Castle Country
Take a step off of the beaten path into Castle
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Photo Courtesy of Castle Country Travel Region-Tom Till |
Country — the Land of Imagination. Castle Country offers unique outdoor adventures to every visitor. Landscapes range from desert sand to green mountain peaks. Throw in stretches of whitewater rapids and presto! Utah’s “Undiscovered Diamond.” Castle Country is three million acres of natural and man-made wonders, from the geologic oddities of Goblin Valley to the haunting pictographs and petroglyphs of the ancient Fremont culture. From the tortured formations in the San Rafael Swell to the fossilized bones at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry. Castle County is a dichotomy of adventure and solitude in a superbly wild and picturesque land.
Castle Country is host to the Manti-LaSal National Forest, San Rafael Swell, Nine Mile Canyon and Five State Parks including Goblin Valley, Scofield, Huntington, Millsite and Green River. Numerous dinosaur deposits, museums, ancient Indian ruins, railroad and mining sites and forsaken ghost towns dot the landscape. Located in the heart of Eastern Utah, Castle Country is easily accessed from any part of the state and is known as the Gateway to Southeastern Utah.
On I-70, don’t overlook the overlooks! Whether traveling east or westbound on Interstate 70, be sure to stop at the various scenic overlooks (Eagle Canyon, Ghost Rocks, Devils Canyon, Spotted Wolf among others) not only for the spectacular scenery but to learn more about the natural and cultural history of the land and its people. Informative panels detail the geology of the San Rafael Swell as well as the history of the Native Americans, cowboys, outlaws and miners who at once called this forbidding land their home. Rock art panels are abundant in this area. Visit museums in Green River, Castle Dale and Price for more information on where to visit these fascinating reminders of a culture long since past.
Art-i-Facts
From galleries to museums. College of Eastern Utah
Prehistoric Museum in Price is where to find dinosaurs, the famous Colombian
Mammoth and extensive Native American exhibits. This museum is one of a handful
in Utah that is accredited by the National Association of Museums. Western
Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper chronicles the late 1870’s to 1950. This
facility offers a glimpse of the immigrants who came from all over the world to
work in Castle Country’s coalmines and on the railroad. The museum is in
historic Helper, 110 miles south of Salt Lake City.
The Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale brings the mysteries of the desert
to life. Desert wildlife, minerals, dinosaurs and Native American artifacts are
on display.
Emery County Pioneer Museum in Castle Dale caters to the history of the early Utah settlers. Antique aficionados will enjoy the pioneer relics and historical displays.
Thousands of dinosaurs were once the denizens of Castle Country. By far, the largest quarry is the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in Emery County. Over 10,000 bones from the Cleveland-Lloyd have yielded 65 individual dinosaurs. Bones from this quarry have produced more public exhibits than from any other, and now are on display at over 65 museums throughout the world. Young and seasoned detectives alike will enjoy investigating the earth’s history here. Visitors can hike through the quarry and look at some of the hundreds of dinosaur bones left by Utah’s first travelers. Paleontologists are on hand to answer questions.
The John Wesley Powell History Museum and The River Gallery in Green River tell the story of the men and women who explored and charted the Green and Colorado Rivers. This museum is a sight as amazing as the mighty Green itself. The River Gallery exhibits fine desert art.
Phantom Art Galleries in Helper located in the old storefronts have been converted into art showcases. Visitors can stroll Helper’s historic Main Street at any time of the day and enjoy paintings, sculptures, woodwork, antiques and more.
Golf
Swing around Castle Country ... Green River Golf Course winds along the scenic Green River, and its nine holes are open year round because of the area’s temperate climate. Carbon County Country Club in Price offers a superb 18-hole championship course and Millsite Course is a par-36 in the terrain surrounding Millsite Reservoir.
Recreation Adventures
Five State Parks make Castle Country an outstanding recreation destination. All have camping, picnic sites and more.
Goblin Valley State Park is a basin overflowing with unique and enchanting rock sculptures carved out of the orange sandstone by centuries of wind and water abrasion. A unique feature of Goblin Valley is that it offers unrestricted exploration. Hikers are allowed to walk through the hundreds of goblins, spires and formations without being required to stay on a maintained trail. Goblin Valley is awe-inspiring at any time of the year. In the winter, a dusting of virgin-white snow contrasts dramatically with the fire-orange sculptures, balanced rocks and spires. In the warmer months Goblin Valley is the perfect place for serious hiking or for the most fantastic game of hide-and-seek you’ve ever played!
Scofield State Park offers facilities to make this park a paradise for
fishing, boating and water sports. Scofield is a
popular destination in winter for cross country skiing,
snowmobile and snow shoeing enthusiasts.
For river adventurers, Green River State Park is a
great destination. The park is a put-in and take-out spot for kayaking, boating,
canoeing and fishing on the Green. The Green River Golf course is a beautiful
part of this park.
Millsite State Park is a secret hide-a-way for
anglers and boating enthusiasts with its pines and junipers surrounding the lake
and sandstone cliffs framing the park in the background.
Centrally located Huntington State Park is the perfect place for warm weather aquatic sports such as boating, fishing, water skiing and more. During the winter, bird watchers come to see the many different species that visit the lake.
The San Rafael Swell is Utah’s fastest growing adventure destination. Most of the expansive canyons and desert areas are open to the public. Hike, mountain bike, 4WD, ATV, camp, backpack, explore and so much more. A sweeping kingdom of terra cotta mesas, deep canyons and sandstone cliffs, the Swell is one of nature’s best play lands. Eons ago, geologic upheavals formed this 50-by-30-mile dome of rock. Wind and water have eroded it into massive canyons, stiletto peaks and sheer cliffs. Mother Nature has varnished the rock in hues of red, black and orange. One of the highlights of the Swell is the Wedge Overlook, nicknamed the “Little Grand Canyon.” Sunsets at the Wedge are unforgettable...biking, hiking and 4WD trails wind through the Wedge’s floor along the river. Another highlight of the San Rafael is Buckhorn Draw, a natural storehouse of Fremont Indian pictographs and petroglyphs. Hundreds of canyons and mesas dot the landscape, offering the ultimate desert experience. Two canyons, Little Wildhorse and Bell, offer exciting slot hikes with great entry-level canyoneering terrain suitable for families, kids and groups with limited or no climbing skills. The canyon mouth resembles the remnants of a sandy streambed. Further along, the canyon narrows into amazing slots. In a one -mile long section the sheer walls are never more than five feet apart. Here, in places, hikers can wall-walk - defying gravity by extending arms and legs to traverse above the sandy trail floor using the narrow walls as supports. Fun and games in the desert!
Lush Mountain Peaks
The Huntington-Eccles National Scenic Byway, also known as the “Energy Loop,” is a wonderful day-trip. Travelers can spend an afternoon driving along the paved byway in awe of the surrounding mountains, streams and lakes. Wildlife abounds in these lush alpine areas. There are many hiking and biking trails that are easily accessed from the road. This charted drive begins at three different portal communities: Fairview on Highway 89, in Huntington on Highway 3l or at the junction of Highways 6 and 96 near Colton. A favorite hike along the byway is the Left Fork of Huntington Canyon Trail, a 6-mile-one-way hike paralleling Huntington Creek. Lush inclines and numerous waterfalls make this an exciting adventure. Anglers can try their luck for Brown, Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout from these waters. Mountain bikers will love riding the Nuck Woodard Trail. Be on the lookout for bald eagles that are frequently sighted in the area. This trail follows Castle Valley Ridge, so be prepared for breath taking views into Castle Valley and Southeastern Utah’s desert. Numerous intersecting trails make this ride suitable for both relatively new and very experienced riders. Trails can be accessed from Huntington Canyon or Clear Creek near Scofield.
If there is a highway to heaven in Utah, it is the 87-mile Skyline Drive. One of
the nation’s highest unpaved roads at 10,500 feet, this scenic back way traces
the spine of the Wasatch Plateau, with stunning views. The road is unsurfaced,
rough, rolling and perfect for hiking, mountain biking or ATV’s. Skyline can be
sectioned into good day hikes, or the entire length can be a venue for a
multi-day backpack adventure. Numerous forest roads intersect the route for side
hikes. Skyline Drive is neatly packaged between U.S. Highway 6 to the north
(Spanish Fork Canyon), Highway
10 to the east, US-89 to the west and I-70 to the south.
Ghost Towns:
The coal mines beckoned thousands of immigrants to Castle Country from the late 1800’s to the 1900’s. Today, ghost towns where they once labored dot the countryside. Hikers and mountain bikers can travel to these remote areas to feel the mystery of the empty towns that once buzzed with activity. There is a paved hiking and biking trail in Spring Canyon just above the town of Helper. This majestic canyon was once the home of several towns and coalmines. The trail winds through trees and brush along what once was the railroad bed. The deserted towns of Standardville, Spring Canyon and Storrs are highlights for photo-ops along the way.
Castle Country Travel Region
800/842-0789 •
www.castlecountry.com
Emery County Travel Bureau
888/564-3600 •
www.sanrafaelcastlecountry.com