Site Navigation Arizona Colorado Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico Utah Wyoming     Interstate 80 Utah (Great Salt Lake Desert to Wendover) Interstate 80 straddles the northern portions of the Beehive State across the Great Salt Lake Desert, Salt Lake City metro, and the northern Wasatch Mountain range. Among the highlights along the route are endless miles of open desert where the curvature of the earth can be seen over the vast emptiness. The canyons that guide the freeway east from Salt Lake City to Echo Junction are quite scenic and steep. Interstate 80 also shares a short overlap with Interstate 15 to the west of downtown Salt Lake City. Interstate 80 west Interstate 80 descends from the Cedar Mountains area toward the Great Salt Lake Desert. Photo taken 09/08/05. Approaching Exit 56 and the settlement of Aragonite on Interstate 80 west. A diamond interchange ties the freeway into local roads. Photo taken 09/08/05. One half mile east of the Exit 56 off-ramp with Hastings Pass Road near Aragonite. A frontage road parallels the westbound lanes of Interstate 80 from milepost 58 through to Exit 41. Photo taken 09/08/05. A rest area lies just west of the Exit 56 on-ramp near Aragonite. Photos taken 09/08/05. Interstate 80 leaves the Aragonite rest area and descends into wide open desert west of Exit 56. The light blue mountains along the horizon are in the state of Nevada. Photo taken 09/08/05. Knolls (Exit 49) lies 12 miles ahead and is the last exit before Interstate 80 reaches Wendover. Wendover lies at the state line with Nevada. Photo taken 09/08/05. Nearing the Exit 49 diamond interchange at Clive on Interstate 80 westbound. The next set of travelers services lie 48 miles to the west at Wendover. Photo taken 09/08/05. One half mile east of the Exit 49 off-ramp to Clive on Interstate 80 west. Visible to the north are the Newfoundland Mountains to the west and Lakeside Mountains to the east. Photos taken 09/08/05. Clive Road ties into Interstate 80 at Exit 49. The north-south road stems south from the adjoining frontage road to Clive and desert areas outside Wendover Air Force Range. Photo taken 09/08/05. Westbound reassurance shield and mileage sign posted on Interstate 80 between Exit 49 (Clive) and Exit 41 (Knolls). Photos taken 09/08/05. The next exit joins the freeway with the Interstate 80 frontage road at Knolls. Knolls itself lies along a local road west of Exit 41 along the Union Pacific Railroad line. Photo taken 09/08/05. The 0.50-mile guide sign for Knolls (Exit 41) posted on Interstate 80 west. The sage brush and other vegetation gives way to salt flats west of the upcoming diamond interchange. Photo taken 09/08/05. The last exit for the next 37 miles departs Interstate 80 westbound at Knolls. A local road, perhaps old U.S. 40, parallels the freeway from Exit 41 through to Blair at Exit 4. Photo taken 09/08/05. Interstate 80 enters the Great Salt Lake Desert and the vastly empty Bonneville Salt Flats west of Exit 41. Photos taken 09/08/05. Metaphor: The Tree of Utah lies along Interstate 80 at milepost 26. Created between 1982-86 by European artist Karl Momen and standing 87 feet tall, the sculpture features several "fruits" protruding from its branches. The fruits, painted spheres essentially, represent "color, circles, and cosmic space in a personal hymn to the universe". Several broken spheres lie along the ground representing those that have fallen from the tree. Unfortunately for prospective visitors, there is no access to the sculpture and parking is prohibited along the freeway. Photos taken 09/08/05. More perspectives of the vastly empty Great Salt Lake Desert. To the northwest are the Silver Island Mountains. Areas to the north where the Bonneville Salt Flats continue to the horizon reveal the curvature of the earth where the mountains meet the horizon. This swath of land is home to the Newfoundland Evaporation Basin. Note the mirages created by the bending of light rays. Photos taken 09/08/05. Another northern look at the Silver Island Mountains. In the foreground are lands a part of Bonneville Salt Flats State Park. Photo taken 09/08/05. A potentially welcome sight to the weary traveler, a rest area lies along Interstate 80 westbound six miles east of Exit 4 (Pilot Peak Road). Photos taken 09/08/05. Leaving the rest area on Interstate 80 west is another mileage sign. Wendover lies nine miles ahead at the Nevada state line. The Silver Island Mountains kiss the north edge of Interstate 80 at Wendover. The Toana Range meanwhile dominates the Silver State skyline. Photo taken 09/08/05. One mile east of the Bonneville Speedway exit on Interstate 80 westbound. Intersecting the freeway ahead is Salt Flats Road, a north-south road linking old U.S. 40, Interstate 80 Exit 4, and Bonneville Speedway. Photo taken 09/08/05. Drawing closer to the Exit 4 diamond interchange with Salt Flats Road. Salt Flats Road travels 1.3 miles north to Pilot Peak Road from Interstate 80. There Salt Flats Road turns east to Bonneville Speedway. Pilot Peak Road stems northwest to Pilot Peak Mountain in Nevada. Photo taken 09/08/05. Westbound at the Exit 4 off-ramp to Salt Flats Road. Salt Flats Road ends at old U.S. 40 just south of Interstate 80 at Blair. Old U.S. 40 continues west to Business Loop Interstate 80 & Utah 58 outside of Wendover. Photo taken 09/08/05. The final Utah Port of Entry lies along Interstate 80 westbound between Exits 4 and Exit 2 (Wendover). The Port of Entry is a fancy name for weigh station. All commercial trucks and vehicles with livestock must enter the facility. Photo taken 09/08/05. Interstate 80 westbound at the Wendover Port of Entry. A small pedestrian bridge passes over the freeway mainline between the two facilities. Photo taken 09/08/05. The final Utah interchange of Interstate 80 sees the departure of Business Loop Interstate 80 & Utah 58 (Wendover Boulevard) at Exit 2. A partial-access trumpet interchange facilitates the movements between the two highways. There is no westbound on-ramp from the eastbound business loop. Photo taken 09/08/05. Utah 58 cosigns with Business Loop Interstate 80 for 1.3 miles along the old routing of U.S. 40. The state highway carries the business loop into West Wendover, Nevada where the designation ends. Business Loop Interstate 80 is vastly unsigned along Wendover Boulevard itself in Utah, but is well signed in West Wendover. Photo taken 09/08/05. A sweeping off-ramp departs Interstate 80 westbound at Exit 2. Business Loop Interstate 80 & Utah 58 merge with old U.S. 40 on the outskirts of Wendover. From there Wendover Boulevard enters town and crosses the state line at a casino. There Business Loop Interstate 80 enters Nevada and Utah 58 ends. U.S. 93 Alternate joins the Business Loop (named Wendover Road in Nevada) before the loop returns to Interstate 80 at Exit 410. Photo taken 09/08/05. The Silver Island Mountains overlook the Exit 2 interchange of Interstate 80 from the north. The areas north of town are home to Danger Cave State Park. Photo taken 09/08/05. A Utah style exit sign represents the one-mile entry for Exit 410, the first Silver State interchange of Interstate 80. Joining the freeway ahead is U.S. 93 Alternate and the return of Business Loop Interstate 80. U.S. 93 Alternate ventures 59 miles south from West Wendover to junction U.S. 93 at Lages Station. Photo taken 09/08/05. The services found in West Wendover and Wendover are the last encountered for the next 32 miles on Interstate 80 west. Interstate 80 west & U.S. 93 Alternate north next see gas and food at Oasis (Exit 378). Photo taken 09/08/05. Interstate 80 westbound reaches Utah milepost zero and the Nevada State line. Drivers however remain in Mountain Time Zone until the outskirts of West Wendover, Nevada. West Wendover successfully lobbied to join Mountain Time to strengthen its economic ties with Utah in October 1999. The town is home to several casinos. Photo taken 09/08/05. Interstate 80 west No photos at this time. Page Updated September 19, 2005.