Metal Detecting Abandoned Highways: Utah Highway 6 Trip Report

On a recent trip through southern Utah I decided to check out an abandoned section of Highway 6 between Green River and Price. The route had been used by railroads and as a major thoroughfare starting in the late 1800's and in 1916 a bridge was put in across the Price river near Woodside, which greatly improved and increased it's use by all types of traffic.

It became an official part of Highway 6 in 1936. The sections I went to were abandoned in the late 60's or early 70's.  There are several dirt roads which leave the current highway and intersect the abandoned sections.  The old road is now basically a one lane road with grass and shrubs growing up through it. The shoulders have slumped off and in some sections dessert arroyos have washed the road away.

I knew there would be a good chance of hitting a lot of trash while detecting, but I also knew that whatever I found would not be too modern.

I was running my Minelab 705 X-Terra detector on all metal with the full range of sounds to help ID target sizes and types.  I've seen enough trash to know what to ignore and what to dig in these settings. 

The majority of my finds were car parts and a few cans. I knew I was seeing older stuff though because the beer cans were not pull tabs, but tops that had to be punctured with an opener...like an oil can.


On my next trip out there I will focus on some areas that were old train stops and also a few old bridge crossings. Even if I don't make any great finds, I love the setting and peaceful feeling.

Category: Abandoned Highway, Metal Detecting Trip Report, Old West Metal Detecting, Silver Coin Metal Detecting, Silver Coins