Dec 20 - Antelope Island (part of White Rock)


Sunny day with highs in the upper 40s. And I'm finally back on the hiking trail after over a month. But hips feel as good as they can so that's awesome!

Plan was to head up and hike the Gravel Pit today just as an almost 5 mile warm-up.

I leave work around 8:30 and head up. When I reach the gate, it's a drive in a heavy fog bank on the 1st portion of the causeway. Not much visibility at all.

It does open in the middle section. It's a frozen/frosty lake edge as it's only in the 20s.

A bit father along, I enter another fog bank that thankfully ends just before reaching the Island.

I head around the northern and then western sides just to have to avoid a slow driver in front of me. I do find a few bison in the fog behind the Visitor's Center.

Once back at the main road, I go directly to the Gravel Pit trailhead and gear-up. As I get out of my car, I see a few bison not far from the trail - boo! I could go around but it would be a big detour. I don't mind the detours in the middle of the hike but at the beginning. Hmm, where should I go. Whereever it is, it will be a hike to no where in particular and then return.

Let's do White Rock! So I head back west to the White Rock parking. There are a few bison east of the trail so it's safe.

My plan is just to head over to White Rock meadow.

There are some trail changes. They've move the existing fence about 30-40 feet behind the Hiking Direction Board and make it a very small entrance. Wondering why they've done that.

Anyway, as I'm walking along the initial trail - which has some cool still frosty plants.

I see a fairly large herd of bison along the Gravel Pit trail. I decide I'm going to see how close I can get and then turn back. (Just looking for a short hike because 1) I don't have hikers (oops) 2) I only have a liter of water.

As I go farther, I noticed they've also moved/added another fence just off east of the trail. The fence goes all the way until the trail reaches the loop. Again, if going east, it's a small entrance. The fence continues south towards White Rock meadow. Now I'm really scratching my head as to why they would have fence going south. I'm curious, so I decide to return to my original plan and head to White Rock meadow. I have to see how far the fence goes.

As I'm walking, the only thing I can figure is they are trying to put a barrier between the bison and people walking/running/biking the trail. There haven't been a lot of incidences so it's still weird. Kinda ruins the wilderness atmosphere.

The Salt Lake is lower than it was in the Spring but the water is still up to the middle of the "White Rock". It's very foggy over the lake - can't see the mountains on the other side.

I reach White Meadow and turn the corner slightly and I meet the end of the fence (yea!) and a bison standing 3 feet off the trail. 

I have to laugh - if the fence is to separate bison from people, I guess it's working :)

I stop to enjoy the views. I hear lots of gulls out to the west and a coyote howls from the meadow. I can't see him but we do exchange yips/yaps/howls for a couple of minutes. I was hoping he might pop out but the howling stops and I start my return.

Good day!

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