Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in Utah

Green River Launch Complex, a sprawling abandoned military installation and Cold War relic, occupies a vast stretch of barren land in Eastern Utah. From 1964 to 1979, it served as a test facility for Air Force and Army missile programs. Now it languishes beneath the harsh desert sun while scrappers and the elements slowly chip away at its remains.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

After an unplanned detour in Sevier, UT to check out an awesome train graveyard, I got back on the freeway and headed to Green River.

I'd heard there wasn't much left of Green River Launch Complex, except for a few concrete foundations, so my expectations were fairly low. After a long drive down a rough unpaved road, I was surprised and delighted to find that quite a few buildings still remained.

Long metal conduit boxes that resembled conveyor belts meandered across the hillsides, connecting buildings and underground tunnels. It was a strange and beautiful sight.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

The first place I explored was a reinforced concrete blockhouse, a bunker-like structure that once housed the control equipment for Green River's Athena Missile Launch Complex.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

The building was almost entirely stripped and had been heavily ransacked.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

I went outside to take a closer look at the conduit boxes. The pipes and wiring that they once contained had been completely removed by scrappers.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

I followed one of the conduits to a tunnel that cut through one of the hills.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

On the other side, I was greeted by the sight of a tall steel building with a garage-style door that hung halfway open.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

The structure was a Temperature Controlled Environmental Enclosure (TCEE), in which the Athena missiles were assembled and prepared for launch. Each TCEE was situated on rails. Just prior to launch, the structure would be rolled away to expose the missile, which was then raised into firing position.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Between the rails outside sat a concrete cylinder, which had once supported a gantry platform. Its hollow center functioned as a conduit and allowed for venting during test launches.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

There were several smaller structures nearby, but I'm not sure what functions they served.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

This one looked like it could have housed a hobbit or gnome.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

As I was exploring, an SUV drove up. I approached with a smile and a friendly wave, hoping I wasn't about to be kicked off the property. I hadn't seen any no trespassing signs or anything else to indicate that I wasn't supposed to be there, but I was still a little nervous.

A man, his wife and their dog got out of the SUV. I introduced myself and he told me his name was Jim too. He had worked at the base in the '60s and was kind enough to tell me about the various buildings their functions. He comes back to visit the site every few years and finds that fewer structures and equipment remain each time.

He explained that prior to each missile test launch, the equipment had to be balanced at facilities several miles down the road. After balancing, the equipment was driven very carefully and slowly (3-4 miles per hour) to the launch site, making it a very time-consuming process.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT
Gantry components at an Athena missile launch site

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT
Where the Athena Missiles once rested

After Jim and his wife left, I continued exploring and made a note to check out the facilities he had mentioned down the road.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

The box conduits were interrupted by the road at one point, so I took a closer look.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Alongside the road are two cylinders with conical roofs, where the conduits take a brief detour underground. The ladder was very sturdy, so I climbed down.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

The short segment of tunnel ran for several dozen feet before leading back up to the surface.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Unfortunately the short length of subterranean conduit was a death trap for rabbits and other creatures. Bones and mummified corpses of small animals littered the floor. I shuttered to think of the dozens of animals that had ventured down into the tunnel over the years, found that it was too deep to jump or climb out, and then slowly died of starvation.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

I did happen upon one inhabitant that was still alive: a black widow.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Thankfully, I returned to the surface without incident.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex (also known as Utah Launch Complex, Green River Test Site, Green River Test Complex, and Green River Missile Launching Site) was a subinstallation of White Sands Missile Range, which is located in New Mexico. Established in 1962 as a missile launch site for the ABRES (Advanced Ballistic Re-entry System) program, the Green River base remained active until 1979.

From 1964 to 1975, roughly 244 test launches were carried out, including Pershing and Athena RTV missiles. Over 140 Athena RTV missiles were launched from Green River, achieving altitudes of 300 km and speeds of 6700 m/s, and traveling 450 miles to reach their targets in White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

After exploring the Athena Launch Complex, I drove down the dirt road to check out a few more buildings on the base.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

They were in very rough shape and had been thoroughly stripped.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

I stopped to check out the balancing facilities Jim had told me about. There were three of them, spaced a good distance apart.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

They were mostly empty...

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

but hoists still hung from the ceiling.

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

After exploring Green River Launch Complex, I had several hours of daylight left and intended to make good use of it. I continued east to Thompson Springs, a treasure trove of fascinating abandoned places.

Thanks for checking out this article. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it on Facebook. While you're at it, please subscribe to Places That Were and follow me on my social media sites:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/placesthatwere

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JimSullivanPlacesThatWere/posts

EyeEm: https://www.eyeem.com/u/placesthatwere

Instagram: http://instagram.com/theplacesthatwere

Twitter: https://twitter.com/placesthatwere/

Tumblr: http://placesthatwere.tumblr.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jimplicit

500px: https://500px.com/placesthatwere

Thank you!

Green River Launch Complex Abandoned Military Base in UT

Train Graveyard of Big Rock Candy Mountain: A Hobo's Paradise

A train graveyard lies along the bank of the Sevier River at the base of Utah's Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

I have only one complaint about Utah: There is so much breathtaking scenery that it's impossible to drive anywhere without having to pull over every few minutes to admire the view.

My original plan was to head directly from the ruins of Osiris Creamery to the abandoned military base in Green River. Little did I know, I'd be drawn in by fascinating abandoned potato cellars in Antimony, old shuttered businesses in Circleville, and vacant homes in Junction.

As I made my way back toward the freeway, I was hooked by another unusual sight that I couldn't resist pulling over to investigate: a railroad graveyard on the bank of Sevier River.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

A dozen brightly painted train cars sat in an otherwise vacant lot beside the Sevier River while clouds drifted lazily above, casting patches of shade on the mountains. It was so gorgeous, I felt like I had wandered into a Claritin commercial.

There were boxcars,

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

passenger cars,

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

and a caboose,

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

There were no signs to indicate why the train cars were there, but they were too freshly painted to be abandoned. The caboose had a little patio with a lawn chair and curtains in the window, so I kept a respectful distance in case someone was staying there.

The other train cars were open and didn't appear inhabited, so I took a quick look inside.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

They were mostly gutted.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Some were being used for storage.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

A few had instructions stenciled on the walls, which reminded me of the stencils I had seen on the walls of the abandoned Titan Missile Silo launch complex and other military bases I've explored.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

The warning in the below picture made me smile. And so did the spelling error.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

I'd never heard of fusees before I saw this.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Big Rock Candy Mountain was named after a folk song written by Harry McClintock in 1928 (You can listen to here). It describes a hobo's idea of paradise, with free lunches, cigarette trees, a lake of gin, and where people are tender-hearted and the concept of work is shunned.

The song also says "The boxcars all are empty and the sun shines every day," which seemed perfectly appropriate.

In recent years, "Big Rock Candy Mountain" has been remade as a children's song, with the cigarettes and alcohol edited out.

The actual mountain does look a bit like nougat with caramel ribbons running through it.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Candy Mountain is also referenced in a bizarre viral video with a surprisingly dark twist ending (you can watch it here).

The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad's Marysvale Line once passed along the eastern bank of the Sevier River, but was retired in 1976. After floods destroyed the rail line in 1983, the county transformed it into a 14-mile hiking and bike path called Candy Mountain Express.

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

I did a bit of research and found that the train cars were in the midst of being refurbished and turned into a group of lodging units called Caboose Village, part of the larger Candy Mountain Resort.

According to the resort website,
They offer accommodations for 2 up to 10 people in each train car, and all provide air conditioning, bathrooms, flat screen TVs, coffee pots, and microwaves. The California Zephyr is a true showpiece, with sleeping for up to 10 people and a full kitchen.
I sure wouldn't mind spending a vacation there. The area is great for outdoor recreation. Many people come to ride the Paiute ATV trail or go tubing on the Sevier River. And Fishlake National Forest lies just to the south. 

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah

Come back next week for pictures and info about the abandoned missile launch complex in Green River, Utah.

Thanks for checking out this article. If you enjoyed it, please feel free to share it on Facebook. While you're at it, please subscribe to Places That Were and follow me on my social media sites:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/placesthatwere

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JimSullivanPlacesThatWere/posts

EyeEm: https://www.eyeem.com/u/placesthatwere

Instagram: http://instagram.com/theplacesthatwere

Twitter: https://twitter.com/placesthatwere/

Tumblr: http://placesthatwere.tumblr.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jimplicit

Thank you!


Train Graveyard at Big Rock Candy Mountain in Sevier Utah