Forget the “Stairway to Heaven.” There’s a spot about 45 minutes west of Evanston, Wyoming, in Utah’s Wasatch Range that could take your imagination straight to Hades.
It’s Devil’s Slide, a striking limestone formation near Morgan City off Interstate 84 just west of its junction with I-80. Its distinctive dual rails of sharp-looking rock jut 40 feet into the air and plunge down the mountainside side-by-side about 25 feet apart.
It’s a unique and bizarre-looking formation that has captured the imagination of travelers for more than 100 years, including people coming to and from Wyoming along I-80.
With its towering parallel slabs and mysterious name, this geologic wonder blends myth, faith and natural beauty into a story as rugged as the landscape itself.
“It’s a snapshot of Earth’s history,” said Mark Milligan, a geologist for the Utah Geological Survey. “To see something like Devil’s Slide, you have to understand that multiple chapters of geological history created it.”
Geology Written in Stone
Devil’s Slide is composed of two massive limestone slabs with a softer, shaly layer sandwiched between.
The harder layers resisted erosion while the softer rock weathered away, carving the "slide" seen today, Milligan said.
“This all started about 170 million years ago, when this area was submerged under a shallow sea,” he said.
The sea deposited layers of marine mud, which later solidified into limestone. About 75 million years ago during a mountain-building event called the Sevier Orogeny, the rock layers were tilted upright, exposing them to the elements.
“The softer limestone in the middle eroded faster than the outer layers, creating this striking chute,” said Bill Keach, Utah state geologist and director of the Utah Geological Survey. “It’s a classic example of differential weathering.”
The result is a geological formation that looks deceptively like a colossal slide made for the devil himself carved into the mountainside.
Though Devil’s Slide now remains static to the naked eye, it continues to change from weathering and erosion.
“Geology is always in motion, even if we don’t see it,” Milligan said. “In 10 million years, Devil’s Slide might not look the same, but we won’t notice the changes it’s making within our lifetime.”
A Name ‘Fit for the Devil’
Devil’s Slide owes its ominous name to early settlers.
According to local lore, a railroad worker named James John Walker coined the term in 1868, reportedly remarking that the formation looked like a slide “fit for the Devil.”
For early Utah settlers, places like Devil’s Slide were named with more than just geography in mind. They spoke to the settlers' spiritual and physical struggles, symbolizing the harshness of the land they were trying to tame.
In a 2002 Deseret News story, Linda Smith, then-historian for Morgan County, highlighted the pioneers’ tendency to use religious imagery when naming geographic features.
“Utah has 61 sites named after the Devil. It tells you something about how hard life was here — these landscapes weren’t just beautiful; they were daunting,” she said.
Devil's Slide is a unique limestone rock formation just off I-84 in Utah about 45 minutes west of Evanston, Wyoming. (Photo by Jimmy Emerson via Flickr) 
Devil's Slide is a unique limestone rock formation just off I-84 in Utah about 45 minutes west of Evanston, Wyoming. (Photo by Jimmy Emerson via Flickr)
A Slide Through Time
Devil’s Slide has captured imaginations since the days of the railroad. In the late 19th century, it became a landmark for travelers riding the transcontinental line.
“When the railroad was completed, Devil’s Slide was among the attractions passengers marveled at,” Keach said.
Over time, the site gained a reputation as a natural wonder. It has been photographed, painted and written about, drawing tourists curious about its unique geology.
Despite its fame, the area remains largely untouched. Fenced off and marked with “no trespassing” signs, Devil’s Slide is best appreciated from designated scenic pullouts along the interstate.
How to Visit
For those wanting to see Devil’s Slide, it’s an easy stop.
From Evanston, Wyoming, drive west until you hit its intersection with I-84 and get onto westbound I-84. You can view the slide from a scenic turnout near milepost 110. Parking is available on both sides of the highway, offering unobstructed views of the site.
It takes about 45 minutes from Evanston.
While you can’t hike directly to the slide, you can get close enough to marvel at its size and symmetry.
“It’s one of those places where you can just pull over and appreciate nature’s artistry,” Milligan said.
