Weber Canyon - Some Neat Geological Formations

Weber Canyon has quite a few neat little rock formations to view. Including 3 “Devils Toys”. Devils Slide, Devils Looking Glass, and Devils Gate. We will explore 2 of those items today and a few other neat things. While getting a nice scenic drive up Weber Canyon.

On our way back from Vernal a few weeks ago I noticed a new arch I had never seen before. I learned it is called The Devils Looking Glass Arch. So I thought we would go out and explore it. we ended up hitting a couple other neat things as well.

The Devils Looking Glass Arch

Scenic Drive Details:

Length: About 33 miles
Time Needed: 2 Hours
Road Conditions: 2 Lane major highway, 1 lane main road.
Summit: NA
Restrooms: There is one Rest Area and a few towns, however Morgan is your best bet.
Interesting Things: Devils Slide, Devils Looking Glass Arch, Devils Gate, Witch Bluff, Echo, Witches Cave.

To Get Here:

Weber Canyon is located between Ogden and Layton. i84 is the highway through it.

First stop: Devils Slide.

Between mile marker 110 and 110 is a nice pullout for Devils Slide. For whatever reason we have only stopped here on the way down which is a shame because it is much better viewed on the way up.

It is a really neat rock formation.

It is 2 layers of limestone with a layer of weaker stone between. They have been uplifted and the surrounding stone has eroded away. The fins are about 40 feet high and 25 feet apart.

I like the horned skull someone put on this gate post.

The Weber River below. I got a river view of this feature when I floated down the Weber River a few years ago.

From a little higher up.

In the narrow channel.

I would love to explore the formation a little more closely, but I just don’t see how you could get to it safely. Plus, I think it might be on private property. Not sure about that though.

Our next stop is The Devils Looking Glass Arch. I noticed this coming down canyon on our way back from Vernal a few weeks back and I wanted to see if we could get closer to it. Well, I found a good spot to view it, but not really up close.

You want to take exit 111 towards Croyden to see this neat arch. It’s really just a smidge past the Devils Slide. Then less than a half mile off the exit you will see a few pull outs on the right side of the road to view the arch.

So neat! I was really hoping there was a trail up to explore it better but we didn’t see one. And, well, that hillside is more steep than it looks in pictures. It might be doable, but I wasn’t up for it.

Not to mention you have to find a way across Lost Creek.

lucky for me, I brought the telephoto lens along.

I love finding arches outside of Arches National Park. Some of the other neat ones we have found are The Wind Caves in Logan Canyon, Chinese Arch near Golden Spike Monument, and Weber Arch (which we will get to momentarily).

We drove up to the next pull out. Lost Creek again.

This is a neat little arch.

Some fall color along Lost Creek.

We continued up the road hoping to see if maybe there was a trail up to the arch and well, found ourselves deeper into the canyon. The road was very rough and well, we didn’t know where it was taking us so we turned back. I learned it will eventually take you to Lost Creek Reservoir.

Back down to the arch, through a dirty windshield (DBP).

The Weber Arch (DBP).

If there is a place to stop and get a good view of it, I haven’t found it yet.

We took exit 115 to get to echo. There is a another exit to get to it, but if I remember right it is a pain in the butt.

Heading over the train tracks (DBP).

About 5 miles on old HW30 we are nearing the cool cliffs above echo (DBP).

Old cafe and motel (DBP). I guess the Kozy Cafe is a historic marker. Also, I am sure it is another location used in the movie S Darko.

Egyptian Tombs.

The highlight of echo for me is the very unique cemetery which you will see soon. I first saw this cool cemetery while watching S. Darko, which was filmed here in Utah. A couple years ago I got a wild hair and decided to find the cool cemetery and, well I found it. I still think it is neat.

I mean, seriously. How many cemeteries have such a fantastic backdrop?

We didn’t learn this until later today, but James E Bromley was a significant town member.

1897 now that is old!

The Egyptian Tombs in the background.

The Historic Schoolhouse. We’ll explore it from the front shortly.

I like these pillar style tombstones.

Lovely hand carved bench.

The cool rock formations.

The Historic Church. More on that in a moment.

This one has an officer killed in the line of duty plaque. Really sad, but that is really cool that it is forever immortalized.

Here you can see a somewhat rare feature (t least in Utah). Footstones.

The rocks again.

The Historic Echo Church.

I am pretty sure this was also used in S. Darko.

State Register Historic Site.

National Register Historic Site. First building I know of that has both.

It was originally a Protestant Church and school built in 1882. The Mormons bought it in 1914. In the 60’s it went into disuse due to the decline of Echo. In 1983 an non profit group purchased it in order to preserve it. As of the plaque being placed in 1989 it is occasionally used as a community center.

Looking down the street. Some fall color still hanging on.

This little shack is the post office.

Echo has the weird thing of being part ghost town, part somehow thriving community. With just 55 residents I think the dead outnumber the living. But it is still kind of neat.

the Echo School. I don’t think it is used anymore.

Information sign for James E Bromley.

After this we decided to head back.

Next stop, The Witch Rocks or Witch Bluff. This is about 1.5 miles west of Echo. And it does require a little bit of walking to get to the information sign (not much). Unfortunately there isn’t much of a pull-out but we found a wide spot on the shoulder to walk up to it.

Wow. They really do look like witches.

Information sign.

Cool rock formation.

Panoramic.

Looking back towards Echo.

And the valley below.

Now we just have the ride back home. There is absolutely more to explore connecting with i80 east and going up Echo Canyon, or you can connect to i80 west and go down parleys to make a loop. Both are fun options, but we deiced to just head back the way we came. Parleys Canyon is pretty, but I hate driving down it.

The Weber Arch isn’t as great from this direction (DBP).

And Devils Looking Glass Arch from the other side (DBP).

Just a cool mountain side (DBP).

The observatory tower (DBP). Better seen from Baer Creek.

Fun clouds (DBP).

We decided to continue down i84 to connect to i15 (DBP). I don’t think I’ve ever been on this section of freeway before. Super pretty this time of year.

That ended up being a fun geological adventure! There are quite a few neat rock formations to view and explore in that little canyon. Plus another fun adventure in Echo. I am going to have to do some more digging to see what else might be up there. We didn’t get much of a hike in today, but I did enjoy what we saw. 9 out 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty all viewpoints are get out and see so DR1.

As far as I know dogs are allowed in the canyon and at all the viewpoints we did today.