Discovering Hidden Gems: The Museums of Castle Dale, Utah

One of the most enjoyable aspects of a road trip is discovering hidden gems. The tiny town of Castle Dale, population 1700, and miles off the beaten path in central Utah, offered two surprising gems. The excellent Museum of the San Rafael and the Pioneer Museum were totally unexpected and perfect examples of American-style "can do". Their fascinating contents were contributed mainly by area residents.

The Museum of the San Rafael

The Museum of the San Rafael presents the natural history of the remote and colorful badlands of central Utah. The most prominent exhibits covers the Jurassic era dinosaurs for which the area is renowned. (The famous Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry is nearby.) Also, many other types of fossils and minerals. There are exhibits of contemporary mammals, insects, and birds.

Rural folks in the west tend to live an outdoor life, exploring, hiking, hunting, and fishing. Many have found extraordinary things in this lightly traveled area. At right, a completely intact tool kit and knapsack belonging to a medicine man of the ancient Fremont Indians (contemporary to the Anasazi). This unique, world-class artifact was found in a cave by a local and donated to the museum. At left, a well-preserved pot from the Fremont culture.

The Pioneer Museum

The Pioneer Museum, located across the street in the old fashioned City Hall (right), offers an informal look at 19th century life in central Utah. There are a number of rooms crammed with artifacts donated and/or loaned by local families. For example, one room contains a wide variety of tools related to mining, livery stables, etc. Other rooms are fashioned as an early one room school house, a grocery store, a dining room, and a kitchen.

At left, an old-fashioned stove with all the various implements of a 19th century kitchen. The view above includes the cupboard and the dining table.

The Wasatch Range rises to the west of the badlands. A short drive takes you out of the heat and into heavily wooded mountain country, lush with lakes and streams. At right, a fly fisherman tries his luck in a peaceful setting. The area also offers many excellent campgrounds.