The Honeycombs
- Alex Cabrero
- Oct 15, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
(West Desert, near Trout Creek) This wasn't an adventure I was planning on. My friend Mark Wetzel and I had watched the annular eclipse with some people who live in Partoun and they asked what we were doing next. We weren't sure, so they recommended we check out The Honeycombs. I had never heard of this spot, but after hearing how they said it was an awesome area that is just different, we had to check it out.
The directions from the locals to get to the Honeycombs were perfect. They said, "Just turn on your second right when you get to Trout Creek. When you get to the wooden signs, turn right and go until you see the metal pole off the side of the road."
What?
I love those kinds of directions, and since there's really nothing out that way, they told me it would be hard to miss. And they were right. After turning right and right again, then maybe 15-20 minutes later, I saw the metal pole signifying where to turn off the Weiss Highway out in the West Desert. They also told me The Honeycombs would be hard to miss. They were right about that as well.
As soon as you turn off the Weiss Highway, there's a small 2-track dirt road that leads you to some odd rock formations unlike anything else you'll see in the area. They truly are hard to miss if you're paying attention. These geological formations rise a few hundred feet above the desert floor and are full of little pits and hollows that resemble a kind of honeycomb shape. That's where The Honeycombs must get its name.
You can follow the little dirt road all the way to end. There are a few off-shoots here and there, but nothing that takes you too far off the 2-track dirt road. If you follow it to the end, you'll find a place to park your car under a tree and do some exploring. It didn't look like there were any marked trails at The Honeycombs... you kind of just do your thing and climb as high as you're comfortable. When you look at the rock up close, you'll see how rough and craggy they are. The pits come in all shapes and size, from small enough to fit some pebbles in, to large enough for a small car. Everything echoes here. Kids will love it because they can shout as loud as they want to hear their own voices bouncing off the rock walls. You can also bring your dog to this area, but be careful when it's hot so the rocks don't burn their pads. Also, some of the rocks are sharp, so make sure they're not cutting into your dogs paw pads as well.
The distinctive appearance of the rocks at The Honeycombs comes from a process known as "honeycomb weathering." This type of weathering produces rock riddled with cavities that give the rock a unique texture. It was created by a volcanic blast 4.7 million years ago where magma oozed through limestone. The lava dome has since been eroded to form the hills. This interesting zone is referred to as the beryllium belt.
This area has enticed geologists because of elements such as beryllium, fluorine, uranium, tin, rubidium, thorium, cesium, yttrium, and lithium. The discovery of beryllium in the 1960s brought many companies exploring for uranium.
If you look around enough, you'll start to see where the water flows during storms. I imagine this would be an amazing place to be during a heavy rainstorm, not just for the sound of rushing water, but to see how fast it must move through here.
One spot that had us wondering "what the heck?" was this make-shift outhouse we found. At first, when we saw it, we thought someone must be camping here. But it also looked old, so we approached it cautiously. We found a bunch of wood made into walls, with curtains, and a toilet bench in the middle of it all. There was even a bottle of hand sanitizer, but it was all dried up. It didn't smell when we were there and I couldn't tell you how often this thing might be used or when it was last used. I didn't check :) But I also couldn't tell you a more peaceful spot in nature to do your nature. It was under a tree and as the wind blew through here, you could hear the tree branches rustling. It almost made me wish I ate lots of Taco Bell before visiting this spot so I could write an honest review of its capabilities.
There is a little wooden bridge near where you park that takes you across a section that is a wash. My dog Timber loved this this spot. Especially when I was walking underneath the bridge and she was on top. She watched me go under, then went to the other side to see me reappear, wagging her tail the whole time.
There are several places where campfire rings have been built. Those who recommended the place said a campfire here at night gives an amazing ambiance as the light flickers through the divots and holes of the honeycombs. Be careful if you visit at night because, again, many of the rocks edges are sharp and can cut into you.
To get to The Honeycombs from the populated side of Utah (instead of coming from closer to the Nevada border), take Hwy 6 between Delta and Lynndyl and go west on State Route 174 (Brush Highway) for 41 miles.
About 3½ miles after passing the sign for the Topaz Mountain turnoff, turn left onto a well-graded dirt road (Weiss Highway), which is marked by a sign for Trout Creek, Callao, Gold Hill, and Ibapah. After about 30 miles you will see The Honeycombs, a few hundred feet off to the right (east) of the Weiss Highway. Don't forget to look for that metal pole.
Be sure to have a full tank of gasoline, food and water, a spare tire, and emergency supplies if you plan on visiting. There aren't any services at or near the Honeycombs.
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