Castle Cliff, Utah

Tags

Castle Cliff, historic, utah, Washington County

I just love places like Castle Cliff, places where there used to be something, there isn’t anymore and I can find old documents, even photos to prove it. It’s a cool feeling to be somewhere and know that it really used to be something. All my life I’ve called them “used-to-be-towns” and this is a good one.

My friend Steve said this:
I remember this spot well. 50 years ago or so (I’m dating myself), it was a rest stop on the old highway called Castle Cliffs. Their main commodoty was water. After going up “Utah Hill”, many cars overheated, as well as their occupants. They had those old canvas water bags that you put on your bumper and the water stayed cold by evaporation. However, it wasn’t cheap. I think they also had a gift shop, curios, rocks, and anything else tourists would buy. The building across the road was the gas station and take-you-for-all-you-had garage. I don’t remember buying gas here, but I remember Castle Cliffs

Before I-15 was open through the gorge; Old 91 was busy with lots of trucks on this slow winding two-lane road from Nevada to Utah. There was a rest stop on the old highway called Castle Cliffs. Its main commodity was water. After going up “Utah Hill”, many cars, as well as their occupants, overheated. They had those old canvas water bags that you put on your bumper and the water stayed cold by evaporation. However, it wasn’t cheap. Overheated cars could get water at $1.00 a gallon, which would roughly be $20.00 a gallon in today’s money! Gas was 12 cents a gallon. The gas station had a “take you for all you had” garage. They also had a gift shop, curios, rocks, and anything else tourists would buy. This was a perfect place for a rest stop because of the spring above the cliffs that supplied the water. On the same side of the road is a natural cave. Across the road were 3 motel-like cabins.(*)