The Great Salt Lake has made worldwide news lately, and not for positive reasons. The water has dropped to crisis levels, which has increased visitor’s curiosity.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources, driving on the dry portions of the lake bed can cause major damage to an already fragile ecosystem. Doing so disturbs the delicate crust and has serious implications for wildlife and air quality.
Also, vehicles get stuck in the soft mud, making recovery difficult and causing more damage to the lake.
A Utah law states that anyone driving on the bed of a lake without written permission is subject to class B misdemeanor and liable for civil damages.