Utah State Route 18
Encyclopedia
State Route 18 is a state highway in southern Utah
, running for 51.005 miles (82.1 km) in Washington
and Iron Counties
from St. George to Beryl Junction. It forms part of the Legacy Loop Highway from St. George to Parowan
. The highway closely follows the route of the Old Spanish Trail
through Dixie National Forest
.
in southern St. George and heads north through the west side of the city. It continues north through Snow Canyon State Park
and continues northwest through Wide Canyon to Dammeron Valley
and past Veyo Volcano. It then turns north into Veyo
, running through the center of the town.
, then continues north and northwest through mountainous terrain in the Dixie National Forest
past the Mountain Meadows Massacre site
and continues into Enterprise
. It turns northeast in eastern Enterprise, then turns north through farmland outside of the town to Beryl Junction, where it ends at an intersection with SR-56
.
through the extreme corner of southwestern Utah. This portion of the trail is known for the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre
, a controversial event in both Utah
and Mormon
history which occurred just off what is now SR-18.
The road from SR-1 (by 1926 US-91) at Enterprise Junction north through Enterprise to Modena
was added to the state highway system in 1918. A 1927 law gave it the number and extended it west to the Nevada
state line, where it became SR 25 to Panaca
. In 1935, the portion from Beryl Junction west to Nevada became an extension of SR-56, which ran east from Beryl Junction to Cedar City. A branch from Enterprise west to Nevada, where SR 75 continued as a shortcut to Panaca, was added to SR-18 in 1941, but split off as SR-120 in 1945. At the southern end of the route, SR-18 was extended over US-91 in 1969 toward future I-15 (which was replacing US-91). A further extension to I-15 at exit 6 was made in 1974, replacing the south half of SR-34.
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...
, running for 51.005 miles (82.1 km) in Washington
Washington County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 90,354 people, 29,939 households, and 23,442 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 36,478 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile...
and Iron Counties
Iron County, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,779 people, 10,627 households, and 8,076 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 13,618 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
from St. George to Beryl Junction. It forms part of the Legacy Loop Highway from St. George to Parowan
Parowan, Utah
Parowan is a city in and the county seat of Iron County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,790 at the 2010 census.Parowan became the first incorporated city in Iron County in 1851. A fort that had been constructed on the east side of Center Creek the previous year was an initial in the...
. The highway closely follows the route of the Old Spanish Trail
Old Spanish Trail (trade route)
The Old Spanish Trail is a historical trade route which connected the northern New Mexico settlements near or in Santa Fe, New Mexico with that of Los Angeles, California and southern California. Approximately long, it ran through areas of high mountains, arid deserts, and deep canyons. It is...
through Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River...
.
St. George to Veyo
SR-18 begins at a frontage road just south of an interchange with I-15Interstate 15 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 15 runs north–south through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through many of the population centers of that state, including St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, the latter three being part of the urban area known as...
in southern St. George and heads north through the west side of the city. It continues north through Snow Canyon State Park
Snow Canyon State Park
Snow Canyon State Park is a state park of Utah, USA, featuring a canyon carved from the red and white Navajo sandstone in the Red Mountains. The park is located near Ivins, Utah in Washington County...
and continues northwest through Wide Canyon to Dammeron Valley
Dammeron Valley, Utah
Dammeron Valley is a census-designated place in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 803 at the 2010 census. Although Dammeron Valley is unincorporated, it has its own ZIP code of 84783.-Demographics:...
and past Veyo Volcano. It then turns north into Veyo
Veyo, Utah
Veyo is a census-designated place] in western Washington County, Utah, United States, on the edge of the Dixie National Forest. It lies along State Route 18 north of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County. Its elevation is . Although Veyo is unincorporated, it has a post...
, running through the center of the town.
Veyo to Beryl Junction
SR-18 leaves Veyo heading northeast to CentralCentral, Utah
Central is a census-designated place in northwestern Washington County, Utah, United States, on the edge of the Dixie National Forest. The population was 613 at the 2010 census. Central lies along State Route 18 north of the city of St. George, the county seat of Washington County...
, then continues north and northwest through mountainous terrain in the Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest
Dixie National Forest is a United States National Forest in Utah with headquarters in Cedar City. It occupies almost two million acres and stretches for about 170 miles across southern Utah. The largest national forest in Utah, it straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River...
past the Mountain Meadows Massacre site
Mountain Meadows massacre
The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train, at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks culminated on September 11, 1857 in the mass slaughter of the emigrant party by the Iron County district of the Utah Territorial Militia and some local...
and continues into Enterprise
Enterprise, Utah
Enterprise is a city in Washington County, Utah, United States. The population was 1,711 at the 2010 census. Enterprise is home to two schools, Enterprise Elementary School and Enterprise High School .-Geography:...
. It turns northeast in eastern Enterprise, then turns north through farmland outside of the town to Beryl Junction, where it ends at an intersection with SR-56
Utah State Route 56
State Route 56 is a highway completely within Iron County in southwestern Utah going from the Utah/Nevada border to Cedar City.-Route description:...
.
History
The highway closely follows the route of the Old Spanish TrailOld Spanish Trail (trade route)
The Old Spanish Trail is a historical trade route which connected the northern New Mexico settlements near or in Santa Fe, New Mexico with that of Los Angeles, California and southern California. Approximately long, it ran through areas of high mountains, arid deserts, and deep canyons. It is...
through the extreme corner of southwestern Utah. This portion of the trail is known for the 1857 Mountain Meadows massacre
Mountain Meadows massacre
The Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train, at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks culminated on September 11, 1857 in the mass slaughter of the emigrant party by the Iron County district of the Utah Territorial Militia and some local...
, a controversial event in both 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...
and Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
history which occurred just off what is now SR-18.
The road from SR-1 (by 1926 US-91) at Enterprise Junction north through Enterprise to Modena
Modena, Utah
Modena is an unincorporated community in far western Iron County, Utah, United States, near the Nevada border. It lies along State Route 56 west of the city of Parowan, the county seat of Iron County. Its elevation is 5,476 feet...
was added to the state highway system in 1918. A 1927 law gave it the number and extended it west to the Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
state line, where it became SR 25 to Panaca
Panaca, Nevada
Panaca is a town in eastern Lincoln County, Nevada, on State Route 319, about 1 mile east of U.S. Route 93, near the border with Utah. Its elevation is 4,729 feet .-History:...
. In 1935, the portion from Beryl Junction west to Nevada became an extension of SR-56, which ran east from Beryl Junction to Cedar City. A branch from Enterprise west to Nevada, where SR 75 continued as a shortcut to Panaca, was added to SR-18 in 1941, but split off as SR-120 in 1945. At the southern end of the route, SR-18 was extended over US-91 in 1969 toward future I-15 (which was replacing US-91). A further extension to I-15 at exit 6 was made in 1974, replacing the south half of SR-34.