Utah Lake---a short cruise on the ice

The entire valley and the lake inside it would be a national park, if it were not already settled.

Saturday. Treated myself to a drive around Utah Lake. From the motel I drove down Main Street through Lehi, an old farming community now crowded because of all the new construction in recent years. It's not a bad commute to the city, and just over the ridge that separates the Utah Valley from the Salt Lake Valley

The new housing developments stretched south along the west side of the lake past Saratoga Springs. The the road got narrow and the land way to barren slopes overlooking the lake, large mining landowners, no trespassing signs, all the way south to U.S. Highway 6.

Through little Goshen, and then one turns north and follows the back roads through a rural farming community. Then the road, still paved, hugs the large rock mountain along the lake.

This is what Death Valley would look like if it were still a lake.

The arroyos are plantless all the way up the side of the mountain. But instead of a salt playa, there is actual water.

Or in this case---ice. Recent thawing and refreezing had made the ice plates slam into each, making a frozen wave that jutted upwards, just beyond the reeds.  It was a good spot to park and walk down beside the water, and look across at the snowcapped Lake Mountains.

I followed the road all the way around the point, past old ranches, some with for sale signs, to Lincoln Beach, an old state park with a marina.  Families are parked out on the ice, having impromptu ice hockey pick-up games against the Wasatch Front.

I walk down the end of the rock pier and then out onto the ice, crossing over to the end of another pier. Then to get back to shore, I walk edright into the marina between the piers, as if mooring myself on the boat ramp.