salt lake city yacht club

The Voice of Local Utah

Great Salt Lake Yacht Club

The alternative to dangerous deep ocean sailing can be found in utah’s largest most under-utilized lake..

Richard Markosian

by Al Sachrov

Salt Lake is one of the best kept secrets in Salt Lake.

For Captain JR Reynolds, the Great Salt Lake provides some of the best sailing in the country. Reynolds and his wife, Sue, sail the 27-foot NAUTI GIRL and provide charter, leasing, and sailing lessons for pirates and salty dogs alike through their company, The Great Salt Lake Experience. Reynolds is quick to point out that the wetlands bordering the lake provide the vapors that residents are reluctant to inhale. Once out of the harbor the clean air and steady breezes are a sailor’s dream.

“What attracts sailors to the lake is that there are few power boats. The wind is so consistent that once we were able to sail eight hours in one direction without tacking the sails,” he said.

Reynolds has been sailing the Salt Lake since 1989. Several years earlier he was an instant convert to the pastime. “After the first time I got in a sailboat, I went home and bought one. It’s a zen sport that allows you freedom and a chance to be at one with the wind and water. Once you cast off the dock lines you’re on the way to somewhere,” he said.

To introduce more people to the lake, Reynolds’ charter service offers two-to-four hour cruises.   One such foray resulted in an onboard marriage proposal with the prospective groom tying the engagement ring to the boat’s wheel!

Sailing and corporate team building cruises also allow beginning sailors the opportunity to develop nautical skills while talking like pirates. For Reynolds, any time of year beckons to the open water. But with all of the runoff that is occurring, lake levels are rising and there will be fewer problems with reefs and sandbars.

“This will be an excellent year to sail,” he said. §

If you would like to try sailing this summer on the Great Salt Lake visit: http://sailutah.com/

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North Shore Beach and Yacht Club – Ramp Cleanup Before and After

SSA is facilitating a joint agency project to restore access at the Salton Sea through cleanup of the Marina at North Shore Beach and Yacht Club.

The North Shore Beach and Yacht Club is a highly desirable option for restoration of Sea access. The North Shore Beach and Yacht Club offers optimal access and a combination of amenities for this purpose found nowhere else around the Sea: safe and swift public access via state highway; an attractive, historically significant landmark facility offering clean restrooms, running water, air-conditioned meeting areas and ample parking. In addition to the existing launch ramp and marina with a short fetch to the open Sea, the Yacht Club grounds feature an architectural attraction with picnic areas offering unparalleled views of the vast Salton Sea.

Partners with the SSA for this project include the US Bureau of Reclamation, Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy and Riverside County. The state of California has also promised to contribute.

Before Cleanup

After Cleanup

• Places To Go
• Parks & Outdoors

Great Salt Lake

• Weather: Sunny, 42F

Utah’s Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth largest in the world. Sure, it’s a geographical masterpiece, but for locals, the capital city’s namesake inspiration is most noted for bison-spotting, bird-watching, Instagram-worthy photo backdrops and the boost it sometimes offers snowstorms called the “lake effect.” Lake visitors revel in its diverse ecosystem and abundance of wild animals. Home to both the Great Salt Lake State Park and Antelope Island State Park, Great Salt Lake is a popular destination for boating, swimming, hiking, camping and wildlife viewing. Brine shrimp inhabit the saltwater, bison roam the lake’s Antelope Island and millions of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl take refuge in the 400,000 acres of surrounding wetlands.

Lakes & Reservoirs Travel Responsibly

When to Visit

Northern Utah experiences dry, sunny summers typically peaking around 90 degrees Fahrenheit in July or August. Spring and fall are incredibly pleasant times to visit. Overnight temperatures in winter drop below freezing, but the state park visitor centers are open year-round. During the warmer months, insects are present on Antelope Island. Insect repellent is not effective on biting gnats, and visitors should be prepared with fine mesh head nets. Call the visitor center for current conditions. (Read: A Year-Round Guide to Great Salt Lake State Park )

Utah Weather

Where to Stay

The Great Salt Lake State Park Campground is open year-round and offers RV sites that can accommodate up to a 40′ RV. Campsites have water and electricity. Advance camping reservations are recommended. There are primitive beach tent only sites, no hookups or vehicle access on the beach.

At Antelope Island State Park , Bridger Bay Campground and White Rock Bay Campground are also open year-round. Advance camping reservations are recommended. There are no individual hookups, but throughout the warmer months, you'll find shower facilities, drinking water and concessions, including Buffalo Grill.

Find a campsite

Great Salt Lake Needs Your Visit

Written By Larisa Bowen

8 minute read

While you visit this mysterious natural wonder, you can also help save it.

Antelope Island State Park

Explorers of Antelope Island State Park can hike, bike, picnic, camp, ride horseback or float in the salty sea. The island hosts free-range bison, antelopes, bighorn sheep and mule deer. It’s also designated as an International Dark Sky Park (Bronze Tier) by the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA). Be sure to stop by the visitor center to learn more about the 42-square-mile island.

Ahoy, matey! Lake visitors launch sailboats, motorboats, kayaks and paddleboats from marinas in Antelope Island State Park and Great Salt Lake State Park. Great Salt Lake State Park, in particular, houses a search and rescue operations center, provides long-term boat slip rentals and is home to the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club.

Bonneville Salt Flats

Not your typical white sandy beach, Bonneville Salt Flats is made of a layer of salt so dry, thick and hard that certain portions are inhospitable to life. What the flats lack in ecological liveability, they make up for in out-of-this-world landscapes for sensational photos, especially at sunset or sunrise. The salt flats also entertain motorsport racing — along with several land-speed records — at the Bonneville Speedway.

Cycling — via mountain, road or e-bike – is a thrilling way to explore Great Salt Lake. Mountain bikers frequent the easy flats and moderate hills on Antelope Island. Antelope E-Bike Company provides guided tours of the island on custom electric bikes. Although Antelope Island reigns supreme for Great Salt Lake cyclists, road cyclists can choose from routes on the island or any roads leading to and from the lake.

The Spiral Jetty

Artists, historians and naturalists alike will appreciate the sensational sight of the Spiral Jetty. American sculptor Robert Smithson constructed this extraordinary coil-shaped earth sculpture in 1970 using 6,500 tons of black basalt rocks, limestone and mud. It measures 1,500-feet long by 15-feet wide and is considered the most famous large-scale earthwork of the period. Visitors should be mindful that low water levels at the Great Salt Lake have increased the natural presence of tar around the Spiral Jetty shoreline. Watch your step and keep dogs on leash.

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Photo: Nicole Morgenthau

The Great Salt Lake never freezes over.

Getting There

The best access points to Great Salt Lake are via Antelope Island State Park or Great Salt Lake State Park. 

Antelope Island State Park rests on the lake’s east side and is the most popular place to experience the lake, due to its easy-to-spot wildlife and variety of activities. Visitors can hike, bike, camp or ride horseback to explore the island’s habitat and wildlife.

Great Salt Lake State Park sits on the south shore. Here, you can visit a small visitor’s center, book a boat tour or stroll along the marina dock. Whatever you decide, beautiful views of Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park and Black Rock are a guarantee.

Willard Bay State Park  is another option for access, though it’s the least traveled for guests of Great Salt Lake. Willard Bay is a freshwater reservoir on the flood plains of the lake. Both its north marina and south marina are popular for boating, waterskiing and year-round fishing for crappie, walleye, wiper and catfish.

There is a day-use fee per vehicle at all Utah State Parks, check with t​​he park for current pricing. The Annual Utah State Park Pass is accepted.

Great Salt Lake History

Once upon a time — 30,000 years ago during the Ice Age to be exact — a freshwater Lake Bonneville inhabited much of Northern Utah. Over time, increased evaporation and a warming climate caused the lake’s water levels to rise and fall dramatically. 

The Great Salt Lake we know today emerged about 10,000 years ago. Local Native American tribes knew about Great Salt Lake, and records from the U.S. Geological Society show that explorer Jim Bridger became the first non-native person to see the lake in 1824. Another explorer, John C. Fremont, explored the island further in 1843. Then in 1847, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in the area and used the islands for grazing cattle and recreating in the lake.

Facts About Great Salt Lake

• Great Salt Lake is not just salty — lake waters range from freshwater to supersaturated with salt. It’s one of the most diverse places on earth in terms of salinity (how much salt is in the water), which creates different habitats and supports biodiversity.
• There are more than 11 feet of salt on the bottom of the lake in some places.
• The lake is separated by a railroad causeway that has created two separate ecosystems.
• There are 338 species of birds that visit the lake.
• The lake is thalassohaline, which means its origin is from the sea and it has the same ratios of salts that the ocean has, just in much higher concentrations.

Learn more about Great Salt Lake Ecosystem

Help Keep Great Salt Lake Forever Mighty

The Great Salt Lake is essential to Utah’s environment and ecology – 10 million birds visit the lake annually as an essential stopover and breeding ground. But the lake has lost half its water due to human usage. According to the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, 871 billion gallons of water is diverted annually before it enters the lake and anticipated water demand could lower the lake another 10 feet. Discover simple ways you can conserve water from the Utah Governor’s Water Conservation Team – visit slowtheflow.org.

Be Prepared

• The Great Salt Lake is the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere. Always check the weather before heading out on the water – storms can be rough and waves can reach 8 to 10 feet.
• Be sure to check the latest fire restrictions before lighting a campfire, and always know the fire safety rules . 
• Metal detecting is by permit only at Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island state parks. Drones are prohibited at Antelope Island State Park from March-November, and by recreational permit only on weekdays December-February. Drone use at Great Salt Lake State Park is year-round by permit only.
• Everything in the state parks is protected by law. Removal of any natural or cultural resource is prohibited.
• Respect the health and safety of wildlife. Always maintain a respectful distance, approaching any animal can be dangerous to you and stressful to the animal. 
• Swimming or floating in the lake is allowed. The best place to experience the lake’s highly saline waters is Bridger Bay Beach. 
• Great Salt Lake supports several types of bacteria whose byproduct is rotten-egg-smelling hydrogen sulfide. The smell is noticeable along the Davis County Causeway, but resolves once you reach Antelope Island. 

What's Nearby

Davis County

Davis County, UT

Davis County in Northern Utah is home to Antelope Island State Park, Lagoon Amusement Park, Cherry Hills Recreation Park and much more.

Frary Peak Antelope Island

Hike to the highest point on Antelope Island for outstanding photography opportunities. Get valuable Frary Peak information here. Visit Utah

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, UT

Salt Lake City makes a great gateway for travelers making a trip to Utah's ski resorts or southward to Utah’s renowned red rock country.

Discover More

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Antelope Island's Bison Roundup

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Antelope Island's annual bison round-up (October 28, 2017) takes place in relative obscurity, on a stunning landscape from another geologic era, making this event a wonderful opportunity to view bison close-up. Watching an authentic roundup is like being on the set of an old west movie or transported to a distant era — yet it’s only 25 miles northwest of Salt Lake City International Airport.

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Well-prepared travel is responsible travel..

Do your part by planning ahead

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Upcoming events

Lake city yacht club sailing school 2024.

• Start 15 Jun 2024
•   9:00 AM
• End 16 Jun 2024
•   4:00 PM
• Location Lake City Beach - Ohuta Park
• Spaces left 25

Sailing School June 15-16, 2024 9AM-4PM

To learn more about our program for 2024 visit the Lake City Sailing School website.

Please keep in mind when you enter the number of people to register, that the system has already included yourself. You are entering "Additional" attendees.

Unfortunately, we are unable to provide refunds for cancellations 48 hour or less.

There may be photos taken during sailing school to be used exclusively for promoting the lake city sailing school.

Copyright © 2022 Lake City Yacht Club

Tour the Great Salt Lake by Boat

• Swimsuit and towel (for swimming tours)
• Sun glasses
• Cash for gratuities
• Free picture taking (with your phone or ours)
• Stories and jokes

45-Minute Boat Tour

2-hour Sightseeing and Swimming/Floating Boat Tour

1-Hour Private Sunset Tour

Private Boat Charters

• $230 per hour for 9 passenger boat
• $250 per hour for 12 passenger boat
• Boats are an extra $50 per hour on Saturdays and Sundays

Stand-Up Paddleboard and Tandem Kayak Rentals

Great Salt Lake Yacht Club

Play in the heart of downtown baltimore, marina info.

In Salt Lake City, Utah, Great Salt Lake Yacht Club is based at P.O. Box 26201. To contact the marina directly dial 801-250-1898. Great Salt Lake Yacht Club offers direct passage to the water and other amenities within Salt Lake City. Currently there are no reviews for Great Salt Lake Yacht Club.

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Bear Lake Yacht Club

Bear Lake Yacht Club est. 1971

Bear Lake is a Freshwater Lake straddling the Utah/Idaho Border. It lies about 130 Miles North of Salt Lake City, Utah & is approximately 20 Miles Long (N to S) and 8 Miles Wide (E to W). Elevation is approximately 5912 ft. above Sea Level. The Lake usually freezes in the winter but is a Beautiful Azure Blue Color all summer long. There is one large State operated marina on the west shore that includes berths for about 300 boats.

The  BEAR LAKE YACHT CLUB  was organized on November 19, 1971.

We have existed since that time as a group of concerned Bear Lake boaters.

Although named a “Yacht Club”, we cater to all persons interested in boating and the continued preservation of Bear Lake. The Club is concerned about environmental issues affecting the Bear Lake area as exemplified through the incorporation of the ecology insignia on the club burgee.

The Club organizes and sponsors social events, sailboat races, and other member activities. An important role of the BEAR LAKE YACHT CLUB is to serve as a conduit for communications between its members and state and local government authorities. The Club has a long-standing history of cooperation with the Bear Lake State Park Marina. Anyone interested in boating activities and/or the preservation of Bear Lake is invited and encouraged to join the Club.

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WELCOME TO GREAT LAKES YACHT CLUB

A hidden paradise on the Nautical Mile!

A family-friendly private sail and power boat club offering yachting amenities at an affordable price.

Winter Office Hours:

Mon-Thur 9am-4pm

Upcoming Events

Mar 18 @ 6:45pm

Board Meeting

Apr 18 @ 6:30pm

Mar 21 @ 6:30pm

Apr 20  @ 10am

Education Seminar

Apr 6 @ 9am

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Blossom Heath

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Apr 15 @ 6:45pm

Lexington State Harbor

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Council approves design for Cape Coral Yacht Club

• RELATED: Council will review new design plans for Yacht Club

The first option had a “Key West, old Florida” architectural style. The second option was based on the existing yacht club building, and the third option was a contemporary architectural design.

Some people in Cape Coral raised concerns about the parking garage and financing the project.

New Cape Coral Yacht Club designs: Most on council like a coastal, Key West vibe

Given three different design options for the new Yacht Club Community Center , most of the Cape Coral City Council is leaning toward a coastal, Key West-flavor architecture.

At a committee of the whole meeting on Wednesday, the city sought direction from the council on a design direction for the outside of the community building.

"It's a concept, just like we do with anything else, and as we are designing, things may come up that we want to shift and be nimble (on)," said Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn.

James Pankonin with Kimley Horn, a consulting firm focusing on public and private developments, presented the information about the look of the community building.

Cape Coral's Yacht Club Community Park, which includes a yacht basin, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a ballroom, and a beach, has been a popular attraction and staple for the city since the 1960s but is set to undergo major renovations after Hurricane Ian delayed the original plans .

The current plans include a new two-story community center to replace the ballroom, removing the tennis courts, rearranging the area to accommodate a four-story parking garage, a new restaurant, and a new resort-style pool.

The city is also preparing for the demolition of the Yacht Club and its facilities in April as it awaits permits.

No estimates could be provided for the price of the new building.

"It will really come into how much of certain materials are needed and construction methods," Ilczyszyn said.

The city will have that information once they have 30% of the construction design.

Two public meetings for the designs are planned for April 2 and May 7.

After getting public input, the city will vote to amend its contract with Kimley Horn to approve all these changes.

The plan is to have these changes approved or introduced before the summer hiatus.

Previous Coverage Demolition of Cape Coral's Yacht Club slated for April will cost almost $1 million

Cape Coral community news Courtyards of Cape Coral South sets bingo fundraiser for residents still affected by Ian

New Designs for the Yacht Club building

John Bryant with Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, a Sarasota-based design firm, said the goal with the new designs was to maintain the experience of the original Yacht Club.

The majority of the council preferred option one.

Design one:

Bryant described the first option as "coastal vernacular" and similar to the park buildings at Lake Kennedy and Yellow Fever Creek.

"So it's sort of informed by the current architectural work in 2024," Bryant said. "Kinda Key West."

Councilmember Dan Sheppard and Mayor John Gunter preferred option one.

Gunter said the design was the most pleasing for him.

Councilmember Keith Long liked option one and said he liked the Key West aesthetic.

Councilmember Tom Hayden liked option one.

Design two:

Option two is more informed by the current Yacht Club and would have a stone base and mid-century feel to it, according to Bryant.

"There's certainly opportunity to kind of further develop this option to have even more of the existing Yacht Club feel, but a different vibe, feel than option one," Bryant said.

He also said option two might be more expressive the closer they try to recreate the aesthetic of the old ballroom building.

Councilmember Jessica Cosden liked design two as it incorporated design elements of the old building though she lamented how similar it looked to the first design.

"I wish we could have done more, but I know it's hard with a two-story building, to make it look the same as a very unique one-story building.

Councilmember Bill Steinke said two would be his choice as well, but was wary of additional maintenance of natural wood products used in the design.

"As long as we can bring that aesthetic and keep the maintenance down, number two would be my choice," Steinke said.

Councilmember Robert Welsh said he could go either way, but he liked the look of two.

Design three:

This would be more contemporary and modern.

"Even with a more contemporary language, you can still have warmth, incorporating some wood elements and stone elements," Bryant said.

None of the council members expressed any favorability for the third design.

Inside the new community center

The Community Center will have an additional 10,000 square feet for a total of 47,000 square feet, a history room to remember the first ballroom building on the first floor, and more rooms for civic and community use on the first floor.

Additionally, the new ballroom has shifted slightly as the balcony area on the second floor has been expanded to wrap around the top of the building.