I will be posting some of my sketches and report from last Friday, the 13th from this site, but let me just say this is the best site I have been to in the area, except for Wolf Creek. Its closer in terms of mileage but takes an hour and a half because of the roads. I would assume if your coming from Salt Lake City and take option two below, you’d find it easier to get there than coming from the south end of the Salt Lake Valley or from Utah County.
From South End of the Salt Lake Valley or Utah Valley.
From I-15 get off at the Lehi exit by the Lehi Roller Mills. That is exit #279 or the UT-73 exit. Go west through Lehi on State Road 73.
Continue west on SR 73 across the Jordan River, straight through the intersection of Redwood Road (1700 W.) by Smith’s, up the hill past Eagle Mountain and out to Cedar Fort.
The road will turn south for 5 miles to Fairfield. When you get to Fairfield note the turn off to Camp Floyd but don’t get on it. From the Camp Floyd turn off check your mileage and follow the highway around the bend and go 4.7 miles from the Camp Floyd turn off up the hill. If it is dark when you are following these directions, you may not notice it is a long gentle hill.
At the top of the hill is the ATV/motorcycle rec area called 5 Mile-Pass. During the day you should see motorcycles and 4-wheelers having a good time (if it’s light, in the dark you won’t see anything) As you top the hill at 5-mile pass you will see the a sign marking the county line between Utah County and Tooele county. You’ll also see a large pole/Mesonet Weather Station on the left (solar panels, anemometer on it, etc). The road then slopes down and curves to the North (right). From the County line go 3/10ths of a mile and turn left onto a paved road. This road is called The Pony Express Road and as you drive down it you’ll see dark wooden posts that have PR7, PR5 etc. on them. Drive to the very end of this road (it is a long way). You’ll have a patch of road that is very rough, the paint dividers disappear in this area, and the road itself can be rough in general. You’ll eventually come to a stop sign, go over 3 sets of railroad tracks, and please watch as there is no lighted warning here and then proceed to the end of the road in Faust where you can only turn right or left onto SR 36.
Now turn left to SR 36 and head south through Vernon. As you leave the small town of Vernon the road winds to the left. Continue until you see this sign:
Turn right here onto the dirt road and proceed to drive down the dirt graded road, over 5 cattle guards for 5.0 miles. At the end of the road you’ll come to this sign.
And a close-up of the sign:
Turn right here toward Bennion Creek and Harker Creek and drive for 0.5 or 1/2 mile to Forest Road 006. It will be on your left and when you turn, you’ll see this (yes, turn left at Forest Road 006).
The marker just says 006 with FR on the bottom. You will now drive 0.9 or nine tenths of a mile down Forest Road 006 and on the left you’ll spot a turn out with a bunch of juniper trees there. To the east just beyond the trees is a very old cattle trough and that area is wide open. There are no cow paddies there, not even dried ones so it hasn’t been used for awhile. There was a next of a Great Horn Owl there and the owlet was screeching for food and the parent came and delivered it and then flew off (cool).
This is what the southern view looks like and if you look carefully you can see the grass area on the ground.
FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO THE SITE:
Get on Interstate 80 or I-80 and go west to the Tooele Exit for SR 36 which is Exit 99 and head south.
Follow SR 36 through Stansbury Park, Tooele and Stockton. At the split with SR 73 stay to the right on SR 36.
Continue to follow SR 36 to Vernon and then follow the directions above from the sign to turn right to the Vernon Reservoir and Benmore. The directions are the same from there.
Jay's Astronomical Observing Blog 