WENDOVER, Utah — Bureau of Land Management officials are asking Utah residents to remember how much damage they can cause to icons in our backyard after some drivers caused damage to the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The salt flats are known for their otherworldly appearance and use in the making of films like Independence Day, Pirates of the Caribbean, and The World's Fastest Indian. They're also the site where land speed records are often broken, and where auto races are hosted.
“Something that is unique in the whole world is now slowly being taken away and deteriorated,” said Dennis Sullivan, the president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association. "You go anywhere in the world and you say 'Bonneville' and they’ll answer 'salt,' or if you say 'salt flats,' they’ll answer 'Bonneville.' It’s a world-famous place."
It's also a natural phenomenon that folks from Utah and beyond make the trip out to get a glimpse.
"There are very few places in the world that have such pristine salt flats," said Erin Brinkman with the Utah Geological Survey.
But officials say a recent group of vehicles caused damage to the flats by driving over them while they were wet.
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Sullivan says the salt flats' crust has been declining since the 1960s.
"At one time, we had a 13-mile course. Right now, if we can get a 5-mile course with two miles of shut-down area... we think we’re doing pretty good,” he said.
When the salt flats are wet, experts say, the fragile salt crust can break under the weight of a vehicle. Under the crust lies a thick mud that, when exposed, leaves a lasting scar on the landscape. The mud can also cause vehicles to become stuck, which requires a $5,000 recovery.
“So fragile that it doesn’t take much to break through, and once you break through and start putting grooves in it, those grooves do not heal. It takes years and years for those grooves to heal, and sometimes they never do,” Sullivan said.
Officials say if you are driving on the flats to stay on them while they are completely dry. Drivers are encouraged to, before driving out on the flats, check for standing water or soft, damp areas in the ground.
Drivers are also encouraged to avoid driving over the edges of the crust, which is thinner and increases the chances of becoming stuck.
To avoid damaging the landscape, drivers are asked to stick to the main access route. Officials say drivers can take Exit 4 off of Interstate 80 and follow the Bonneville Salt Flats Access Road to a parking area 5 miles in.
From there, drivers are encouraged to only continue on if the surface is completely dry and stable.
“[If] it’s wet, don’t go on it, please," Sullivan said. "One thing, it’s illegal, and if the BLM catch [you], you will get a ticket and you will get a fine, but what it does is it damages a national treasure.”
