For several years just about every one of my excursions into the High Uintas and beyond began with a trip to this location. With the advent of our GPSs and good mapping software perhaps the DNR Mapshop has lost a little bit of its exclusivity on topo information but it's still a worthwhile visit. Full of maps of course, the map shop also has all sorts of informative outdoor books that are hard finds elsewhere. Take the time for a short stroll through the mapstore and you'll see what I mean.
In addition to this great outdoor resource, the SLC Department of Natural Resources is playing home to an interesting landscaping experiment. The cache location will take you to newly re-done landscape out front highlighting water-wise plantlife of all sorts.
Here you will find "cinquefoils," "maple mallow," "firecracker penstemon" (a hummingbird favorite), "jean davis lavender," ""butterfly bush" and others in their early development. Using a minimum of water, these plants can flourish in direct sun in drier environments. This new landscaping effort is a huge improvement over the weed-ridden previous shrubbery. A nice foot trail leads you through the plant life... all still in their infancy for now (and still being planted, Jun 05). It, like all new landscapes, will need a few years to come into its own but looks to be on its way to a being a nice botanical centerpiece in a most unlikely place.
So visit for the maps, visit for the developing scenery. DNR should be a worthwhile cache either way. Also as you explore it, please tread lightly if off trail in the bark. You should leave no sign of your visit please. Also please sign the log small and legibly and no stickers please!
**CoolCache would like to express a sincere thanks to Ms. Molly Waters, DNR Water Conservation Coordinator who gave specific permission for this cache. She is also the designer and the originator of the landscape that once existed here. Molly has moved on from DNR and Eric Klotz is now our point of contact for this long term cache.
**Update 2/24/12: Landscape is all removed now sadly. Once again we see how a GEOCACHE can function as historical landmarks in our world. Note the photos I took in 2005 of this area (below). Now just concrete, these pictures record how the area looked then. An overly huge sidewalk has replaced the landscape Molly did but DNR has preserved this cache it is in good condition!
For more information on water-saving Utah plantlife checkout: Utah Waterwise Plants
