Ogden River Scenic Byway
Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT

The Forest name, Wasatch-Cache, pays tribute to two important groups whose survival and livelihood depended on the resources of the two forests. Wasatch is a Ute Indian word meaning high mountain pass. Cache is a reminder of the early fur trappers who were the first white men to visit the region. Cache Valley was the site where the trappers dug caves to cache (store) their furs so that they would be preserved until they could be traded.

The Forest holds important clues to the natural history of the area. Some of the oldest exposed rocks in Utah (approximately 2 billion years old) are contained in the Farmington Canyon Complex, which can be seen best in outcrops near the mouth of Farmington Canyon. The Jardine Juniper in the Logan Ranger District is 1500 years old and is reputed to be the oldest living tree in the Rocky Mountains. Evidence of ancient oceans, volcanoes, and glaciers can be found throughout the Forest. The shoreline of ancient Lake Bonneville can be traced in the terraces along the foothills.

Long before Europeans arrived, prehistoric Fremont, Shoshoni, and Ute Indians lived in the valleys, following the big game of the surrounding mountains and harvesting the fish in the lakes and streams. Early mountain men, trappers, and explorers began to arrive in the 1820s. Trappers such as Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, and Jedediah Smith were lured to the area by the promise of abundant wildlife. Peter Skene Ogden and John Weber were two other explorers whose names are remembered in today's landmarks and cities. Their explorations were critical in providing information used by the pioneer settlers who followed.