)
Rooms at this AAA Three Diamond hotel are well-coordinated and feature a soothing earth tone palette, upscale bedding, and large desk.
- KOA Campground, Wendover (651 N. Camper Dr., West Wendover, NV)
RV travelers can enjoy great views of the nearby mountains from 1 of more than 80 pull-through sites at this campground. A grocery, souvenir shop, and laundry are also available.