Provo, UT

My friend Felicia came from New York for a visit, and said she wanted to see a beautiful western sunset. She was only in town for a couple of days and there wasn’t time for traveling south, so we decided to see what the evening sky had to offer on Antelope Island State Park.

I’d never been to Antelope Island in the fall before, and I must say it was the ideal time of year to go. If you’ve ever been there in warmer months you know how annoying the brine flies can be, to the point where you can’t even open your windows or get out of your car. Not the case in October. It was simply spectacular.

We headed over the causeway, and once on the island we saw grazing buffalo and a coyote. The water levels were very low, and people were actually hiking across the salt flats.

It was amazing how still it was on the beach. We arrived about an hour and a half before sunset. Shortly after we got there wedding photographers and couples began showing up. It wasn’t long before we could see just why sunset at Antelope Island is the perfect time and place to preserve the memory of the most important day of your life.

After we got our first glimpse of the setting sun from the beach viewpoint, we hopped in the car and drove a short distance to check out the vista at Buffalo Point. It’s definitely worth going to Buffalo Point because there are mountains that you can’t see from the beach. You don’t even have to hike all the way up to see an amazing panoramic view, although you do need to go to the peak for a completely unobstructed view. It’s a pretty easy hike, even for little kids, but watch your footing since it’s an unpaved path.

It’s also worth staying half an hour after the sun sets because of the spectacular colors–stunning oranges and reds, the soft reflections of pink clouds on the water, and achingly beautiful pink and purple mountains. We left before it was too dark, since we didn’t have a flashlight. On our drive back across the causeway we could see the city lights in the distance. Felicia said it was the highlight part of her trip. For me, it was the perfect ending to a great day.

If you go:
–The fee for the causeway is $9 per passenger vehicle, $3 for walk-ins and bicyles. You’ll receive a map of Antelope Island.
–Try to get there before the visitor’s center closes if you’ve never been to Antelope Island before.
–Be mindful of the fact that there is wildlife on the island.
–There are limited facilities on the island, so bring water and pack out what you bring in. There is a bathroom near the beach, plus a few outhouses.
– To get there, take I-15 to exit 332. Travel west on Antelope Drive for seven miles. Phone number: (801) 773-2941 or (801) 652-2043.