Annual Meeting

Bonneville Salt Flats Halite Field Trip

A summer day trip to the Bonneville Salt Flats to study evaporite crusts, collect hopper-faced halite, and run the only sanctioned taste test.

For: Collectors, Field Trip Leaders, Students

Dates: Jul 18, 2026

Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

A guided day on the Bonneville Salt Flats west of Salt Lake City: how evaporite basins cycle, why halite grows stepped hopper faces, and careful crust-sampling technique that leaves the racing surface untouched. Operates under the Heat, Hydration, and Desert Fieldwork Standard — there is no shade out there at all.

Before you go

This trip runs entirely under the heat standard: a gallon of water per person, hourly buddy checks, and a hard turnaround time that does not negotiate with "just one more crust." Bring eye protection — the glare off the flats is its own field hazard — and review the halite sheet so the hopper crystals get the appreciation they deserve.

Related in the library

Sessions

Evaporite Basin Geology Briefing
Hopper Crystal Collecting Lab
Heat Standard Field Practicum