Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. Its setting is 28 mi west of West Haven. Worth the trip, Spiral Jetty is 19 mi off.
A lake, 28 mi west of West Haven
Plan where you’ll sleep
The nearest town with many places to stay is West Haven, 28 miles east. Where to stay ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 238K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 99% of the 7,770 attractions we track.
Summers are hot
July highs run 92–92°, and about 49 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Best months: May, Jun and Sep
May, June and September are the mild months, with highs of 72–83°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Highs and lows by month
Each month’s highs and lows around Great Salt Lake are below.
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. It lies in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah and has a substantial impact upon the local climate, particularly through lake-effect snow. It is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric body of water that covered much of western Utah.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 1,699 square miles
- Elevation
- 4,209 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 238K a year
Hotels and campgrounds near Great Salt Lake
Lodging nearby is in West Haven (7) and Clearfield (7), and Salt Lake City has the most rooms in the area (109).
West Haven
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
25,627 people
28 mi east of Great Salt Lake
Salt Lake City
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
218,428 people
44 mi southeast of Great Salt Lake
Compare 6 towns
| Town | From Great Salt Lake | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Haven | 28 mi east | 40 min | 7 5 hotels · 2 motels | 25,627 | $564K | — |
| Clearfield | 30 mi east | 45 min | 7 5 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 35,144 | $374K | C+ |
| Roy | 28 mi east | 40 min | 2 2 hotels | 38,794 | $383K | B |
| Sunset | 29 mi east | 45 min | 2 2 hotels | 5,549 | $333K | B− |
| Marriott-Slaterville | 29 mi east | 45 min | 1 1 hotel | 2,286 | $593K | — |
| Salt Lake City | 44 mi southeast | 1 hr | 109 85 hotels · 9 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 3 hostels · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 218,428 | $540K | D− |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Great Salt Lake
These well-known sights sit within 69 miles.
Big draw45 mi Stadium & arenaDelta Center
119 mi LandmarkSpiral Jetty
49 mi LakeLake Bonneville
Big draw68 mi LakeBonneville Salt Flats
48 mi Stadium & arenaRice–Eccles Stadium
38 mi Theme parkLagoon Amusement Park
54 mi Stadium & arenaAmerica First Field
35 mi MountainBen Lomond MountainPhoto credits
Delta Center: Lomrjyo, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Spiral Jetty: Sculpture: Robert Smithson 1938-1973Image:Soren.harward at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Lake Bonneville: Wilson44691, Public domain · Bonneville Salt Flats: Don Ramey Logan, CC BY 4.0 · Rice–Eccles Stadium: Brenton Walker, CC BY 2.0 · Lagoon Amusement Park: Davehi1, Public domain · America First Field: Scott Catron, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ben Lomond Mountain: Joe Tordiff, CC BY-SA 2.0
Great Salt Lake: what to know
What town is Great Salt Lake near?
West Haven, UT, about 28 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Great Salt Lake?
May, June and September, with highs of 72–83°.
What is the closest airport to Great Salt Lake?
Ogden Hinckley (OGD), about 30 miles away. The nearest big hub is Salt Lake City (SLC), about 41 miles.
Where should I stay near Great Salt Lake?
Salt Lake City (44 mi, 109 places to stay), West Haven (28 mi, 7 places to stay) and Clearfield (30 mi, 7 places to stay).
West Haven has the answers
Share what you know in West Haven’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.