South Island Trail, Antelope Island - February 16, 2026

[scatman]

Since I've been upgraded to do some light hiking by my knee surgeon for the next month, it was out to Antelope Island with my daughter to hike the South Island Trail to Unicorn Point at the south end of the Island. Originally it looked like it would be an 8 mile out and back hike, but the gate was closed at the historic Garr Ranch, so we ended up doing an additional 1.55 miles each direction for a grand total of 11.1 miles.

We had the southern part of the island all to ourselves until we passed some horseback riders heading south, back near the ranch. Meadowlarks and red-winged blackbirds serenaded us all day on our way down and back which was a real treat.



Overview map


Bison jam heading to the trailhead


Getting all ready to go.


The Garr Ranch


Frary Peak viewed form the ranch


Gate closed!


Heading south with the snow topped Oquirrh Range in the distance. Our friend Danny joined us on this hike.


Arriving at the Sentry Trailhead


The Sentry in the distance


The dirt road is the trail


Another shot of the Sentry


Not sure what the purpose of this shed is, perhaps something associated with the ranch. That's an old army truck parked on the
west side.


Wind in our faces heading south


The Daddy Stump Ridge above and to our west


Closer look at the shed


The Wasatch Front in the distance


Zoomed in on the Oquirrhs to the south


Lots of these trees along the road


There are a few springs on the Island


Basque terrorist Katie. The wind was getting to her.


I liked the trees in either side of the road


Fist look at Molly's Nipple


More of Daddy Stump Ridge


A birdhouse in one of the trees along the road


Evidence of a bsion


Another spring location where the evasive tall grass is located


A bison high on the hill


Looking south with still a ways to go


The red leaves of the common storksbill are always pretty


This is McIntyre Spring - fenced off from the bison


View along the northern Wasatch


Molly's Nipple


Arriving at the southern causeway


The gated southern causeway


Another Hayden Valley moment.


Katie wasn't so eager.


One mile to Unicorn Point


A bird on the hill


View to the south


A red-winged blackbird


The Rio Tinto smokestack at the foot of the northern end of the Oquirrh Range


Two track to Unicorn Point


Katie at the point


Danny at the point enjoying his apple


Quite a bit of spring parsley blooming at the south end of the island


Stansbury Island across the lake to the west


The Stansbury Range to the southwest with Deseret Peak in the clouds





Bikini pose at Unicorn Point with Garr Knolls above


A little exploring revealed a water tank at the south end.


The Canon EOS 40D was the camera of choice for this hike. I also used a Canon PowerShot SX530 HS.


A meadowlark


A bird heavy hike


Heading north again after a nice break at Unicorn Point



The road was full of two different kinds of caterpillars on our way back to the ranch



More birds - blackbirds I believe


View to the north


A good look here at the old upper bench of ancient Lake Bonneville with evidence of lower water levels coming off the hill


Frary Peak above. Zoomed in with the camera lens I could make out a couple people on the summit.


Bison track


Zoomed in on the truck as we pass back by the shed


The Garr Ranch is in that bunch of trees way up the road in the distance


A corral on the east side of the road near the Sentry Trailhead


Back at the Sentry Trailhead


First people that we have seen today.


Finishing up.


Back at the ranch


And back at the Sube.


The End.

 

[Ugly]

11 miles! Very nice, no brace?
Those riders were dispatched looking for gate crashers, but they probably got their info all garbled about scarves and skirts and did not recognize you.

Maybe that shed is for alfalfa. Perhaps they had to supplement the grazing some winters to keep the herd alive or to keep them from venturing off the island. You know, back when it actually snowed around here.
So far today's winter advisory is just that, an advisory that winter "might" occur somewhere.

 

[scatman]

11 miles! Very nice, no brace?
Those riders were dispatched looking for gate crashers, but they probably got their info all garbled about scarves and skirts and did not recognize you.

Maybe that shed is for alfalfa. Perhaps they had to supplement the grazing some winters to keep the herd alive or to keep them from venturing off the island. You know, back when it actually snowed around here.
So far today's winter advisory is just that, an advisory that winter "might" occur somewhere.

I only wear the brace on my left leg if I'm hauling a heavy load. So my used to be bad knee has morphed into my good knee, which is an adjustment for me.

Didn't think about supplementing the grazing during harsh winters. I'll bet that is what the shed is for.

We got some snow downtown earlier, but it didn't stick, at least down low. Tomorrow is supposed to be the big snow day.