Antelope Island - Oh, Give Me A Home Where The Buffalo Roam

I went hiking with some friends around Antelope Island a few years ago and always wanted to take the kids back there to explore. We spent a Saturday afternoon there (after my 8 mile run and doing our Saturday jobs around the house). It was really pretty and we all had a fun time. 

 The girls eating Cracker Jacks from one the view points. Look at all that white sand. Just like Cancun, huh? Every where you looked, you could see bison. And yes, we learned at the Visitor's Center that they were bison, not buffalo. There are about 600 bison roaming freely on the island. You can see some in the distance behind the girls.

 We drove around to the other side of the island and found a HUGE group of bison all lying out in the sun sleeping in the grass. The kids got out to pick wild flowers while we watched.

We made it to the ranch at the end of the road and found a Cowboy Poetry Festival. There were cowboys singing country music and reciting poetry. Can't you tell how thrilled Kate was about it? It was fun to check out for a minute.

Kate didn't have a horse to ride on. So, she chose me.

 As we drove back from the ranch (just a few miles), we had to stop in the road as that HUGE group of bison we saw earlier decided to make it's way across the road and to the other side. They were everywhere. All around the van. Scott and I thought it was so cool. Brie and Ava were kind of nervous.

The mamas and their babies.

 After watching all those bison, we made it out to Bridger Beach for a bison burger!! That's right. And it was good.

 Headed out to "the beach".

 I just kept imagining how awesome it would be if the Great Salt Lake were fresh water. It would be so nice! We would have it all. As it is, the kids liked walking out in the water and playing in the sand. It wasn't all that bad. Just piles of a lot of dead brine shrimp lining the water.

 Kate practicing walking on the sand. Kind of tricky.