The regular meeting of the Carbon County Commission on February 3 concluded with a presentation on new interpretive panels which will be placed at several waysides along the Huntington-Eccles Scenic Byway, also referred to as the “Energy Loop.” County Tourism Director Shalee Johansen and Manti-La Sal National Forest spokeswoman Rosann Fillmore made the presentation, which was highlighted by the unveiling of the 36 new panels.
Fillmore said the scenic byway was designated in 2000 and, “We’re kind of celebrating because it’s been a long time and we feel like we have a really great product. We have a wonderful byway to interpret.”
Johansen explained the strategy behind the panels, telling commissioners, “When you actually do the entire loop, it takes about a day if you stop to look at all these panels. And so they naturally end up in Carbon County – primarily Price, to eat, to buy gas, and to hopefully stay overnight after a wonderful day up and around this loop.” The Energy Loop follows SR-31, SR-264 and SR-96.
The interpretive panels feature information about coal mining, power production, transportation, recreation, water, fire, and the surrounding ecosystem. The designs, which were completed in December, were created by consulting firm, Kimley-Horn, which used narratives and photos provided by the Scenic Byway Committee.
The 30-member committee included representatives of Carbon, Emery and Sanpete counties, UDWR, UDOT, Rocky Mountain Power, Skyline Mine, and the Forest Service. Additional assistance was provided by the Western Mining and Railroad Museum and the Sun Advocate.
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