Yellow Cat Mine - Moab

Yellow Cat Mines
Poison Strip

Moab
Historic Mining Relics

Uranium deposits around the Moab area first attracted miners in the 1890's, but none of the mines paid off until the Atomic Energy Commission increased demand during the Cold War in the 1950's. Soon fortune hunters came in large numbers, and there were many profitable mines located around Yellow Cat Flat and The Poison Strip. The area had a large collection of miners, prospectors and profiteers. There are numerous audits tunneled into the hillsides. These mines were often abandoned as fast as they sprang up leaving workings, ore hoppers, cabins, vehicles and equipment to rot and rust.

The Poison Strip gained its name because of the arsenic in the soil, which killed the sheep that grazed the area.

General Information:
The mining relics can be visited in a few minutes or several hours, depending on how much exploring and searching you want to do. There are many open mines in the area. It is dangerous to enter audits or tunnels, because of the buildup of deadly radon gas.

Navigation for visiting the area is easy. A GPS is useful in locating the ruins. The USGS 7.5' Map titled "Mollie Hogans" and good map reading skills are essential. All waypoints and maps use the WGS84 datum.

Driving Information:
The road is normally suitable for high clearance vehicles and carefully driven passenger cars in dry weather conditions. The area is criss-crossed with roads. Stay on the road described until told to turn off of it.

From Green River, Utah: Travel east for 18 miles to Crescent Junction (where I-70 meets Highway 191).

From Moab, Utah: Travel north on Highway 191 for 30 miles to Crescent Junction (where I-70 meets Highway 191).

From Crescent Junction: Follow I-70 east for 11 miles to Exit 193 (N38° 56' 32", W109° 36' 53"), signed Yellow Cat. Exit I-70 and turn south. Follow the graded Yellow Cat Road southeast for 6.2 miles to a fork (N38° 52' 04", W109° 33' 00"). Take the east (left) fork. Continue following the road for 2.1 miles to the Yellow Cat Mine Ruins (N38° 50' 53", W109° 31' 42"). The ruins are located on the east side of the road.

Area Information:
From the large ore hopper a maze of tracks lead to the south (right) to the remains of the Parco Mines and Little Eva Mines. These are all private property and posted as Lucky Strike, but they do not appear to be actively worked. Visiting these mines allows you to see many old ruins, workings, audits and equipment left abandoned. Holes, audits, shafts and diggings are usually unmarked so caution needs to be exercised when exploring the area.

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