There are a lot of strange things off the pavement, and it's our job to tell you how to find them. This month, we're taking a look at the land surrounding the high desert town of Delta, Utah. Almost everyone with a 4x4, or even a mountain bike, has heard of Moab, but what local Utah off-roaders have kept secret is their winter playground. During years when the snow isn't too bad, many sport utility vehicle owners from the population centers along the Wasatch Mountains head into the high desert of western Utah. The following are some of the Great Basin's best destinations and side trips.
Stonehenge
On Pavant Butte, 800 feet above the desert floor, stands one of the most mysterious ruins we've ever come across. We stumbled onto Stonehenge while exploring the area southeast of Delta. We were using a DeLorme atlas, and it showed some ruins outside of town. Anyone who has chased ruins in the Southwest knows that most of the time you only find old foundations or some dead trees. This time we were surprised. Two circles of giant columns surround a concrete bunker. The tops of the columns have bolts sticking out for who knows what to be attached.
To get to Stonehenge, we traveled on I-15 to the small town of Holden where we headed west on Route 50 until we reached the junction of routes 50 and 100. We took the dirt trail that follows the power lines and set off toward the Butte. The trail is smooth with a patch of deep sand that stops all cars. There are also several areas with gravel crossings over hardpan, so this route is passable even in winter.
The first time we saw the ruins and started the climb up the butte, a thunderstorm rolled in, and lighting struck about a mile away. We made a hasty retreat. The last place you want to be during a thunder storm is on top of a butte. Two weeks later we tried again. This time the weather was clear and hot. The sand and cinder lining the slopes of the Butte had been easy to climb in wet weather, but they were more of a challenge when dry. One steep run near the bottom of the Butte required three tries before our open-differential rig could find a line with enough traction to make it up.
There is a clear trail up to the ruins, although parts are off camber, so drive with care. The surface around the ruins is loose, and there are hundreds of rodent tunnels causing you to sink when you walk. The last time we were there, the sun was so hot on the south-facing slope of a dark cinder pile, we could feel the heat through our hiking boots. Take plenty of water.
We drove around the giant columns and looked inside the bunker. A lone, gray jackrabbit startled us and then left us alone at what felt like the top of the world. From the butte, you can look out over hundreds of miles of nearly empty land. To the southeast is the town of Holden, and to the southwest are the wetlands of Clear Lake.