Historic Roadside Attractions Along U.S. Highway 89

5 Locations | Curated by Alexandra Williams, Northern Arizona University

The U.S. Bureau of Public Roads established a numbered highway system between Utah and Arizona in 1925, formally establishing Highway 89. Otherwise known as the nation’s “most scenic road trip,” this road offered tourists convenient access to the West’s national parks. Traveling along Highway 89 became an attraction itself with the wide array of notable historic motels, restaurants, landmarks, and locally acclaimed scenic areas that existed before the highway’s establishment. As a result, Highway 89 offered opportunities to see some of the Western United States’ natural wonders and experience sites related to each state’s regional or local identity along the way.

Two businessmen founded this motel and curio shop in 1916 with tourists in mind, aiming to provide travelers with an “authentic” Southwestern experience. The trading post invited tourists to rest, indulge in a Southwestern-style cuisine, and browse a selection of authentic Navajo and Hopi arts and crafts. For these novelties, it remained a popular tourist attraction throughout the 20th century.
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After Harry McClintock released the song “Big Rock Candy Mountain” in 1928, Utah locals placed a sign at the base of a yellow mountain outside of Richfield, labelling it as the song’s namesake because they believed the scenic area matched McClintock’s lyrical description. After the song’s popularization in the 1950s, tourists along Highway 89 considered Utah’s Big Rock Candy Mountain an attraction…
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Along Idaho’s forty-five-mile portion of Highway 89, travelers pass Bear Lake, a natural freshwater body that spans the Utah and Idaho state lines. The lake’s vibrant blue waters have attracted travelers and locals to enjoy its outdoor recreation opportunities since the arrival of Euro-American settlers. Regular visitors have referred to Bear Lake as the “Caribbean of the Rockies,” due to its…
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Members of the Jackson Hole Rotary Club constructed the antler arch in 1953 as an installation that would capture the essence of the American West. Community members built the arch in the Jackson Hole Town Square, which is adjacent to Highway 89.
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Euro-American settlers converted these natural hot springs into a resort in the early 20th century, inviting travelers en route to Yellowstone National Park for a comfortable rest stop. After WWII, the site's ownership changed hands and converted Chico Hot Springs into a dude ranch, but the site's historic value and entertainment opportunities remained.
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