There’s something quietly apocalyptic about the Great Salt Lake. It’s shrinking. It smells like brine and decay. And just off the shore, in a remote section of northern Utah, sits a 1,500-foot-long coil of basalt rock spiraling into the lake’s desolate shallows. This is the Spiral Jetty—and it doesn’t belong here.
It looks more like a fossilized landing pad for something otherworldly.
What It Is
The Spiral Jetty is an earthwork sculpture by Robert Smithson, built in 1970. It’s made of black basalt rock and earth, hauled and arranged into a counterclockwise spiral jutting into the north arm of the Great Salt Lake—where the water’s so salty nothing can live in it, except for brine shrimp and red algae.
Smithson called it a “dial of the desert.”
It’s art, sure—but the kind that feels like a monument left behind after the end of the world.
Why It’s So Strange
It’s in the middle of nowhere.
There’s no signage. No visitor center. No gift shop selling spiral keychains. Just a dirt road, a weathered parking area, and silence. When the water is low, the jetty is fully visible—white with salt crusts, coiled like a snake. When the water rises, it disappears beneath the pink waves.
And that pink hue? That’s the algae.
It literally bleeds color into the lake from microscopic blooms, especially when it’s hot and the water evaporates faster.
How to Get There
Location: Rozel Point, Box Elder County, Utah
Coordinates: 41.4360° N, 112.6687° W
It’s about a 2.5-hour drive northwest from Salt Lake City. The last 16 miles are dirt roads, and conditions vary. Do not attempt in wet weather unless you enjoy getting stuck in dried lakebed clay.
There’s no water, no shade, no cell signal, and no help nearby. Bring everything you need, especially water, gas, and a spare tire.
What to Expect
- A massive spiral made of volcanic rock
- Views of the dead pink lake and distant mountains
- Deafening silence, crusty salt flats, and heat distortion
- Occasional art nerds or solitude, depending on the season
If the lake is high, you may not see the Jetty at all. If it’s low, you can walk the whole thing barefoot—just watch for sharp salt crusts and scalding surfaces in the summer.
Final Thought
The Spiral Jetty wasn’t made for you. It wasn’t made for likes or selfies. It’s a message from a dead artist to the world, buried in an eroding lake, unraveling slowly in the sun.
If you visit, treat it like a relic.
And maybe leave something behind that matters.
