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State Route 95 (Utah)
Encyclopedia
State Route 95 or Bicentennial Highway is a state
highway
located in west-central San Juan
, eastern Garfield
, and central Wayne
counties, in the southeast of the U.S. state
of Utah
. The highway received the name as its dedication coincided with the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. The highway forms part of the Trail of the Ancients
National Scenic Byway
.
), to the junction of SR-24
in the town of Hanksville
. It crosses Cottonwood Wash just west of the US-191 junction; follows and crosses White Canyon; and crosses the Colorado River
and the northeast end of Lake Powell
at Hite Crossing Bridge
, near the confluence of the Dirty Devil River
, which it crosses just two miles (3 km) later.
29 miles (46.7 km) west of the US-191 junction it meets State Route 261, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of there State Route 275 spurs off to the northwest to Natural Bridges National Monument
, and it intersects with State Route 276 twice, on either side of Lake Powell.
It passes through the small community of Fry Canyon
. Fry's Canyon (also referred to as Fry's Gulch) contains the only gas station between Hanksville and Blanding. A seasonal gas station is operation at the Hite Marina area during the summer months.
SR-95 was added to the state highway system in 1935 as a spur connecting SR-47 (now US-191) near Blanding with Natural Bridges National Monument
. It was extended in 1949, crossing the Colorado River
at Hite and continuing to SR-24 at Hanksville
. Except for a short piece near Blanding, the road remained unpaved through the 1960s. The first major realignment was approved in 1962 and completed in 1966, bypassing the old crossing at Hite, which is now flooded by Lake Powell
, in favor of the new Hite Crossing Bridge
. The highway was improved and paved in time for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, and has since been known as the Bicentennial Highway.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
located in west-central San Juan
San Juan County, Utah
As of the current census of 2010, there were 14,746 people and 4,505 households. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 50.4% Native American, 45.8% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% African American and 2.3% reporting two or more races...
, eastern Garfield
Garfield County, Utah
Garfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 4,735. It was named for James A. Garfield, President of the United States in 1881. Its county seat and largest city is Panguitch.-Geography:...
, and central Wayne
Wayne County, Utah
Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was formed from Piute County in 1892. The county gets its name from a man who served as delegate to the constitutional convention, in honor of his son who was dragged to death by a horse. As of 2000 the population was 2,509, and by...
counties, in the southeast of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. The highway received the name as its dedication coincided with the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976. The highway forms part of the Trail of the Ancients
Trail of the Ancients
The Trail of the Ancients is an National Scenic Byway located in the states of Colorado and Utah. The route highlights the archaeological and cultural history of southwestern Native American peoples, and traverses the widely diverse geological landscape of the Four Corners region...
National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
.
Route description
It runs 121 miles (194.7 km) west from the junction of U.S. Route 191 (4.3 miles south of the town of BlandingBlanding, Utah
Blanding is a city in San Juan County, Utah, United States. The population was 3,162 at the 2000 census, making it the most populated city in San Juan County. It was settled in the late 19th century by Mormon settlers, predominantly from the famed Hole-In-The-Rock expedition...
), to the junction of SR-24
Utah State Route 24
State Route 24 is a state highway in south central Utah which runs south from Salina through Sevier County then east through Wayne County and north east through Emery County...
in the town of Hanksville
Hanksville, Utah
Hanksville is a small town in Wayne County, Utah, United States, at the junction of State Routes 24 and 95. The town is just south of the confluence of the Fremont River and Muddy Creek, which together form the Dirty Devil River, which then flows southeast to the Colorado River...
. It crosses Cottonwood Wash just west of the US-191 junction; follows and crosses White Canyon; and crosses the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
and the northeast end of Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
at Hite Crossing Bridge
Hite Crossing Bridge
The Hite Crossing Bridge is an arch bridge which carries Utah State Route 95 across the Colorado River northwest of Blanding, Utah, United States. The bridge informally marks the upstream limit of Lake Powell and the end of Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River, but when the lake is at normal...
, near the confluence of the Dirty Devil River
Dirty Devil River
The Dirty Devil River is a long tributary of the Colorado River, located in the U.S. state of Utah. It flows through southern Utah from the confluence of Fremont River and Muddy Creek to the Colorado River.-Course:...
, which it crosses just two miles (3 km) later.
29 miles (46.7 km) west of the US-191 junction it meets State Route 261, 2 miles (3.2 km) west of there State Route 275 spurs off to the northwest to Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about north west of the Four Corners boundary of southeast Utah, in the western United States, at the junction of White Canyon and Armstrong Canyon, part of the Colorado River drainage...
, and it intersects with State Route 276 twice, on either side of Lake Powell.
It passes through the small community of Fry Canyon
Fry Canyon, Utah
Fry Canyon was a small community in San Juan County, Utah, USA, located in Fry Canyon, on State Route 95 and just south of White Canyon. Fry Canyon was a uranium boom town during the 1950s...
. Fry's Canyon (also referred to as Fry's Gulch) contains the only gas station between Hanksville and Blanding. A seasonal gas station is operation at the Hite Marina area during the summer months.
History
Natural Bridges National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about north west of the Four Corners boundary of southeast Utah, in the western United States, at the junction of White Canyon and Armstrong Canyon, part of the Colorado River drainage...
. It was extended in 1949, crossing the Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
at Hite and continuing to SR-24 at Hanksville
Hanksville, Utah
Hanksville is a small town in Wayne County, Utah, United States, at the junction of State Routes 24 and 95. The town is just south of the confluence of the Fremont River and Muddy Creek, which together form the Dirty Devil River, which then flows southeast to the Colorado River...
. Except for a short piece near Blanding, the road remained unpaved through the 1960s. The first major realignment was approved in 1962 and completed in 1966, bypassing the old crossing at Hite, which is now flooded by Lake Powell
Lake Powell
Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full...
, in favor of the new Hite Crossing Bridge
Hite Crossing Bridge
The Hite Crossing Bridge is an arch bridge which carries Utah State Route 95 across the Colorado River northwest of Blanding, Utah, United States. The bridge informally marks the upstream limit of Lake Powell and the end of Cataract Canyon of the Colorado River, but when the lake is at normal...
. The highway was improved and paved in time for the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976, and has since been known as the Bicentennial Highway.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County Wayne County, Utah Wayne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It was formed from Piute County in 1892. The county gets its name from a man who served as delegate to the constitutional convention, in honor of his son who was dragged to death by a horse. As of 2000 the population was 2,509, and by... |
Hanksville Hanksville, Utah Hanksville is a small town in Wayne County, Utah, United States, at the junction of State Routes 24 and 95. The town is just south of the confluence of the Fremont River and Muddy Creek, which together form the Dirty Devil River, which then flows southeast to the Colorado River... |
0 | |
| Garfield County Garfield County, Utah Garfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000 the population was 4,735. It was named for James A. Garfield, President of the United States in 1881. Its county seat and largest city is Panguitch.-Geography:... |
26.076 | Lake Powell Lake Powell Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full... |
|
| 33.3231 | Hog Springs Rest Area Rest area A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads... |
||
| Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a recreation and conservation unit of the National Park Service that encompasses the area around Lake Powell and lower Cataract Canyon in Utah and Arizona, covering 1,254,429 acres of mostly desert... |
41.176 | Hite Overlook View Area | |
| 43.179 | Information Area | ||
| 43.823 | Campgrounds | ||
| San Juan County San Juan County, Utah As of the current census of 2010, there were 14,746 people and 4,505 households. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 50.4% Native American, 45.8% white, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% African American and 2.3% reporting two or more races... |
52.907 | Lake Powell Lake Powell Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full... |
|
| 56.714 | View Area | ||
| 83.517 | Lake Powell Lake Powell Lake Powell is a huge reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona . It is the second largest man-made reservoir in the United States behind Lake Mead, storing of water when full... -Bullfrog Marina Bullfrog Marina Bullfrog Marina is the second largest marina on Lake Powell. It is located from Hanksville, Utah and 95 lake miles from Glen Canyon Dam. It is also located across from Hall's Crossing Marina... |
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| 91.137 | Natural Bridges National Monument Natural Bridges National Monument Natural Bridges National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about north west of the Four Corners boundary of southeast Utah, in the western United States, at the junction of White Canyon and Armstrong Canyon, part of the Colorado River drainage... |
||
| 92.931 | - Moki Dugway | ||
| 96.995 | Salvation Knoll View Area | ||
| 101.425 | Indian Ruins Ruins Ruins are the remains of human-made architecture: structures that were once complete, as time went by, have fallen into a state of partial or complete disrepair, due to lack of maintenance or deliberate acts of destruction... |
||
| 107.170 | Arch Canyon Campgrounds | ||
| 110.768 | Indian Ruins | ||
| 115.001 | Manti-La Sal National Forest Manti-La Sal National Forest The Manti-La Sal National Forest covers 1,270,646 acres and is located in the central and southeastern parts of the U.S. state of Utah and the extreme western part of Colorado... Access |
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| 121.351 |
External links
- Utah Highways by Dan Stober