Wendover combines a historic focus with destinations in the surrounding area: Historic Wendover Airfield represents the history of the US Army Air Forces during World War II, while the Bonneville Salt Flats and Tree of Utah offer regional connections to landscape and art. For planning, it is useful to distinguish between them, since historic sites, archaeological sites, and the salt flats have different visiting conditions.
History of Historic Wendover Airfield
Historic Wendover Airfield is considered the most original and authentic surviving US Army Air Forces base from World War II in the United States. At the end of 1944, Wendover became the site of the training program for the first atomic bomb missions, which were later carried out over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Former Barracks Exhibit Building was the first building in Wendover that the Center for Land Use Interpretation (CLUI) leased and restored, in 1995. For information about accessing the CLUI Orientation Building and other CLUI sites open to visitors, contact them by email; ask in advance if you are planning a visit.
Historic Traces and Orientation
The Explorer Corps Marker: Tooele County is located in the landscaped gravel southeast of the Operations Building at Wendover Airport, right next to the Avfuel sign. It points to Danger Cave, one of the oldest archaeological sites in North America. Danger Cave is closed to public visits to protect the site. Since its visitor status may change, check the latest information from the Natural History Museum of Utah before planning a visit.
The Buzz Bomb Test Site represents another part of the history of the airfield area. Its remains include an observation bunker and the concrete foundation of an angled launch ramp from tests of JB-2 rockets during World War II. A mile south of the Wendover Airport flight line, remains of assembly and modification areas associated with a highly classified program can also be seen in the distance. These physical traces thus differ from the evidence of training and testing history.
Landscape and Trails in the Surrounding Area
Near Wendover, the Bonneville Salt Flats lie along the western edge of Utah’s Great Salt Lake Basin. The 30,000-acre area consists of a hard, white salt crust. The Salt Flats are generally open to public recreation; access by vehicle may be seasonally restricted in spring when the salt is wet or water is standing on the surface. Since closure dates may vary, check current information before planning a drive there.
Another regional connection to art is Tree of Utah, a work by Swedish artist Karl Momen, created between 1982 and 1986. A short, moderate hike also adds to the options in the surrounding area. At the summit of the mountain, signs provide information about nearby sights, including the airfield buildings and the curvature of the Earth toward the Bonneville Salt Flats. Planning therefore brings together different themes: the history of the airfield, the landscape of the salt flats, and the views of the surrounding area from a summit.
Discover more destinations: Grantsville, Tooele.
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