Entering Utah from Colorado and heading to Moab, we decided to take the scenic route. This involved exiting Interstate 70 and going along a very badly distorted “paved” road through Cisco to Highway 128. However, as we reached out turnoff, a storm was brewing over the desert and, as on entering Cisco it became very black, with sheets of rain falling in the distance.
Cisco is now a ghost town. Originally it serviced steam engines. Later cattle and sheep farming were introduced. However, with the construction of the Interstate and the loss of the train service function once diesel became dominant, little remained to support the town. Recently, however, oil wells have been drilled in the area.
All that remains of the town are some buildings in various stages of collapse. These include remnants of a few old timber buildings (log cabins) in advanced stages of collapse and a general store that is barely holding together but with the rather odd painted graffiti tag “KILLA” above the entrance. Perhaps this is a reference to the consequences of automobile accidents whose byproducts, auto wrecks, have take over the properties adjacent to the old buildings, deserted there with little likelihood of ever being recovered.
The wrecked cars are mostly of recent origin with paper tags seemingly related to accident investigations taped to the windows, although a vintage yellow convertible sits there as well. Other junk including old rusted oil tanks is strewn around the town,
One last intriguing building is the remains of what was likely once a garage/service station. On its front is a large mural of the Fisher Towers area closer to Moab along Highway 128. In front is a sign labeled “Cisco Landing”. Since there is no obvious water in the area it seems somewhat incongruous until you look at a map and realize that one of the dirt roads leading south from Cisco leads to the Colorado River. There, a rafting business exists. Hence the name.
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