Lakeside Cave | Great Salt Lake

Hiking Lakeside Cave - Great Salt LakeRoadside Attraction Lakeside Cave - Great Salt Lake Lakeside Cave

Great Salt Lake

Overview

RATING: Roadside Attraction or Short Hikes
LENGTH: 1+ hours

Sat

Mostly sunny. High near 78, with temperatures falling to around 75 in the afternoon. South southwest wind around 6 mph.

78 | 54

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. North wind around 8 mph.

74 | 54

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 74.

74 | 51

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 74.

74 | 52

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 75.

75 | 51

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Late Fall, Early Spring. Winter when there is no snow on the ground.
WATER: None

Sat

Mostly sunny. High near 78, with temperatures falling to around 75 in the afternoon. South southwest wind around 6 mph.

78 | 54

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. North wind around 8 mph.

74 | 54

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 74.

74 | 51

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 74.

74 | 52

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 75.

75 | 51

View Full Weather Details
Lakeside Cave

Lakeside Cave

Today, Lakeside is a remote point of land on the west side of the Great Salt Lake. In 1901, the scene was very different. In that year, the settlement of Lakeside was created by railroad workers preparing to span the Great Salt Lake with a trestle bridge. This enormous engineering effort would shave 44 miles off the existing train route north via Promontory Point, saving time and money. Trestle construction began in February 1902 and completed in March 1904. Once complete, Lakeside was left abandoned back to the wilds.

In the 1940s, much of the land south of Lakeside became part of the UTAH TEST AND TRAINING RANGE and is off limits to public access except the one main road passing through it.

Then, in the 1950s, with the trestle causeway becoming a maintenance burden, a new causeway was designed. Lakeside again came to life as the railroad used the area as a staging area and quarry in the construction of the new causeway.

Today, the area is still used for mining and salt evaporation ponds but has a distinctly remote and wild feel. It has a wild beauty and seeing the Lakeside Cave (which is more of a large alcove than a cave), evaporation ponds and Gunsight Point make for a great family friendly outing.

Gunsight Point at sunset.

Gunsight Point at sunset.

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Videos

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Sunset at Gunsight Point

By: ryancornia

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