The Silver Island Mountains road is located in Northwestern Utah, near the Utah/Nevada boarder. It is a 54 mile loop, from the Bonneville Salt Flats access road, around the Silver Island Mountains. It can be accessed via I-80, at the Bonneville Salt Flats off ramp (exit #4), which is 3.8 miles east of Wendover, Utah. From this exit, proceed north one mile.   Here the road divides into a dirt road on the left and a blacktop road on the right.   Follow the dirt road .9 miles and then turn east before reaching the old Wendover landfill site. When occasional thunder showers occur, flash floods are likely, washouts are eminent and travel can be hazardous. Be sure to bring plenty of extra water, sunscreen, and spare tires. All vehicles must stay on existing roads. Caution: Do not attempt to drive out onto the mud flats.

Pony Express Trail
Relive a dramatic part of the West’s history as you travel the same trail that Pony Express Riders covered over 150 years ago.  You can stop at the old stations and interpretive sites along this Backcountry Byway where riders would change to fresh horses as they completed their 1,800 mile mail run.  You can extend your visit to the past with a night’s stay at the campground and reconstructed station house at Simpson Springs. West of Simpson Springs Campground, you may see wild horses roaming along the byway.  Wild horses are naturally wary and it is unlawful to chase or catch them, so please view them from a distance with binoculars. The entire 130 mile route from Fairfield to Ibapah will take you over both paved and regularly-maintained gravel roads. Services are not available, so bring plenty of water, supplies, fuel, and a spare tire. Map of the Pony Express Trail Back Country Byway

 
Transcontinental Railroad
Caution! Only adventurous travelers can follow this historic route of the first transcontinental railroad. The 90-mile route winds through remnants of railroad camps, towns, and trestles. There are interpretive signs at points of interest, as well as the visitor center and museum at Golden Spike National Historic Site. You should carry plenty of water and be prepared for rough roads in a remote setting. Spare tires are a must.

The railroad grade represents an epic achievement in American history, linking east to. West in the new nation. Today, the landscape looks much the same as it did in 1869, bu the rails, the towns, and even the lonely rail sidings are gone. Now the visitor can only imagine the vision an effort of those who struggled to build the nation's first transcontinental railroad.
 
Today cattle graze where once thousands labored to open the West to industry and commerce. The Transcontinental Railroad Back Country Byway is interpreted at over 30 sites along the grade. Enjoy the past as you travel this route on your public lands.
 
   
Smithsonian Butte
See the towering slickrock pinnacles and balancing rocks of Canaan Mountain, as well as panoramic views of Zion National Park, from the Smithsonian Butte Backcountry Byway.  If you’re looking for a glimpse of the Old West, stop at nearby Grafton, one of the best preserved and most picturesque ghost towns in Utah.

 
Bull Creek Pass
The Bull Creek Pass Back Country Byway is a sixty-eight mile drive that traverses the rugged and remote Henry Mountains. Spectacular views of canyons, cliffs, buttes, badlands, alpine peaks, and the surrounding canyonlands unfold from the byway as it climbs 5,000 feet over the mountains. The road is single-lane with a dirt surface.   It has many steep grades and rough sections. A four-wheel drive vehicle is strongly advised for traveling the entire byway. 

After the paved 12 miles from Highway 6 (past the Soldier Creek Mine) and the paved 7.5 miles from the north (to the public land boundary), the Byway is a narrow dirt road, with several blind corners. When dry, the route can be dusty; during and after floods, several normally dry wash crossings in the Canyon can flash flood; there may be numerous mud puddles in the road during and after rain. In very wet conditions, the route is slippery and not recommended for travel. During winter, the road is sometimes snow-packed, but the main route is kept open for local traffic. In dry conditions, with careful driving, most passenger and small recreation vehicles can be driven through the Canyon. 

BLM is also a partner in managing some of our nation's most spectacular roads like All American Road Highway 12, the Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Byway, and the Trail of the Ancients.

For additional information on other Back Country Byways, Utah Backways, and Scenic Byways visit Utah Scenic Byways or the National Scenic Byway Center.