Travel
Utah

By Barb Henderson

Our adventurous journey took us to the small South-Central Utah town of Loa, about 30 miles from scenic Capitol Reef National Park and a destination where ranching remains a way of life, and good hometown hospitality awaits the tourists traveling to the park.

Folks who drive won't believe the breathtaking scenery: beautiful red rock formations, spectacular canyons, meadows where wildflowers dot the landscape, and a colorful forest.

Heading east on Interstate 70, then south on State Highway 24, it's not far to Loa, the first town on the highway in the northwest corner of Wayne County. Watching horses run in a nearby pasture with cattle grazing not far away, we didn't take long to kick back and relax into a much slower pace than that to which we were accustomed.

Settled in the late 1800s, this small town (pop. 450) sits at about 7,045 feet elevation and includes three service stations, one grocery market, a county courthouse, a small motel, and two small diners. Should you have a hankering to gab with some of the townsfolk, head over to the Country CafŽ, known to be a local hangout for the ranchers and farmers to sit a spell and chat about the day's events.

Or you might want to mosey over to the cafe about suppertime on a Friday night. I hear tell this is a great time to enjoy all-you-can-eat delicious BBQ ribs.

Several families in Wayne County continue to make their living ranching and farming. During the day, you might see cowboys and cowgirls herding cattle or sheep, and if you stay at a local ranch, you can immerse yourself in the Western lifestyle.

We stayed at the Road Creek Ranch—a working ranch with more than 1,000 head of cattle. The ranch provides folks a place to hang their hats and enjoy some Western hospitality at its Rod and Gun Club facilities. For a fee, guests can enjoy shooting sports, fishing, or an evening relaxing under starlit skies complete with Western cowboy poetry, guitar and banjo pickin,' horseback riding, and a hearty chuckwagon dinner.

The ranch's historic 100-year-old barn was built by George Okerlund, an early settler in the valley. The log cabin attached to the barn once housed his family. Today this Western barn-lodge includes six private rooms with baths, a game room, and an outdoor cooking-eating area. In what was once a hayloft, there are sleeping quarters and a middle loft with a kitchen, living area, television, and a private room. And on the lower level, there are five additional private rooms.