The salt flats are used for land speed racing, archery competitions, running races, photography, videography, and scientific research projects. Closure dates may vary and will be posted by sign. Motor vehicle use is limited by seasonal closure during the spring when the salt is moist or has standing water on the surface. The salt flats are generally open to the public for recreational purposes. The salt flats are on the National Register of Historic Places, are designated as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern, and are managed as a Special Recreation Management Area. Like the Great Salt Lake, the Salt Flats are a remnant of Lake Bonneville, which covered over one-third of Utah from 10,000 to 32,000 years ago.

Located 120 miles west of Salt Lake City in Tooele County, Utah, the salt flats are a 30,000 acre expanse of hard, white salt crust on the western edge of the Great Salt Lake Basin in Utah.

The salt flats are about 12 miles long and 5 miles wide and are comprised mostly of sodium chloride, or table salt.

The Bonneville Salt Flats are one of Earth's most unique landforms.

Utah salt flats drifting