Paul Bunyan's Woodpile

This giant of a man, the imaginary wood-cutting character Paul Bunyan, is renowned in North America for great deeds and natural creations. Some accounts describe Paul Bunyan traveling across the land with his giant pet blue ox named Babe. Given this, it isn't a surprise that a natural formation in Utah was named after this legendary individual, and is now called Paul Bunyan's Woodpile.

This natural formation was formed of what had been molten lava that, upon cooling, congealed into horizontal columns of multiple sides each, an average of 10 to 12 inches in diameter and averaging from about 6 feet to 15 feet long. These stone columns naturally sit on top of each other in groupings that lend themselves to a look that is very similar to stacks of piled wood that has been chopped with an ax.

This rock formation is located approximately 60 miles southwest of Provo, Utah just off Highway 6 within Juab County. Travelers from Utah's metropolitan area of the Wasatch Front will exit Interstate 15 at the town of Santaquin, then travel west on Highway 6 through the small town of Goshen, and then through the old historic mining town of Eureka. Just west of Eureka, Utah Highway 6 bends due south and ~15 miles from Eureka you'll find a dirt road that leads east into some low-lying foothills. There currently is no sign that indicates this turn to the trail-head but the route shows up easily on a google map. From highway 6 you'll travel three miles on a well-graded dirt road to the trail-head. Be aware of weather conditions and depending on your vehicle type you may not want to travel on this road during bad-weather.

The trail follows a northwesterly course for about one-half mile before ascending, via switchbacks, up a hillside that rises about 200 feet. The overall hike, each way, is about one mile, with a round-trip total of approximately two miles. Once you have reached the top of the trail you will be able to wander in and around the rock formations. Be aware that there is a lot of fallen rock around the various sized formations and hikers should use great care in walking in these areas.

There are several free standing stacks of rocks which form long rows. On the far east side of the formations, there is a large wall, several hundred feet across, and perhaps 100 to 150 feet tall. It is not readily visible to hikers unless you descend into the small ravine on the east side of the wall. A portal that could be designated as either a window or an arch, has eroded out of this large wall and entry to this is easily accessible by carefully dropping down a gap between this wall and the next adjacent pile of heaped-up lava rocks.

It will take an average hiker approximately 25 minutes, each direction, to climb up and then back down the trail. Forty five minutes to an hour, on-site, is long enough to walk around to view and take photos or video of the formations. Depending on the time of day, and time of year, this may be a great spot for a picnic meal.

The historic mining town of Eureka has an interesting downtown area with some shops and seasonal dining services. Little Sahara National Recreation Area, more commonly known as the Little Sahara Sand Dunes, is located to the southwest about fourteen miles. Visitors to the area may want to continue southwest toward Delta and other attractions in the Great Basin Desert, or circle back to Interstate 15, on Highway 132, toward the town of Nephi where dining and other services are more prominent. Many people enjoy going from Nephi on the scenic Nebo Loop road as a route to return to the cities of the Wasatch Front.