Farmington Bay

Farmington Bay located in West Farmington can't be beat for birding. Thousands of birds live or fly through every year. We have seen everything from tiny swallows to golden eagles, turtles to deer in this small gem in northern Utah. Take the first exit off I-15, travel north to State street. Turn west to 650 west and south to Grover lane. One more right turn and just follow the signs. The full bay is open through the fall and winter but spring and summer is for nesting birds. I love to go there on a spring or summer morning to see the best variety of wild life.

zions in winter

Now is the time to go to Zions in Southern Utah. During the summer it is way crowded and hot. In the winter there are few people and it is quite and so peaceful. The best time is January through March . I highly recommend it.

Peter Sink

Often on the weather report, they talk about Peter Sink. It holds the record for the coldest spot in Utah and the second coldest spot in the U.S.(-69) To say Peter Sink is not on the beaten path is an understatement. Located off a rocky dirt road that can only be navigated by a high 4-wheel drive or horse back. It is best just to be content to know the general location. Peter Sink is located of Highway 89 at the top of Logan canyon on the way to Bear Lake. An unmanned weather station was placed there in 1985. What makes it sooo cold? The sink (there are several in the area) are small valleys with no outlet. In other words the cold air gets trapped in the bottom and can't get out. Peter Sink is so cold that trees die in the bottom. Sounds like a great place to visit maybe in August.

Antelope Island

If you want to look a Buffalo in the eye, Antelope Island is the place.

Antelope island is one of my favorite places. It is a great place to visit all year round. It seems that every time we go there we see something different. Turning west off I-15 onto Antelope drive in Layton then over the causeway. There is camping, a small restaurant, and a working farm. The farm is great with all the old buildings and corrals. They bring the buffalo in to check them every fall. They also have a hot air balloon festival in the summer.

Hardware Ranch

I suppose most people have heard of Hardware Ranch and it is on their list of things to do. It is located up highway 101 east of Hyrum. I thought it was great fun. It only costs $5 to ride in the sleigh and go right up the the side of the elk. The guide was very informative and answered all our questions plus let us take as many pictures as we wanted and even waited until we were finished. . The ranch was purchased in 1945 by the state of Utah to feed the elk in the winter so that they would not eat the farmers hay. They actually grow all the hay on the ranch to feed the elk. So it is a win-win situation. Besides the elk, there are other wild life near by. Fishing is good year round.

The sleigh is pulled by some beautiful Clydesdale horses that a gentle enough to pet.

The Sign

While traveling north of Logan and several miles into Idaho, Kent noticed the sign on the side of a hill. We climbed up and was shocked at what it contained. Most everyone has heard of Lake Bonneville but few people know about Red Rock pass. It was an amazing discovery for me.

Once you read the sign and look at the country, you can almost see the mighty river winding its way through Idaho to the Snake River valley. Red Rock pass just suddenly broke loose sending down torrents of water. Wouldn't it have been great to stand on the side hill and watch it all happen? I bet it made a sound that could not be described. It also explained what happened to the great lake Bonneville. Amazing!

Just us and a few friends

Highway 30 becomes more desolate as you travel south. Soon even the telephone polls had deserted us. We came upon this small heard of elk who wondered who had invaded their territory. Highway 30 ends just west of Wendover. I was glad to see the big slab of I-80. We enjoyed the farmland and ranches at the beginning of the road but I feel no need to go their again.