Check out rare mirabilite mounds at the Great Salt Lake on Saturday or Sunday

Mounds formed by the mineral mirabilite on the shores of the Great Salt Lake are pictured on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2020. The mounds have returned, and the public is invited to check them out during guided tours this weekend. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

GREAT SALT LAKE STATE PARK — Mirabilite mounds — a rare natural wonder — have returned to the shorelines of the Great Salt Lake and the public is invited to check them out during guided tours on Saturday and Sunday.

This is the second time the state park will be hosting tours of the mirabilite mounds, which first came to the park’s attention in October 2019 when a park ranger first noticed the formations. As time passed, she noticed the formations continue to grow and reached out to members of the Utah Geological Survey for their help.

Geologists investigated and determined that the mirabilite is precipitating from warm, high salinity sulfate-rich springs, visible only when the lake level falls below an elevation of 4,194 feet.

A closer inspection of the mounds revealed that they are a built-up collection of crystallized terraces, similar in appearance to the travertine rimstone and dam terraces that form at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.

Saturday and Sunday’s tours will be held each half-hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is required, so visit the Great Salt Lake State Park Eventbrite page to book a spot in advance. Capacity is 15 visitors per tour.

There is a $5 park entrance fee per vehicle as well as the $3 registration fee per person to register for the tours. Those attending are advised to wear water-resistant or waterproof boots as the lake water and mud can rise to midcalf.

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