Built by the Denver & Rio Grande in 1917, the Deep Creek Railroad connected with the Western Pacific at Wendover, UT and ran 45 miles South to Gold Hill. The Deepcreek RR was originally financed by Duncan MacVichie, President of Utah Copper Co., C. M. Levey, President of the Western Pacific RR, and US Senator Reed Smoot of Utah. By the end of 1917, the Deep Creek was purchased entirely by the Western Pacific and run as a separate entity until it was dismantled in 1939.

Deep Creek motive power consisted of two locomotives, a 4-6-0, #1 and a 2-8-0-, #2, both former Rio Grande engines. A single 60 foot combination, and one boxcar made up the entire roster. Ore cars, flats, and all other cars used on the Deep Creek were supplied by the Western Pacific.

Originally built to carry copper, tungsten and gold ore, these deposits began to fade in 1920, however, the mines were found to produce another ore badly needed to combat the cotton boll weevil infestation in the southern Untied States, Arsenic! Arsenic was the only effective insecticide available. The ensuing war had made it too dangerous to ship products across the ocean, and the cotton industry needed all it could get. The Deep Creek was then booming with 2 trains running daily between Gold Hill and Wendover. By the end of 1925, the war was over, and the rising cost of refining arsenic ore, plus the distance between Utah and Alabama, forced the cotton people to turn to its former overseas suppliers. The Deep Creek’s arsenic boom was over.

After 1925 train service between Gold Hill and Wendover was reduced to daily, then twice a week, then for the next ten years, it was reduced to once-a-week runs carrying an occasional passenger, some supplies, and whatever else the miners could come up with. The last train to run on the Deep Creek was on July 31, 1939. By mid October, the final rail was pulled and the Deepcreek became a part of Western history.

Today, Gold Hill is but a Ghost Town with just a handful of residents. The grade is still visible and can be accessed for most of its entirety. A short section of the grade runs through a military test installation and is not accessible. Gold Hill can be reached by traveling South from Wendover on SR-93 26 miles to the Ibapah turnoff and another 28 miles or so to Gold Hill. The ruins of the old mercantile building, abandoned RR grade, and several other buildings are well worth the trip. Please remember to respect private property, for the most part, everyone is quite friendly, and some of the residents have a lifestyle that mirrors that of the early 1900’s. But, for your own safety, follow the code of the open range, don’t open any gates, or enter fenced areas without permission, look for posts painted red, or yellow, which in these parts means the same as, “No Trespassing”. (people are easily offended by this, and still carry firearms in this part of the country)

portions of the above text taken from the book "Utah Ghost Rails"