Echo Canyon Signs

We headed out today to try to find the fortifications up Echo Canyon near Coalville. We saw a few places that looked hopeful, but saw too many signs that said the area was closed until the 2nd weekend in April. We made the best of the situation though and looked at some of the signs painted on the walls of the canyon. We focused on the ones from the 1800's, instead of the ones made more recently.
Most of the paintings we saw were near Billboard Bluff.

We enjoyed following the the old highway looking at the cliffs and seeing numerous sites along the driving tour.
Several historic trails go through Echo Canyon, including the Mormon Trail, the Pony Express Trail, and the route of the first transcontinental railroad.
Near the mouth of the canyon, we stopped at the site of the old Pony Express station. It's no longer there, so we read the monument and continued along.


The town of Echo was a fun stop. The I-80/84 highway system completely bypassed the little town, effectively killing it. Several restaurants and motels were for sale, but really there's not much there anymore. Set up against the cliff is the old schoolhouse/church building, the only historic building remaining of the town. We walked around it and looked at the cemetery just behind and to the north of it.


Nearest City: Echo, UT
GPS Coordinates:
Time Needed: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Kid Friendly:
Additional Info: A driving guide is available from Summit County.