The Spiral Jetty at Sunset

When we were moving to Utah last year, I scoured the internet to find a bunch of things that we could go and do as a family, and created this post about 28 Free Things to do in Utah with Kids. We've chipped off at a lot of things on the list, but one of the things I have been dying to do since we moved here was drive to Promontory to see the Spiral Jetty at sunset. 

The Spiral Jetty is not a natural occurrence. A local Utah artist actually created the formation into the shore of the The Great Salt Lake in the 70s. It's made of mud, crystals, and basalt rocks. It's truly a sight, and to think a single person did this by hand is truly an amazing feat. 

It's a bit of a drive to get there. About 90 minutes and 80 miles from where we live in Layton, but totally worth it for the views and fun adventure at sunset. We actually hadn't planned on going last night when we did, but bedtime was getting near, and summer is winding down, and I thought it would be a fun adventure to cap off one of our last Family Home Evenings before school starts next week. So we threw the kids into some jammmies, hopped into the car, and we were off for a nighttime adventure. 

We got there right as the sun was falling, and I was blown away by the pictures I was able to capture of the sunset with my camera. Derek told me about a photography competition that has happening in his office, so I pulled out all the big guns in an effort to win. I'm nothing if not competitive. 

The kids had fun climbing on the rocks (until Em fell off a rock she was sitting on), and it was so fun to literally watch the sun fall out of view behind the mountains. I don't think I've ever actually sat and watched the sun fully set like that, and it's something I don't think I'll ever forget. 

If you're planning a trip out to the Spiral Jetty, you can plug "Spiral Jetty" into your GPS and it will take you right to it. Right at the end though when you're on a gravel road, don't pay attention to the GPS and follow the signs, as it will want you to turn left on a single track road. Keep following the main road, and it will lead you to a parking lot right in front of the jetty.