Committee Invites Public to Discover the Energy Loop

HUNTINGTON, Utah – 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.
The Energy Loop Passport Tour is more than an opportunity to enjoy scenery and learn about the byway, 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 a fun activity.
When they have stopped at seven signs and had their card stamped, they may take it to the nearest entry/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,” explained Rosann Fillmore, Byway Coordinator. “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.
The byway, which features State Routes 31, 264, and 96, 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ago, as members of the byway committee looked over the original 20-year-old signs and decided they were dilapidated and out-of-date.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.