Oct 3 - Antelope Island

 Heading up to Antelope Island today to hike the Gravel Pit trail. Forecast is for partly sunny skies with temps near 80. No rain in the forecast to early evening.

Well, as I start my drive up to the Island, it looks like storm clouds around the Island even though it's sunny in Salt Lake. I decide to go anyway because I am only going to the Island because I can't decide on one in the mountains.

I arrive on the causeway and it's still stormy looking but not raining yet. And it's very windy.

Not far from the Island there are bunches of ducks and shore birds and in the middle of all of them is a coyote surrounded with lots of potential food and trying to figure out how to get some. Pretty cool and I watch for a little bit before moving on.

I arrive on the Island and head south towards the Ranch passing several bison at the intersection with the road to the west side.

Seeing no Burrowing Owls as I pass but there are a few bison stopping for a drink at the spring.

As I move along, I'm stopped quickly but a BIG male bison crossing the road near the spring.

I around the corner to White Rock and the bison have moved on but not very far  I stop the herd just before the Frary Peak road. They are moving south and surprise, there is a Fall baby with them!! Exciting!

I continue along finding another smaller herd in from of Frary Peak and another smaller herd at the turnout in front of Frary Peak.

Time for me to take hike so I turnaround back to the Gravel Pit TH. However, it starts to rain so I stop at the pullout just before the TH road.

I does stop so I head to the TH. Looks like I might get this hike in. I head to the toilets and on my way back it's raining again. I have a raincoat but I really don't want to hike almost 5 miles in the rain on purpose. So I head over to the west side of the Island. 


It's blue sky to the north and still stormy to the south and since the wind is from the south, I decide it's time to go. Disappointed I didn't get hike but I saw coyote, bison and a baby bison! It's good day!

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