While at the AP Read in Salt Lake City I was determined to visit Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty. Luckily my roommate had made the pilgrimage the year previously so she told me what to do. Our evening outing was perfect and not all that difficult but does require preparation and planning.
Honestly, if not for the AP Read I do not think Salt Lake City was high on my list if places to visit but I have amended that. I think the city itself is worth a weekend, it is more than the place to fly in before going to Park City to ski.
Go With a Group
Sure, you can do anything by yourself but who wants to drive 2 hours ONE WAY to a remote location by themselves? Not me. We had a group of 6 of other people who had just met at the AP Read. It helped to pass the time in the car chatting and made the 24 hour-minimum rental car inexpensive.
There were a few different rental car places walking distance from our downtown hotel/convention center. During our lunch break, two members of our group walked over, rented the car and parked it in the convention center parking garage. Although we didn’t end up needed the extra insurance, I would recommend getting it! The drive out gets very rocky at the end and there are plenty of wild animals crossing the road, especially at night. I think our cost (during the summer of 2025) was around $120 for a minivan for 24 hours (split 6 ways, that’s nothing!). We returned the car upon arrival back to Salt Lake City at 10pm and walked back to our hotel together.
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Plan Your Time
Depending on the season you go the road conditions in Utah can be dramatically different. I went during summer, when the days are long and warm. That made it easy to go after the AP Read work day ended at 5pm. We got to Spiral Jetty around 7:30pm and had plenty of light. The drive is incredibly rural, with no lights, so it is best to head back towards civilization before it gets too dark. But man, you can probably reallllly see the stars out there…
Spiral Jetty is 2 hours away from Salt Lake City; 2 hours of nothing…well almost nothing. About 30 minutes from Spiral Jetty is another fabulous historic site: the golden spike! Never heard of it? Sure you have, you just don’t realize it. The Golden Spike National Historical Park commemorates the spot (literally) in which the US transcontinental railroad met: East meets West. You definitely read about the transcontinental railroad in your US History class & it’s impact in “opening” up the West. Well you can go there and stand on the exact patch of earth where it happened.
Plus, it is a perfect restroom stop on your way out to Spiral Jetty. Either way it takes 5 minutes and it is on your way (no detour required). Kill two birds with one stone.
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Prepare for the Remoteness
We set our GPS while in Salt Lake City and did not lose it getting to Spiral Jetty, but you should definitely print directions! There is no cell or internet signal out there. When printing directions out to Spiral Jetty, include a stop at the Golden Spike Site (it’s hard to miss because it is right on your way).
I am a woman who likes to know when her next meal is going to be and since there is no food or water available for most of the drive, pack accordingly. My job in our caravan was to go to the grocery store for water and snacks. We spent like $25 and it was plenty (too much actually), but if there were any issues while we were out there that delayed us the extra food and water would be a lifesaver.
We did not pack a first aid kit, but I made sure to have extra band-aids and we all dressed with appropriate shoes for the rough terrain. My roommate the previous year ended up accidentally getting way to close to a rattlesnake. Nothing happened, thank goodness, but if it did you are SOL.
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Know the Site May Look Different
Anyone who teachers art history should know this, but one of Robert Smithson’s goals with his earthworks is that they change, and eventually disappear, over time. He wanted to make ephemeral, temporary art. And, due to climate change and other factors, the artwork looks very different than it did when he made it. The “classic” Spiral Jetty image shows it surrounded by water but when we went the lake bed was completely dry, the lake itself was a long way off.
Not going to lie, it does not look as “impressive” as it did in my college textbook but then I remembered that is the point. The way I experienced Spiral Jetty is unique and may never happen again. One day, no one will see it. The plaque will be there commemorating something long since gone.
JMF
