Soldier Summit, Utah | |
|---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| County | Wasatch |
| Founded | 1919 |
| Incorporated | 1921 |
| Disincorporated | 1984 |
| Founded by | H.C. Mears |
| Time zone | Mountain (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | MDT |
| Soldier Summit | |
|---|---|
 One of several rows of foundations left at Soldier Summit | |
| Elevation | 7,477 ft (2,279 m) |
| Traversed by |  US 6Central Corridor |
| Location | Wasatch County, Utah United States |
| Range | Wasatch Mountains |
| Coordinates | 39°55′43″N 111°04′59″W / 39.92861°N 111.08306°W |
  Soldier Summit Location in Utah | |
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 270 | — | |
| 1930 | 319 | 18.1% | |
| 1940 | 97 | −69.6% | |
| 1950 | 93 | −4.1% | |
| 1960 | 33 | −64.5% | |
| 1970 | 13 | −60.6% | |
| 1980 | 12 | −7.7% |
Soldier Summit is the name of both a mountain pass in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, United States and an unincorporated community that is a near-ghost town located at the pass. Soldier Summit has been an important transportation route between the Wasatch Front and Price, Utah, since the area was settled by the Mormon pioneers. It is on the route of both U.S. Route 6 and the old main line of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW), now the Provo Subdivision of the Central Corridor. Located where the road makes a brief bend through the extreme southwest corner of Wasatch County, Soldier Summit historically had more to do with nearby Utah County.
At one time both the state highway department and the railroad had operations at the summit, but with the exception of a gas station that is sometimes open, the town site is now abandoned. Today it is a popular rest stop and photo spot for railfans. Many railfans also take pictures of the Gilluly loops, a series of horseshoe curves on the western approach to the summit. The California Zephyr Amtrak passenger train uses this route.