Utah

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A special note: Throughout the Route40.net web site I've done my best to present information in a scholarly manner. Roadside attractions by their very nature present a lighter side of roadside culture. If my comments seem biased, opinionated, uncalled for or otherwise offensive, I apologize. To paraphrase public radio's smart guy Michael Feldman, if you don't like what you see on these pages, get your own web site.

More importantly, please stop by these attractions and be sure to tell them that Route40.net sent you. And have fun!

Dinosaurland Vernal, Utah With a limited number of natural resources, the Vernal area cashes in on dinosaurs in a big way. Dinosaur National Monument is nearby as are dozens of other lesser dino attractions. While in town, be sure to explore the Hug-A-Pig Pet Farm and Moqui, the Big Sittin' Indian. Oh yeah - don't go home without your petrified dinosaur feces.

Ute Indian Trading Post Vernal, Utah Apparently still in business after all these years.

Gravity Hill State Capitol Salt Lake City, Utah This is a location where cars drift uphill. This kind of explains Utah politics.

Blessed Virgin Mary in a Stump Corner of 700 South and 300 East Salt Lake City, Utah The image of the BVM (a Catholic TLA) has been showing up in trees all over the place. I guess with all of the Elvis sightings these days, Mary felt like she was playing second fiddle. Anyway, a small shrine has been built around the tree stump. If you're not sure where to go, just look for the crowd.

Donner-Reed Museum 90 North Cooley Grantsville, Utah 84029 (435) 884-3411 No, not Donna Reed. It's Donner-Reed as in George Donner and James Reed, the leaders of the ill-fated pioneering party of 1846. As these unlucky and inept pioneers crossed the Salt Flats, they kept jettisoning stuff to lighten their load. A good chunk of those artifacts have been collected and are housed in this museum. Photo courtesy of the Donner-Reed Museum.

Metaphor Salt Lake Desert, Utah As you drive across the Salt Flats, you'll encounter nothing but 80 miles of nothing. The landscape is pretty stark. To the pioneers, this must have been what they thought hell looked like. About 25 miles east of Wendover, sculptor Karl Momen in 1986 erected Metaphor, the tree of Utah. It is about the only thing that breaks the horizon for miles around. Strange as it may seem, there is no stopping allowed. The highway is marked "For emergency stopping only." Amazing how many emergencies occur here.

Muffler Man Wendover Boulevard (Old Route 40) Wendover, Utah This cowboy Muffler Man is painted up to look like a rodeo clown. He stands atop an old gas station serving as a pawn shop (conveniently located down the street from the casinos on the Nevada side of town). Read more about Muffler Men.

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