Committee invites public to discover the Energy Loop
Clara Hatcher
Staff writer
7/13/2017
FAIRVIEW—Cooler temperatures, mountain scenery and fun activities for families are promised for the Energy Loop Passport Tour scheduled Saturday, July 15 on the Huntington and Eccles Canyons National Scenic Byway.
The tour celebrates the completion of new interpretive panels placed at wayside stops along the byway and more than just an opportunity to enjoy scenery. It’s a day for kids to get involved in outdoor activities at some of the most prominent panels.
Beginning at 10 a.m., participants can pick up a passport card at the Stuart Guard Station in Huntington Canyon, the snowmobile parking lot at the top of Fairview Canyon or at the Scofield Town stop. As they travel along the byway through Huntington and Eccles Canyons, they can have their card stamped at the byway stops. A volunteer at the stop will lead kids through activities.
When they have stopped at seven signs and had their card stamped, they may take it to the nearest entry or exit station for a bag filled with “freebies” and discounts they can use in Carbon, Emery and Sanpete counties.
“You don’t need to be a kid to enjoy a drive along the Energy Loop: Huntington and Eccles Canyons National Scenic Byway,” Rosann Filmore, Byway Coordinator, said. “There is so much to do and see, you could spend the summer.”
The byway corridor is a recreation hub for those who love the outdoors, offering places for fishing, hiking, camping, ATV riding, picnicking and great scenery.
Featuring State Routes 31, 264 and 96, the byway was nationally designated 17 years ago. This year, it has 30 new interpretive signs that can be seen at 16 wayside stops. They tell the history of the byway corridor, guide travelers to attractions and explain a little about the environment.
Planning for the signs began several years ago when members of the byway committee looked over the original 20-year-old signs and decided they were dilapidated and out-of-date. The new, brightly colored signs have been placed on pedestals made of logs cut on the Manti-La Sal National Forest and private property owned by Skyline Mine.
Members of the committee are from Carbon, Emery and Sanpete counties. Rocky Mountain Power, Skyline Mine, Utah Department of Transportation, Utah State Parks and Recreation, the Manti-La Sal National Forest and Scofield Town. The panels were designed by Shari Yagodnik and Rebeca Field of Kimley Horn and fabricated by Post Modern. Numerous members of local communities contributed images and information.
