Part I: Driving The Father Road Through the Utah and Nevada Desert

In 1912 visionary men dreamed of a road that all American’s could drive stretching from Times Square in New York to San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean. Men such as Henry Joy, CEO of the Packard Motor Co., Roy Chapin, President of the Hudson Motor Car Co., F.A. Seiberling, President of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and John Willys, founder and President of the Willys Overland Co. joined together to cobble a road together out of what was then a patchwork of trails and wagon roads.

Their dream was that anybody in their eight cylinder, 25 hp, Detroiter, or maybe their Metz, or Hupmobile could travel across the country safely on good roads. With that goal in mind the Lincoln Highway Association was formed and shortly thereafter routes were set and maps published. The route was named after the former President of the United States, who had been killed by an assassin only 50 years earlier, and signs were marked with red band across the top, white in the middle, blue band along the bottom with a black ‘L’ in the center.

Between 1912 and the founding of the US Highways in 1926 the Lincoln Highway was improved with some of the first paved roadways, graded curves and a number of other safety innovations. A typical journey across the entire length of the Lincoln might take 25 to 30 days and a number of accounts were published by those that made some of the first trips.

In 1926 when the National Roads Bill was signed into law the Lincoln and other privately funded highways such as the Dixie Highway, Victory Highway, and the Yellowstone Trail faded into history either being relegated to forgotten side streets or paved over by US Highways and eventually the Interstates.

One section of the Lincoln remains relatively unchanged from its heyday as the Father Road. Through western Utah and much of Nevada the Lincoln can still be found in near original form. In some cases the road has been given recent coverings of pavement and in others gravel is still the surface that is traveled.

In July of 2007 I, along with my 14 years old son and my father, set out on a journey to explore what we could of the Lincoln. We made our way from California roughly following the path of the Transcontinental Railroad ending up just south of Salt Lake City, in West Valley City, were the journey would begin.

Our journey on the Lincoln first followed Utah 201 west away from the urban area surrounding West Valley City, passing Magna, Arthur, and Garfield making our first stop at the Pony Express marker alongside the highway at Toronto Caves. This section of roadway lies on the Kennecot Mining property and is not open to the public. The Pony Express marker was placed in 1946 and did not mention the nearby Lincoln Highway.

Lincoln on the Kennecot Mining Company properly. The classic view of this section of roadway that has been seen in many books about the Lincoln.

We continued along past the Kennecot facilities following Utah 201 until it merged onto westbound I-80. Our stay on the Interstate was brief as we exited I-80 and headed southbound on Utah 36 until turning west on Utah 138. Utah 138 took us into Grantsville were we jogged over 1 street to the North and followed E. Clark St. through town. Since it was still early in the morning the Donner-Reed museum was closed so we continued on through town turning right on Old Lincoln Highway which ran parrallel to Utah 138 for a few miles northwest of town.

Turning back onto Utah 138 we continued north-westerly until reaching Mistway Road. A left turn kept us on what appeared to me to be the roadbed for what was once US40 or perhaps a late incarnation of the Lincoln. The roadway was a full 2 lanes wide, asphalt, with faded striping down the middle of it. The road bed ended at the base of Timpie Point where it was cut off by Interstate 80. Getting over Timpie Point required a climb up and over the point along a steep and rough road to continue on as there was no access to the Interstate at that point. I might have been able to drive around the base but chose to take the road up the hill and exercise the four wheel drive.

The dry land between the base of Timpie Point and the Great Salt Lake has been used as a transportation corridor dating back to at least the time of the westward wagon trains. In the past it has been used as part of the Hasting's Cutoff (California Trail), Lincoln Highway, Victory Highway, US 40, and is today used by the Union Pacific Railroad, powerlines, and Interstate 80.

Mistway Rd. Looking east. The green signage along the interstate can be seen on the right side in the distance and Timpie
Point is at the end of the road.

On the west side of Timpie Point was Big Springs and a marker for the Hastings Cutoff. The story of this route of the California Trail is quite interesting and part of the Donner Party lore. More information on the Hastings Cutoff can be found at http://www.utahcrossroads.org/G_HR_Tea.htm

Hastings Cutoff marker at Big Springs on the California Trail.

From Big Springs the Lincoln headed south down Skull Valley towards Dugway. We opted to follow the paved road, Utah 196, which was 1/2 mile to the west and eventually joined the same route as the Lincoln. Evidence of earlier alignments were present running alongside and occasionally crossing underneath our path as we headed south towards Dugway.

The Lincoln Highway heading south from Big Springs and Timpie Point.

Brown's Ranch along Skull Valley Road along the Lincoln in Utah. The 1914 Lincoln Highway Guide noted that Brown's Ranch offered ranch meals and lodgings, drinking water, radiator water, and supplies.

At the end of Utah 196 is the entrance to the Dugway Proving Grounds. Dugway proving grounds was founded just prior to World War II and today serves as an Army Research Center. Much of what goes on within the gates is not known. The Lincoln is now within the Army Base and cannot be followed unless you gain special clearance, and even then photography is very controlled. Our route would have to take us around the proving grounds and along the Pony Express Trail, deviating from the original route of the Lincoln for a short time.

The Army takes its security seriously at the Dugway Proving Grounds.

We continued south past the entrance to the Dugway Proving Grounds leaving the comfort of paved asphalt for the adventure of gravel roads. Proving the theory that faster is better on washboard roads we cruised at a smooth 45mph south on Ericson Pass Rd. for 9 miles until we met up with the Pony Express Trail and then turned west.

As we drove over the low rolling hills we encountered small groups of antelope grazing along the roadside. Further along as we neared Simpson Springs we came upon a sizeable herd of horses blocking our path. My son said that he saw brands on them but I can find no evidence of brands on any of the pictures that I shot. In any event, once we got them to move aside for us to pass we continued on and stopped briefly at Simpson Springs.

An antelope eyes us carefully as we pass by.

A pair of the many horses grazing along the Pony Express Trail.

Simpson Springs was once a Pony Express Station and later a stop as part of the Overland Stage. In recent years (1930's) it was home to a CCC camp. Simpson Springs also hosts a campground that was originally going to be one of our overnight stops but since it was only 11:00 a.m. we all felt that it was to early in the day to start pitching the tent and so we continued westward toward Dugway Pass.

The Pony Express stations were spaced out at a distance of approximately 14 miles, depending upon availability of water. During the 30's stone obelisks were built by the CCC as part of the WPA. The stone monuments still stand although not all of them still have the bronze plaques that were originally placed to identify the stations. There is currently an effort underway to replace the plaques that are missing.

Monument for the Riverbed Pony Express Station

It is difficult to describe the feeling of driving across the Great Salt Lake Desert. It is a vast, isolated, open, tranquil, lonely road. In the distance that we traveled between Timpie Point and Schellbourne, Nevada, we would see only a handful of vehicles. The air in the Salt Lake Basin became noticeably clearer with infinite visibilities. For all we knew we could have been the last three people on earth.

As we headed across the Dugway Valley I came up with the idea of giving my 14 year old son a turn at the wheel. He had never driven my truck before and was somewhat shocked when I offered him the opportunity. As he put it in gear he immediately stepped on the gas pedal, spinning the tires in the gravel. The acceleration on second attempt was much smoother as I coached him along making sure that steering and speed were kept within acceptable limits. As we began the ascent up Dugway Pass we once again switched seats and passing each other in front of the vehicle I could tell by the look on his face that he had a story to tell his friends when we got back home.

Dugway Pass looking eastward along the road just traveled.

On the west side of Dugway Pass we stopped at the Dugway Geode Beds for lunch and a bit of mineral hunting. We had thought ahead and brought a pick and shovel with us and after a quick lunch we found an open bit of dirt and started digging away expecting to find geodes to take back home. After 45 minutes of sweating in the 95 degree sun we gave up and decided to look for some that might be lying on the surface. For some reason I was expecting that the geodes would be plentiful and easy to find. Another 30 minutes passed before we decided that we needed to continue on westward without our prizes. Now I would have to find a gift shop to bring a present back for my wife and daughter and there were no gift shops in sight.

View from the Black Rock Pony Express Station looking toward Granite Peak. Granite Peak is a fixture as you follow the Lincoln and Pony Express Trail through the Salt Lake Basin.

Just west of the Dugway Geode Beds the original Lincoln Highway rejoins the Pony Express Trail. We continued on across a short section of dried lakebed and around the southern end of the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge. We rounded the north end of the Fish Springs Range, past the ruins of Boyd's Station and then across a larger section of dried lakebed towards the town of Callao.

Roadway near Fish Springs with Granite Peak in the distance.

Fish Springs Pony Express marker.

When we reached Callao it was 4:30 in the afternoon and although we still had a few hours of daylight left there were a couple of things that concerned me. First was the remaining miles we had to cover. Since my goal was to "see" the Lincoln I did not want to be driving any part of it after dark. Second concern was navigation; I didn't want to be navigating my way after dark. Fuel situation was still good and no reason for concern. The third item of concern was the weather. Looking westward we could see the thunderheads building. I did have some concern about being caught in a thunderstorm from the aspect of road conditions. Although most of what we had traveled during the day was a hard packed, graded, gravel I had no way of knowing what the rest of the road was like.

I would have preferred to stop and camp near Callao for the night but not finding a campground, or anybody we could ask about pitching a tent for the night, we pushed on through the oasis of Callao at approximately 4:00 in the afternoon and headed north. Our flight plan was going to divert us off of the original route of the Lincoln and rejoin the Lincoln at the Goodyear cutoff. With the Dugway Proving Grounds on our right shoulder we drove past the surreal sight of buses, tractors, and military vehicles spread across the desert in the distance. Where they targets?

One of the challenges to westward expansion, be it covered wagons, the railroads, or highways, was how to get around the Great Salt Lake. The original route of the Lincoln skirted the south end of the desert. The second generation cut across the desert through what is now the Dugway Proving Grounds in what was then called the Goodyear Cutoff.

In a political battle with the State of Utah the Lincoln Highway Association never received the promised funding to complete the roadbed for the Goodyear Cutoff and the road remained partially finished when a new route directly across the Great Salt Lake to Wendover, which was preferred by the State of Utah, was completed.

On its western end the Goodyear Cutoff is marked by a large sign along the roadway with faded letters letting you know that it was a dead end road and government property. On the opposite side of the road is a small marker with the Lincoln Highway symbol. Other than those two items it looks like any other dirt road heading into the desert giving no clue to the political battle that took place.

Goodyear Cutoff. The sign on the left says "Dead End Road,No Trespassing, Government Property." The smaller marker on the right has the Lincoln symbol with "Lincoln Highway" spelled out down its length.

After we passed the Goodyear Cutoff and headed further on to Gold Hill my father, who had by now been fully briefed on the story of the Goodyear, and I began to hypothesize about what might have been. What if the Lincoln's route had been funded instead of the one to Wendover? Why wasn't this section of the Lincoln made part of US 50 when it was missing a route through Utah? After the discussion we came to the conclusion that the Lincoln's loss was our gain as we now had an opportunity to drive this road affected little by time.

It was now after 6:30 when we reached the small town of Ibapah and the clouds were getting much thicker. We could see the rain falling off towards the west but didn't know if it was where we were headed or not. After Ibapah, once we crossed into Nevada, the Lincoln Highway markers along the side of the road became much more prevelent. Every few miles there was a Lincoln logo tacked to a fence post.

Lincoln Highway between Ibapah and Eightmile

We continued west towards Tippets but also into a cloudburst. On one hand a drenching rain might help to get some of the dust off of the vehicle that had accumulated from the day of desert driving but on the other hand I had been advised by a fellow traveler that the roads got slippery in that area when they got wet. As it turned out there was just enough rain to turn the dust on the car into a nice coating of streaked mud. My father, who was driving at the time, compared the roads to driving in Saskatchewan in the springtime, meaning that knowing how to ice skate was a plus. Engaging the 4 wheel drive helped to keep the truck in a straight line.

Tippets Ranch in Eastern Nevada. 1914 Lincoln Highway Guide: Meals, lodging. Gas, 50c; Oil, $1.00, Camp site. Route marked through county. Extensive road improvements planned for 1915. Good detour route without mileage increase over L.H. General store.

We stopped briefly at Tippets Ranch but the light was fading fast and we still had to get over the Schell Creek Range. Tippets Ranch was a well known stop along the Lincoln and made famous in 1919 when the first US Army convoy to cross the United States bivouacked there. One of the members of that group was a young Army Lueitenant named Dwight David Eiseinhower. His experience traveling the Lincoln as well as those of the German Autobahn in World War II would play a big role in shaping our Interstate Highway System.

Pushing on we passed by the Stonehouse Pony Express station, crested the Schellbourne Pass, and reached US 93 and Schellbourne just as the sun was dropping behind the hills to the west. I often use the saying "gives me a reason to come back" when talking about something that I have missed out on during a trip and our late arrival at Stonehouse and the Schellbourne area gives me a reason to come back in the future.

Last light of the day on the Schell Creek Range

We rolled into Ely, Nevada after dark and found a room for the night. We had considered going a little further to the east to find a campground but the threat of rain helped made a hotel room more appealing. The experience of traveling the particular section of the Lincoln that we had just traveled was one that I will always remember. In a single day we had what felt like a weeks worth of experiences, yet there are parts that I will need to go back and revisit again someday.

It was extremely easy to feel the isolation that early travelers must have felt. With nobody else on the road you were alone and should something break it was up to you to fix it. I wasn't too worried as we were packed with tools, camping gear, and enough food for a week, but it was easy to imagine the possible hardships just the same.