"Oh, give me a home where the Buffalo roam
Where the Deer and the Antelope play;
Where never is heard a discouraging work,
And the sky is not clouded all day."
These words may comprise the official song for the state of Kansas, but the meaning is also very appropriate for Utah's Antelope Island State Park, too.
With buffalo, antelope and more than its share of sunny skies, Antelope Island is a worthwhile retreat from the increasingly urban Wasatch Front.
Open space, rock-desert terrain and water-filled vistas dominate here.
Davis County tourism promotes Antelope as "a rugged blend of the western outdoors," with dramatic geology, rolling age and free-roaming American bison.
Minus the roads and the few buildings, Antelope has changed little from its early days, when the Mormon pioneers considered it a recreational haven and dubbed it "Church Island."
Antelope Island comprises 28,022 acres and is by far the largest isle in the Great Salt Lake. It is approximately 15 miles long and 4 1/2 miles wide. Most of Antelope is in the 4,300-foot elevation range, but its highest point — Frary Peak — rises to 6,596 feet.
The island is accessible by a 7.2-mile paved causeway from Syracuse that traverses the Great Salt Lake.
Visitors should try not to be discouraged by the awful "lake stink" they may encounter during the first mile of that causeway. The bad odor is caused by decaying material along the mud plains, and it vanishes once the open lake water is reached. The smell is also almost never apparent on Antelope Island.
You can't legally stop and park a vehicle on the causeway, like you used to be able to do, but visitors should be aware that there are ample beach opportunities for lake water on Antelope.
Hiking, beach combing, wading, picnicking, biking, wildlife viewing, rock exploring and camping are some of the activities on the island.
What do visitors to Antelope Island think:
"It's worth the trip," Patsy Chialson from Canada wrote in the visitors center's register.
"Natural beauty" is the key, Janet Jones of Salisbury North Dakota wrote in the visitors center's register.
It can get hot there in summer, so visitors should arrive in the morning or come late to see a sunset.
The best place for first-time visitors is the visitors center. Go right when you reach the island and spend a half-hour at the visitors center getting oriented. From a short video presentation to displays, the center also has restrooms and a bookstore.
Second stop would be Bridger Bay. With many pavilions, this is the best place for wading in the lake. After traversing a 100-yard-long section of pure sand (not native to Antelope and hauled in years ago), the terrain switches suddenly to a mud plain. There's also a surprisingly high amount of rocks at the water's edge, making sandals or flip flops preferable.
A shallow bay is enclosed by an artificial jetty for 80 yards and then the open lake water is reached. Egg Island, a bird sanctuary off to the northeast, is off limits to visitors.
Outdoor showers (free) and $1 indoor pay showers are available to get the salt off after a trip into the lake.
Next best stop is Buffalo Point's parking area. The Buffalo Point hiking trail has been around since 1969 and offers a bird's-eye view of the island area. This moderate hike is short but steep. It begins at 4,550 feet above sea level and climbs to 4,785, for a gain of 235 feet. (The level of the Great Salt Lake is about 4,198 feet.)
It's slightly more than one-half mile to the summit, and the trail switchbacks up the north side, though some take a rocky shortcut straight to the summit. Fast hikers can reach the top in eight minutes. Average time would be 12-15 minutes.
The west end of the summit offers excellent views and photo opportunities of the causeway, western Davis County, White Rock Bay, Elephant Head, Bridger Bay and some of the other islands in the lake, like Fremont and Egg islands. Buffalo are sometimes visible along the park's southern fenceline.
The trail continues west into a rocky area, providing additional exploration and adventure for more hearty hikers. Children usually find the hollowed-out rocks and small caves on the south slope, west of the summit, fun.
The round-trip hike can be made in less than 30 minutes, for those in a hurry.
It's also possible to continue west after the main trail fades out to overlook the western shore of the island, or even climb down and walk around the rarely visited beach below.
Numerous rock crevices and ledges are perfect for children to roam around and explore.
For those visitors with extra time, a drive along the East Shore Drive to the historic Fielding Garr Ranch is worthwhile.
This ranch contains the oldest continually inhabited Anglo home in the state of Utah (from 1848-1981), and it is the oldest Anglo built house in Utah still sitting on its original foundation.
Ambitious hikers can also hike to Frary Point, though it is an approximate eight-mile round-trip trek. climbing abut 2,100 feet.
You may see bison, but do not approach buffalo, should they be near the trail. They will not threaten you but are still large and generally wild animals. Carry water on this hike. It can be very hot in summer, with little shade available.
The unparalleled 360-degree "aqua" view from Frary Peak is simply fantastic, with the Wasatch Mountains in the distance.
The peak is named for George Frary, a homesteader on the island in that area, from 1890 to 1897. The peak is usually accessible almost year-round, minus the lambing season closure, because of the low snowfall the area receives.
Mountain bikers can't use the Frary Trail, but can use the one at White Rock Bay and other paths in that area.
There are no rattlesnakes on Antelope, but there are three nonvenomous snakes. Visitors may also see rabbits and coyotes.
There are about 600 bison the island. They are not natives but were transplanted there in 1893.
There's a $9 entrance fee for each vehicle to Antelope Island. Visitor hours on the island in October are 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Hours will change in November. There is a $12 overnight camping fee; walk-ins or bikes are charged $4 each.
Take exit 332 off I-15, drive west along Antelope Drive, which takes you to the 7.2-mile causeway into the park.
Fresh water is in short demand in the island. Visitors, hikers and bikers should bring plenty of their own.
For more information about Antelope Island, go online to www.stateparks.utah.gov or call 801-773-2941.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com