Hidden Gems

Spiral Jetty, Where Land Art Meets the Great Salt Lake

By Utah Untamed Editorial · Published

Robert Smithson built Spiral Jetty in 1970 on the lake’s Rozel Point, then let the water decide its fate. For years it vanished under the rising lake; in drought, it surfaces white with crystallized salt.

Save this for your next trip

It’s a slow 16 miles of dirt road past the Golden Spike historic site. There’s no fee, no gate, and usually no one else. Check lake levels before you go — whether the jetty is wet or dry changes the whole experience.

Where three stories meet

Few places fold together geology, history, and art this cleanly. Bring water; there are no services for the last 30 miles.