I've been someplace you have never been to, and probably never will.  The reason you will never go there is not because it isn't a scenic place, because it is. It won't be because it isn't accessible, because it is. And it won't be because you can't find it, because it is clearly marked on an map of the area. No, the reason you won't go there is because you've never heard of it.

And that's a shame, because it is certainly worth your time.

The place is Antelope Island, Utah. It sits in the middle of the Great Salt Lake.  You access it via Antelope Island State Park, and it is well worth a visit. We were there in Mid-April of 2010 on a fine sunny day. Despite having been in the area several times, this was our first visit to the island.

You may have heard of the Great Salt Lake, the largest lake in the Western United States and the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. Antelope Island is the largest Island in the Great Salt Lake. The Island is home to several species of animals, including mule deer, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, porcupines, jackrabbits and several species of rodents.

Not to mention a large herd of Bison.

Yes, there are over 500 Bison on Antelope Island. In fact there may be more Bison on Antelope Island than there are Antelope. I don't think anyone knows for sure.  What is for sure is that you are reasonably likely to see one if you visit the island, and you probably won't have to look very hard.  This one was only 20 feet off the main road.

Other than the occasional Bison, the best reason to visit Antelope Island is for the views of the Great Salt Lake and surrounding area. According to Wikipedia, the Great Salt Lake is the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world, the 37th-largest lake on Earth. In an average year the lake covers an nearly 1,700 square miles, but it's size fluctuates significantly due because it is so shallow. For example, in 1963 it reached its lowest recorded level at 950 square miles (2,460 km²), but in 1987 the surface area was at the historic high of 3,300 square miles.

 

From Antelope Island you can see the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains. The snow-capped peaks will have snow though June. The development you see at the base of the mountains are some of the northern bedroom communities of Salt Lake City - Layton, Roy, Clearfield, Syracuse, to name a few.

 It has been said that you can float in the Great Salt Lake due to the high salinitiy. In fact, if you are light enough and walk carefully, you can actually walk on the water of the Great Salt Lake.

 

Well, I wouldn't say that definitively, but in some cases it seems like it would be possible.

Should you ever find yourself travelling along I-15 in northern Utah and see a sign for Antelope Island, do your self a favor and take the short side trip to Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake. Not only will you enjoy your stay, but they you too will be able to say, I've been to a place you've never been to - and in virtually every conversation you will have, that statement will be correct.