Airway Beacons and Petroglyphs in Utah's west desert

NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
If you are near quartzsite there is an airway beacon still standing on a small peak southwest of town, these beacons were used before the arrows were developed and were usually powered by acetylene, pretty cool to see if you have a chance.
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barongan

New member
Well done! Thanks for sharing.
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NevadaLover

Forking Icehole
Here's a beacon just northeast of SLC, it was there in the early 2000's when I was looking for these, google earth shows a more recent photo with it still standing.20200309_143641.jpg
 

4x4x4doors

Explorer
The airway arrows have captured our attention as well. Its also started a bit of a competition between my adult daughter and her parents. We've traveled separately to one outside St. Paul MN.
My favorite story was one behind a locked gate near Mt. Home ID.
Airplane guidance arrows! We found another one! Before radar and electronic nav systems were commonplace, they made big concrete arrows and put them on the ground to make it easier for airplane pilots to get to their intended destination. Some of these still exist (although no longer in use). We had Lat/Long coordinates for this one but drove all around and couldn't find it. As it lays flat on the ground, unless you can be at its height or above, you can't find it. This one is on private property and although the gate wasn't locked, we weren't going to open it and go wandering about. The landowner saw us obviously looking for something and drove over to where we were and offered to take us into the property and show it to us as their arrow is one of the ones in better shape!! (Which certainly beats threatening to call the Sheriff or to show us their guns!)
 

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Bhill_teq

Active member
Here's a beacon just northeast of SLC, it was there in the early 2000's when I was looking for these, google earth shows a more recent photo with it still standing.View attachment 572432
Thanks for the tip! I found a hike that goes straight to it. I'll let you know how it goes! https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/utah/big-beacon-mount-wire-trail
The airway arrows have captured our attention as well. Its also started a bit of a competition between my adult daughter and her parents. We've traveled separately to one outside St. Paul MN.
My favorite story was one behind a locked gate near Mt. Home ID.
That's so fun! Love hearing stories about people finding these across the US
 

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