The Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island From Above: What You Will See (and Why Part of the Lake Is Pink)
Most people meet the Great Salt Lake at ground level: a glimpse from I-80, the drive across the causeway to Antelope Island, a sunset near Saltair. It is beautiful, but from the ground the lake is mostly horizon.
From the air, it finally makes sense. You see its size, its colors, the island rising out of the middle of it, and the ancient shorelines carved into the mountains behind you. This guide covers what to look for on our Antelope Island Tour, and the stories behind what you see.
The Great Salt Lake at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | The largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere (The Nature Conservancy) |
| Why it is salty | It is a terminal lake: water flows in, but leaves only by evaporating, so salts and minerals stay behind |
| Wetlands | More than 75% of Utah's wetlands surround it (Utah DWR) |
| Birds | About 10 million migratory birds use the lake and its wetlands each year (Audubon) |
| Water level | The South Arm ended the 2025 water year at 4,191.1 feet, the third-lowest level since records began in 1903 (University of Utah) |
Why is part of the Great Salt Lake pink?
It is one of the most searched questions about the lake, and the answer starts with a railroad.
In the 1950s, a rock-and-earth railroad causeway replaced an old wooden trestle across the lake. The trestle had let water flow freely. The solid causeway acted like a dam and split the lake into two arms with very different chemistry (Utah DWR).
- The North Arm gets almost no fresh river water. Its salinity averages around 26 to 30%. Few things can live there, but salt-loving microbes and a pinkish-orange alga called Dunaliella salina thrive. Their natural pigments turn the water pink, purple, and sometimes orange.
- The South Arm, where most rivers flow in, averages about 12 to 15% salinity. Here, green and blue-green algae dominate, giving the water its blue-green tones.
The result, seen from high above, looks like someone painted the lake in two colors and drew a straight line between them.
Antelope Island: the island in the middle of it all
Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake, at just over 28,000 acres, about 15 miles long and 5 miles wide ([Utah State Parks](https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/antelope-island/discover)). From the air, you see what is hard to grasp from the causeway road: a rugged spine of mountains rising out of the water, wrapped in golden grassland.
Things to look for:
- Frary Peak, the island's highest point at 6,596 feet.
- Freshwater springs. Surprisingly, the island has more than 40 of them, which is why so much wildlife can live in the middle of a salt lake.
- The Fielding Garr Ranch on the island's east side. Built in 1848, it is one of the oldest Anglo-built homes in Utah still standing on its original foundation.
- Deep history. People lived on the island more than 6,000 years ago. John C. Fremont and Kit Carson explored it in 1845 and named it after the pronghorn antelope they found grazing there.
Spotting the bison from the air
Antelope Island's most famous residents are its bison, and they have a remarkable story.
In February 1893, twelve bison were brought to the island by boat. At the time, fewer than 1,000 bison were left in all of North America. Those twelve became the foundation of today's herd of roughly 550 to 700 animals, one of the oldest publicly owned bison herds in the United States (Utah State Parks). Every fall, the park holds a bison roundup to check the herd's health.
From the helicopter, look for dark clusters moving slowly across the grassland. The bison tend to stay in the lower, flatter grassy areas. Pronghorn and mule deer live on the island too. Wildlife is wild, so sightings are never guaranteed, but your pilot knows where to look.
A stop on a migration route that spans two continents
In 1991, the Great Salt Lake was named a site of Hemispheric Importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, the highest level the network awards. The lake supports up to 500,000 Wilson's phalaropes, and for some species, peak counts here have exceeded 30% of the entire global population (Friends of Great Salt Lake).
Spring and fall migration are the busiest seasons. From above, the wetlands along the lake's edge look like a patchwork of water, marsh, and mudflat, the habitat that makes the whole system work.
Look back at the mountains: the shoreline of an ancient lake
Here is a detail most people never notice from the ground. As you fly over the lake, look back toward the Wasatch foothills. You will see flat, shelf-like terraces cut into the slopes, high above the valley floor.
Those are old shorelines of Lake Bonneville, a vast lake that covered much of western Utah during the last ice age. The Great Salt Lake is what remains of it. From the air, those ancient beaches are suddenly easy to read, and you can picture the whole valley underwater.
Seeing a changing lake with your own eyes
The Great Salt Lake has been low for several years. Scientists consider 4,198 feet the minimum healthy level, and the lake has not reached it since 2012 (Utah News Dispatch). Between 2021 and 2025, nearly 400,000 acre-feet of water were dedicated and delivered to the lake through leasing, conservation, and restoration work (University of Utah).
From the air, you can see the exposed lakebed and how far the water has pulled back from old shorelines. For many people, that is the moment the lake stops being a backdrop and becomes something worth caring about.
Antelope Island Tour or Catch All?
| Antelope Island Tour | Catch All Tour |
|---|---|
| Flight time 30 minutes | 1 hour |
| What you see Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island, shoreline and wetlands | The lake and island, plus downtown Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains |
| Best for Nature lovers, photographers, birders | First-time visitors and special occasions |
Photo tips for flying over the lake
Watch the glare.
Midday sun reflects hard off salt and water. Morning light gives softer color and more texture.
Shoot at an angle to the sun.
Pointing straight into reflected light washes out the scene.
Turn on your camera's grid.
The lake's flat horizon makes a tilted photo obvious.
Wear dark clothing.
It keeps your reflection out of the window.
For more, see our guide to your first helicopter tour in Salt Lake City.
Frequently asked questions
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Often, yes. The herd of 550 to 700 bison tends to graze the island's lower grasslands, which are easy to scan from above. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
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30 minutes. The 1-hour Catch All Tour includes Antelope Island along with downtown Salt Lake City and the Wasatch Mountains.
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The North Arm, cut off from fresh river water by a railroad causeway, is extremely salty. Salt-loving microbes and algae living there carry pink and purple pigments that color the water.
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Do both if you can. Driving lets you hike, visit the Fielding Garr Ranch, and see the bison up close. Flying shows you the scale of the island, the lake, and the ancient shorelines in a way the ground never can.
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Clear days in spring and fall are hard to beat: crisp visibility, migrating birds, and softer light. Morning flights usually have the least glare off the water.
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The Great Salt Lake is one of the most unusual places in North America, and the best seat to understand it is in the air. Book the Antelope Island Tour or go big with the Catch All Tour.