For anybody that loves the outdoors as much as I do, Antelope Island State Park is a treasure trove of natural wonders, especially when it comes to my favorite part of nature, the wildlife. If your a birder, outdoor photographer, or just like to get outdoors for a bit, Antelope Island is definitely worth a visit or two.
Trust me, I know from first-hand experience. I have a yearly park pass and, yes, I actually visit the remote island religiously twice per week, almost every week of the year. I have done so for several years now, in fact.
Not only is it beautiful in and by itself, but Antelope Island is also home to a variety of animals, including bison, pronghorn antelope, mule deer, bighorn sheep, spiders, snakes, badgers, coyotes, porcupines, butterflies, dragonflies, and approximately 260 varieties of birds which either migrate through or permanently live on or near the island.
An interesting fact about the island is, even though there are bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and mule deer, there are no large carnivores such as mountain lions on Antelope Island. The only predator species on the island are coyotes.
You might have noticed I mentioned spiders in there. The diverse and very plentiful population of arachnids living on the island is actually one of the coolest attractions out there, at least in my own opinion, that is.
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Don’t get me wrong though, I am not a fan of spiders by any stretch of the imagination. The one and only exception to this is, naturally, being a photographer, I do like to photograph them interacting on the web, from a reasonable distance, of course.
Not all the wildlife is easily viewed on the island, however, but they are there. Some days you will see plenty and other days, well, not as much. It just depends on the time of day as well as the time of year.
Today, as an example, we came across a very large buck mule deer foraging in the bottom-land near the lakeshore and a sleepy-eyed porcupine was nestled high up in a tree next to the road. Hundreds of bison covered large swaths of grassland on a distant hillside while a lone antelope crossed the road just up ahead.
Today was one of those days it seemed the park’s wildlife was around every corner.
The key to finding the wildlife on Antelope Island is just to go and look for the animals on the island. It’s just that simple. Some days the animals are around every turn of the winding park roads, and other days it seems like a ghost town. But that is how it is with nature, some days you win and some days, well, you lose.
But truth be told, however, if I found all the wildlife I wanted each and every time I went out in nature, I would get bored pretty fast. The search for wildlife is, at least for me that is, as much of the reward as finding the wildlife.
Antelope Island is certainly no different. When I see plenty of creatures out on this large remote landmass, it’s great, but on those trips where I don’t see much at all, it’s great, too. Either way, I am out in nature, and what could honestly be any better.
Is there fresh water on the island?
With such an abundance of wildlife, freshwater is a crucial entity, and Antelope Island actually has over 40 freshwater springs that supply enough water to support all animals on the island.
Most of the springs are said to be on the east side of the park, but exact locations are not given out as to not disturb the wildlife or damage the springs in any way.
Bison
Without question, the bison are the biggest draw for visitors to the park. Like all the island wildlife, these large herbivores roam free and, at times, can be just a few yards away from your vehicle. At other times, they will be up on the mountainside grazing hundreds or more yards away.
It’s almost a rarity to go and not see at least a few of these massive creatures somewhere on the island. Today, in fact, we were treated to hundreds of bison in several locations on our drive.
According to the state park, there are between 550 and 700 bison on Antelope Island. Originally, the herd consisted of just 12 animals brought over in 1893, which was the foundation stock for today’s herd.
One thing I must mention here. The bison on the island can be and should be considered dangerous. They are free-ranging wild animals and can, at times, be just a few yards away from your vehicle.
I have had that happen to me more times than I can remember, and trust me, it’s quite exhilarating to be so close to such a large animal. But remember, bison are indeed wild animals and should be treated as such.
Please, please, please stay a safe distance from the bison at all times. They may seem docile or gentle but as a photographer, I have seen my fair share of people trying to get selfies with these creatures very close in the background, only to end up being chased by an angry bison.
I have taken some incredible images of the bison out on the island, but I use a 600 mm lens and have taken almost all of the images from the inside of my vehicle. Safety is a top priority when viewing wild animals such as bison.
Be safe and keep a good distance between you and these rather large animals.
Contact the state park for any and all information about safety concerns on the island.
Pronghorn (Antelope)
Native to the island, pronghorn antelope is another commonly seen animal on much of the state park. Amazingly enough, when viewed up close, you may find they are much smaller than expected, but that small size helps them propel themselves to a speed of nearly 70 mph when needed.
You might see a few antelope with ear tags and even radio collars. This is how the park biologists keep track of the animals in order to study them whenever needed and to keep tabs on their population.
The antelope (actually named pronghorn and not antelope) isn’t as readily seen on the island as the bison, but I see them enough to know if you spend some time on the island you will indeed come across some eventually.
Like the bison, small groups of pronghorn can be seen wandering all over the island, so there is no exact location to find them on any given day.
Some often wonder where the name Antelope Island came from. Interestingly, the island was named after pronghorns were seen grazing on the island in 1845 by John C. Fremont and Kit Carson.
Birds On Antelope Island
For me, personally, bird watching is the best attraction the island has to offer. I am an avid birder, and I always go with the hopes of seeing a new bird or two I have not yet seen on the island.
Bird watching can actually be done anywhere and everywhere on the island and adjoining causeway.
As soon as you pass through the entrance gate, start watching the Great Salt Lake shoreline for birds. American avocets, ducks, geese, and sometimes even tundra swans, as a few examples, can be seen on the salty lake waters during their peak migration periods.
All along the park roadways, numerous birds can be spotted throughout the year, perched on the roadside vegetation. Burrowing owls are seen on the island during summer, oftentimes standing guard over their underground nest.
Since most birds are naturally attracted to trees, the Garr Ranch, located on the southern tip of the island, is the best place for songbirds and an occasional great horned owl.
Trees are fairly sparse on the island, except at the ranch where a large stand of very mature trees attracts birds nearly year-round for the avid birder to seek out and enjoy.
According to ebird statistics at the time of this writing, Antelope Island State Park, as a whole, is listed fourth in Utah birding hotspots by total numbers of species being seen and recorded by bird watchers.
The causeway itself is listed 9th on the list but not surprisingly, though. The Great Salt Lake attracts millions of birds and numerous species of birds during migration.
Spiders
I couldn’t wrap up this blog until I briefly mentioned the vast number of spiders that live on Antelope Island. Many of them, such as the orb-weaver spider, are harmless but very intimidating looking, nevertheless. Others, such as the black widow, are also commonly found and known to be venomous.
Each year, the park hosts a spider-fest event which helps inform and educate the public about the interesting types of spiders found on the island. You can find many of these creepy arachnids tending to their webs in the sage and rabbitbrush all over the park and causeway during summer and early fall.
How much does it cost to get onto the island?
Currently for 2021, it costs $15 per vehicle for a day-use fee for Antelope Island and it is payable at the toll booth as you enter the causeway.
A yearly state park pass is also available for purchase at the gate and is good not only for Antelope Island but most of the other state parks managed and owned by the State of Utah.
For more information about Antelope Island State Park, visit their website.
Conclusion
Antelope Island has a great variety of wildlife within its borders. Bison, pronghorn, mule deer, and a large variety of birds are just some of the interesting animals found on this large state park.
The best time to visit Antelope Island is during March and April, before the bugs come out and the summer heat turns on. For bird watching, especially for viewing migrating shorebirds, the best time to visit the causeway is during August and early September when thousands of migrating shorebirds visit the Great Salt Lake for a few weeks as the fly south for the winter.
I visit the island twice each week, and each and every time it’s as if it was my first time there. It has great scenery, abundant wildlife, and for us outdoor photographers, Antelope Island offers an unlimited number of interesting scenes and subjects to photograph.
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