The BLM welcomes Speed Week to Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats
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SALT LAKE CITY—The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Salt Lake Field Office welcomes the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) and Speed Week racers to the Bonneville Salt Flats from Aug. 12-18, 2017. For over a hundred years, the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats have served as a world-famous racing ground for land speed racers.
While the Bonneville Salt Flats are usually free and open to the public, SCTA will be charging an entry fee for Speed Week, which is a BLM-permitted special recreation event, After paying the entry fee, the public can walk through the pits, view the vehicles, and talk to the drivers and crew members.
“The BLM is pleased to welcome Speed Week participants and spectators to these unique and cherished public lands,” said BLM Salt Lake Field Office Manager Matt Preston. “We strive to be a good partner and are committed to managing the Bonneville Salt Flats for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations.”
This year, Utah’s West Desert received heavy snow and rainfall between November and May, followed by high summer temperatures and dry conditions. These conditions encourage water evaporation on the salt flats, which helps to create the iconic white salt crust that supports land speed racing. Current weather conditions on the salt flats are available on the MesoWest website at http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi-bin/droman/meso_base_dyn.cgi?stn=bflat.
All spectators and participants are required to leave the Bonneville Salt Flats to find camping or other accommodations each day. We invite you to use our “Visit” tool on the BLM website to learn more about the Bonneville Salt Flats and to find nearby camping areas at https://www.blm.gov/visit. BLM staff will be on-site during Speed Week to answer questions and provide outdoor recreation recommendations.
For additional information, please contact Roxanne Tea at (801) 977-4300. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339 to leave a message or question with the above individual. The FRS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Replies are provided during normal business hours.
-BLM-
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The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.