There isn’t much out in this area unless you’re a geocacher, and if you are there is a lot. There is a series of caches hidden in locations so that if viewed on a map they’ll look like a kokopelli blowing his flute. There’s another series in the shape of a star nearby as well.
Kokopelli in the desert
I’ve personally hiked the star, and a small part of the kokopelli, I plan on going back to finish it.
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.(*)
The location of the old Castle Cliff Store.
Castle Cliff from across the road
The water tank that was filled with the spring
Here are some old photos, an old painting and a poem of and about Castle Cliff.
