Utah’s Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty

Updated April 2024, Utah’s Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty was originally published in January 2024

Surreal and unusual, Utah’s Pink Lake is a true hidden gem. I’ve been living in Utah for a few months now and only recently discovered it, stumbling across the pink lake while looking at satellite images of the greater Salt Lake area.

I’ve been to several pink lakes over time (they never get old) such as Maharloo Lake and Lipar Lagoon in Iran, Laguna Colorada in Bolivia, Las Salinas Salt Flat in Puerto Rico, and now- the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

I never knew that there were bays of pink dotted around the Great Salt Lake until I noticed some pinkish-looking waters on a map, so naturally I had to go find out for myself. 

There is more than one pink lake in Utah, actually. In this post, I’m focusing on the pink waters around the Spiral Jetty on Promontory Point on the Great Salt Lake’s Northshore but there are others including near a railroad causeway (also located on Promontory Point) and Stansbury Island on the south of the Great Salt Lake not far from the Bonneville Salt Flats.

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Tips for Visiting Utah’s Pink Lake

• Pack lots of sunscreen if visiting in later spring, summer, or early fall, the sun gets intense out here.
• Bring waterproof sandals as the salty beach and the lake floor if you plan to go in can be a bit sharp.
• Pack plenty of drinking water and food. There are no services at Utah’s Pink Lake at Promontory Point.
• Don’t forget a swimsuit and towel. That is if you plan to swim or float. Make sure to bring a change of clothes as well as a bag to toss your wet towel and swimming gear in as they’ll be extra crusty from the high salt content of Utah’s Pink Lake.
• Make sure your vehicle has enough gasoline. There are no gas stations near the beach at Pink Lake. The nearest station is in Corinne about 40 miles away.
• Pack a drone if you have one. Seeing Utah’s Pink Lake from the shore is beautiful don’t get me wrong but the aerial views are unbelievable. If not, make sure to have your camera handy and your phone charged. 

Where is the Pink Lake in Utah?

This post is referencing Utah’s Pink Salt Lake at Spiral Jetty but there are others!

The Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty is located on the western shore of Promontory Point on the Great Salt Lake’s Northshore.

Nearby on Promontory Point is the Railroad Causeway, which is located at the southern end of Promontory Point. If you plan to visit both Spiral Jetty and the Railroad Causeway, it takes roughly one hour and 20 minutes to drive between the two locations.

The other Pink Lake is on Stansbury Island, which is located along the Southshore of the Great Salt Lake. This is located close to the Bonneville Salt Flats, so you could combine the two.

How to get to the Pink Lake by the Spiral Jetty at Promontory Point, Utah

As I mentioned earlier, there are other Pink Lakes (realistically bays of the Great Salt Lake) scattered around, but in this post in particular I’m focusing on the Pink Lake near Spiral Jetty/Rozel Point on Promontory Point.

The easiest way to get to the Utah Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty is to simply search Spiral Jetty Information Plaque on Google Maps and get directions here as this will bring you right to the parking lot. 

Plan for a two hour journey to reach Spiral Jetty if coming from Downtown Salt Lake City. It took me two hours and 30 minutes and I live a bit south of downtown.

To reach the Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty you’ll need to turn from the I-15 North (assuming you’re coming from the Salt Lake City area). 

Next, take exit 365 onto UT-13 North/Promontory Road which will eventually turn into the UT-83 North. 

Take a left onto West Golden Spike Drive and stay on it until you reach Spiral Jetty Road.

Take a right onto North Rozel Flats Road which will bring you to the parking lot for Spiral Jetty.

Note that the last portion of the drive to the Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty is on dirt roads. They are in pretty good condition but are washboard in a few areas. No high-clearance vehicle is needed (my Kia Soul made it no problem).

When is the Best Time to Visit the Pink Lake in Utah?

Utah’s Pink Lakes are vibrant pink year-round. As with other pink lakes around the world, Utah’s Pink Lake here at Spiral Jetty can change to more purple-y to blue if there are recent heavy rains or snow prior to your visit.

I visited in late summer and honestly, the Spiral Jetty was pretty evaporated-looking (I’ve now seen photos online perusing Google that it’s surrounded by pink waters) but the lake was still neon pink once you made the trek out to the Pink Lake Beach.

Surprisingly, Utah’s Pink Lake and Spiral Jetty don’t get heaps of visitors. I visited on a Tuesday and I had the whole place to myself. 

I stayed for a few hours and maybe about five cars came and went in that time, though if visiting on a weekend or holiday I’d expect a bit more traffic.

For photos, visiting Utah’s Pink Salt Lake is best in the morning and around sunset. I opted to wake up super early and make the drive out for sunrise at the Railroad Causeway and then continued onto the Pink Lake by Spiral Jetty around 8 am.

Why are these Bays of the Great Salt Lake Pink?

These Pink Lakes in Utah get their vibrant pinkness from the halophilic bacteria and algae that live in the water.

These unique bacteria and algae are pink in color which helps to give the waters of Utah’s Pink Lake its signature hue.

Not many organisms can survive in these high-salinity environments but the pink bacteria and algae that live here thrive in high salt concentrations.

Is it Safe to Swim in the Pink Salt Lake in Utah?

While it might sound dodgy to swim in a neon pink lake that you just read is teaming with bacteria and algae, know that it’s perfectly safe to swim here in Utah’s Pink Lake.

That all said, I wouldn’t drink the water from the Pink Lake (and I don’t know why you’d want to since it’s extremely salty).

Another fun thing to note is that the high salt content of the Pink Lake here at Spiral Jetty makes you extra buoyant, so you can get some cool snaps of you floating in the water here.

Camping at Utah’s Pink Lake at Spiral Jetty

You could feasibly camp here but there are zero facilities (no toilets, no water) so campervans and RVs may have an easier time here than tent campers (though I’ve tented it in worse spots!).

Have any questions about visiting Pink Lake, Utah?

Ask in the comments section below.

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