Central Utah

...The Exhilaration of Life!

Central Utah, a transitional stretch of land between the alpine forests of the north and the red rock canyons of the south, is a vast expanse of mountain, plateau and high desert, and ideal for the traveler in search of true solitude.  It is an area rich in natural resources; from vast coalfields, to hunting and fishing meccas, rich farmlands, and mystical deserts.  One of Central Utah's best historic and cultural attractions in is Heritage Highway 89. Cruising through Americana small towns like Fairview, Mt. Pleasant, and Spring City, as well as those named from Mormon scripture, such as Ephraim and Manti, you'll discover Utah's quaint "Mormon Country."  This part of the state also offers great recreational opportunities. Savvy sportsmen and OHV riders know Fishlake and our other National Forests offer outstanding fishing, camping, the Piute ATV Trail, and the big elk in the fall.  View wildfowl and a unique desert oasis at Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge northwest of Delta. Near Price, on US-6, Nine Mile Canyon is a treasure trove of pre-historic rock art. South of Price, the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry has the densest concentration of Jurassic-era dinosaur bones on the planet.  From there, it's an easy jaunt to the San Rafael Swell. While "The Swell" may not be a national park, it boasts remote canyons and awesome views that rival those found anywhere in the state.  Feel like cowboyin'? There's probably a dude ranch here that's just your style.

Native American Influences
Many prehistoric cultural sites have been found in Sevier County. Sudden Shelter, an archaic site on Ivie Creek, contains one of the oldest records in Utah dating from 5080 B.C. to A.D. 1900. Sevier County is also home of Fremont Indian State Park, where a prehistoric village was unearthed in 1985. Along Hwy. 24, south of Koosharem Reservoir, you'll find a Peace Treaty Monument, dedicated in 1883, commemorating the end of the Black Hawk War between Native Americans and Anglo settlers.

Marysvale
Mining was once a booming industry in Piute County. Gold, silver, and other metals brought prospectors and miners from the 1860s through the early 1900s. Mining camps like Bullion, Kimberly, Webster, and Alunite became large communities in their heyday. Utah's "Canyon of Gold" stretches west of Marysvale. 

Circleville
Few Western outlaws have been more often memorialized in folklore than Butch Cassidy, the alias of Robert LeRoy Parker. Parker was raised by Mormon pioneer parents on a ranch near Circleville, Utah. While a teenager, he fell under the influence of an old cattle rustler named Mike Cassidy, and he soon left home to ride the Outlaw Trail.