Antelope Island Engagement Photos | Utah Wedding Photographer | Jacey + Tyler
photos featured below second shot for Ana Karotkaya Photography
Antelope Island is a beautiful location teeming with plants and wildlife, located about 50 miles northwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s an amazing place to take engagement photos or bridals. During certain times of year, I think it would be an excellent option for a small elopement ceremony! There are some key factors to know before you visit Antelope Island, whether for photos, or just to visit for a hike in the unique scenery. Below, I’ll share some photos from a recent bridals/ or pre-wedding photo session with Utah natives Jacey + Tyler. If you’re thinking about planning an engagement session here, bookmark this page for inspiration!
Keep reading for advice on planning your own photoshoot at Antelope Island - I’ll outline some important things to avoid at antelope island, along with key points on wildlife + plants, best times to visit, and how to get there.
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Now onto more information for planning your visit! In this section you’ll find info for suggestions to include on your visit, as well as things to avoid.
what is antelope island?
Antelope Island is one of several small landmasses located in the Great Salt Lake. The area is under the management of Utah’s Department of Natural Resources, operating as Antelope Island State Park. Established in1981, the park has provided Utahns with an outdoor space of 28,000 acres to enjoy for over 40 years!
is antelope island really an island?
Though it’s called an island, in recent years it could more accurately be described as a peninsula! When the water levels are at their appropriate measurements it is an island, but due to minimal rainfall and lower-than-average snowpack in the nearby mountains, the Great Salt Lake has reached historic lows.
3 things to avoid at antelope island:
Before visiting Antelope Island, I feel it’s only fair to give you reasonable expectations! On my first visit to this beautiful state park I learned a few things the hard way + I’d rather you benefit from my struggles.
HOLY HORSE FLY, BATMAN. Just kidding, because there’s nothing holy about these evil, blood-sucking creatures! I’ve heard them called different names but no matter what you call them, you’ll want to avoid them if you can. If you are planning to visit during warmer months, I highly recommend planning to come early in the day when less bugs will be present or wearing a mesh covering as bug spray isn’t effective against these!
Spiders! If you enjoy spiders, you’re in major luck: Antelope Island is the home to many and hosts an annual Spider Festival each August, complete with photo competitions, guided spider walks, and scavenger hunts. On the other hand, if you… don’t enjoy spiders, well, now you know. The spiders thrive in late summer, eating the flies hatched in the water of the Great Salt Lake (hatching occurs in early August). By late September you can expect to see less spiders present. Stay aware on hikes for your safety and theirs!
Rise and brine! The Great Salt Lake is salty. Shocker, right? The salt levels range from about 5% in Farmington Bay, to 28% in the North Arm according to the state park. The salinity differs based on how close you are to incoming rivers of fresh water, since the lake has no outlets. This saltiness is great in lots of ways, creating a unique ecosystem! However with brine comes briny odors - essentially, the smell of dried-up plant and animal matter decaying. You’ll experience the unpleasant smell mostly in places with shallow water like Farmington Bay.
getting to antelope island:
Access to Antelope Island State Park is in Syracuse, Utah. There you’ll pass through an entrance booth and pay either a daily or annual park entry fee before continuing across a narrow road leading to the island across Farmington Bay. Immediately on the other side you’ll spot the US Army Ranger and Air Force Memorial, the Antelope Island Marina, and painted decorative bison sculptures. The Memorial, originally created in 1992, was created to honor five Army Rangers and seven Air Force Special Operations airmen who crashed on the island during a training mission in October of 1992. Read more about the dedication here.
The Visitors Center is about another mile away at this address:
Antelope Island State Park Visitors Center
4528 W 1700 S, Syracuse, UT 84075
From Salt Lake City International Airport it’s about a one-hour drive to Antelope Island though you’ll have your sights set on the Great Salt Lake and the surrounding salt marshes much sooner! I recommend taking Legacy Parkway (UT-67) if possible for the scenery. This road is almost adjacent to the Great Salt Lake for miles as it wraps around the West Crystal Unit Farmington Bay. Although this area is outside the island, it’s another great spot for walking trails, picnics, and mountain biking!
Here are directions from SLC Airport to the Visitor’s Center:
From the airport, take I-80E towards Ogden.
Take exit 117 towards I-215N + continue for 5 miles.
Take exit 26 for Legacy Parkway. + continue for almost 12 miles.
Take exit 13, merging onto I-15N towards Ogden.
Take exit 332 for Antelope Drive.
Drive west on Antelope Drive for about 15 miles to get to the visitors center!
fun things to do on + around the island:
activities hosted by the state park
Throughout the year, Antelope Island hosts events ranging from guided hikes to multiple-day festivals. See the full list here! This is a great way to learn more about the local space and support the state park system.
Outdoor activities and wildlife watching are the two things that first come to mind in my experience when thinking of Antelope Island! This is a beautiful place to hike and like all of Utah’s state parks, Antelope Island state park is dog-friendly, meaning my huskies Lucy + Pepper can join in the adventures (leashed, of course!)
Activities available on Antelope Island include hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding on designated trails. Hiking trails really range here in terms of length, elevation gain, and difficulty, so it’s best to research trails before you visit to determine a trail that’s best suited to your needs!
Driving around the island, it’s fairly common to see folks riding bikes either for leisurely scenic rides, or for the adrenaline rush that comes with the fierce elevation gains on the paved roads. Besides riding on the road itself there are mountain biking trails to explore too!
There aren’t as many horseback riding trails here as there are hiking trails, but for locals that love horseriding it would still be a beautiful way to explore the island. Find trails designated for horseback riding here.
wildlife watching on the island
Pronghorn, sheep, and bison, oh my! Sometimes, without much effort at all, you can spot dozens of bison while cruising down the road here. Other times they can be unexpectedly camouflaged! It’s important to give bison a wide berth because they’re known for being aggressive. Here you may also spot owls, various spiders, bighorn sheep, coyotes, porcupines, and more! There aren’t any fish in the Great Salt Lake, but there are brine shrimp and brine flies (they feed off of the lake’s algae.)
With wildlife keep your eyes and ears open and as always practice the principles of Leave No Trace to help ensure the preservation of this wonderful place.
camping at antelope island
Camping is available here year-round (reservations recommended, but not required) with 5 campgrounds to choose from. Enjoying the night sky here is perfect for amateur and professional astrophotographers because this island is listed as a Dark Sky Park!
In 2017 Antelope Island was awarded the Bronze Tier designation from IDA, the International Dark Sky Association, whose mission it is to create spaces that preserve the night sky from light pollution. For reference, Hovenweep National Monument, which stretches the Utah and Colorado border, is considered gold tier, and Arches National Park is in the silver tier. Meet other local stargazers through the Ogden Astronomy group.
Learn more about the state park here: Antelope Island State Park
If you found this blog post useful, check out these next:
for more info + inspo on eloping:
Eloping in Colorado: Allie + Sam’s Aspen Elopement
Morgan + Tyler’s Redwoods Adventure Elopement
Tara + Tyler’s Roswell, GA Woodsy Wedding
Learn more about utah here:
Northern Utah Winter Elopement
Downtown Salt Lake City Wedding Venue - Tracy Aviary + Botanical Gardens
Logan Canyon, Utah Elopement Shoot
Moab Elopement Photography at Arches + Canyonlands National Park
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