# Echo, Utah

Echo is a census-designated place located in northwestern Summit County, Utah, United States. The population was 56 at the 2010 census.
Echo was founded in 1854. The community took its name from nearby Echo Canyon.

## History

Echo originated as a stopover along the Mormon Trail. Later the town served as a junction between the First transcontinental railroad and a spur line to serve silver mines near Park City. Since the creation of U.S. Highways Echo has served as a highway junction, where the main road coming from Wyoming splits with one branch proceeding towards Salt Lake City, continuing towards San Francisco, California, and the other towards Ogden, continuing to Portland, Oregon. Originally the main highway was numbered U.S. Route 30S and the branch was U.S. Route 530; the modern freeway equivalents are numbered Interstate 80 and Interstate 84.
Echo was significant to the Union Pacific Railroad. The town served as a coaling and watering station for trains entering Echo Canyon. From Echo, helper locomotives were added, when needed, to push trains up the steep grade to Wahsatch. A large coaling tower and many other railroad infrastructures existed in and around the town. Echo saw the most action during World War II.
The introduction of diesel power, especially after the war, negated the need for the services previously required by steam. The coaling tower, most trackage, and structures were removed.
Echo had faded by the 1960s, yet was still alive by the junction of two major highways. However, the arrival of the interstate relegated the town to a few quaint buildings; some homes, a motel, tavern, restaurant and bus station. Nearby, Echo Canyon is a magnificent spectacle with its high rock sides and colorful scenery. The canyon begins just east of Echo and ends outside of Wahsatch, Utah.

## Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 56 people living in the CDP. There were 31 housing units. The ethnic makeup of the town was 96.4% White and 3.6% American Native and Alaska Native. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.6% of the population.

## Education

It is in the North Summit School District.

## Climate

Echo has a continental climate (Köppen Dfb) characterized by cold, snowy winters and hot summers with high diurnal temperature variation.
Climate data for Echo Dam, Utah, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1940–present :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 59 (15) | 67 (19) | 76 (24) | 85 (29) | 91 (33) | 101 (38) | 100 (38) | 100 (38) | 99 (37) | 86 (30) | 75 (24) | 65 (18) | 101 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 48.5 (9.2) | 53.8 (12.1) | 66.0 (18.9) | 74.4 (23.6) | 82.3 (27.9) | 90.7 (32.6) | 95.4 (35.2) | 93.9 (34.4) | 88.3 (31.3) | 78.9 (26.1) | 65.0 (18.3) | 50.9 (10.5) | 96.0 (35.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35.1 (1.7) | 40.6 (4.8) | 51.9 (11.1) | 59.4 (15.2) | 69.1 (20.6) | 80.3 (26.8) | 88.9 (31.6) | 87.2 (30.7) | 78.3 (25.7) | 64.5 (18.1) | 48.4 (9.1) | 35.6 (2.0) | 61.6 (16.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 23.7 (−4.6) | 28.3 (−2.1) | 38.3 (3.5) | 45.1 (7.3) | 53.5 (11.9) | 62.0 (16.7) | 69.9 (21.1) | 68.3 (20.2) | 59.5 (15.3) | 47.7 (8.7) | 35.3 (1.8) | 24.9 (−3.9) | 46.4 (8.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 12.2 (−11.0) | 16.0 (−8.9) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 37.8 (3.2) | 43.8 (6.6) | 50.8 (10.4) | 49.4 (9.7) | 40.8 (4.9) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 22.3 (−5.4) | 14.2 (−9.9) | 31.1 (−0.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −10.1 (−23.4) | −7.0 (−21.7) | 7.2 (−13.8) | 17.2 (−8.2) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 32.0 (0.0) | 40.8 (4.9) | 38.6 (3.7) | 27.5 (−2.5) | 16.4 (−8.7) | 2.9 (−16.2) | −7.1 (−21.7) | −14.3 (−25.7) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −34 (−37) | −34 (−37) | −25 (−32) | 2 (−17) | 16 (−9) | 22 (−6) | 30 (−1) | 23 (−5) | 14 (−10) | −7 (−22) | −21 (−29) | −32 (−36) | −34 (−37) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.22 (31) | 0.94 (24) | 1.19 (30) | 1.47 (37) | 1.93 (49) | 1.18 (30) | 0.71 (18) | 0.83 (21) | 1.22 (31) | 1.43 (36) | 1.32 (34) | 1.29 (33) | 14.73 (374) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 17.3 (44) | 12.0 (30) | 8.2 (21) | 4.9 (12) | 0.7 (1.8) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 2.0 (5.1) | 10.3 (26) | 16.4 (42) | 72.3 (184) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.8 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 9.6 | 9.9 | 6.1 | 4.4 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 8.4 | 9.9 | 95.4 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.3 | 6.1 | 3.5 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 7.0 | 32.0 |
| Source: NOAA ||||||||||||||

## In popular culture

Echo became the geographical setting for a horror Visual Novel named after the town which first began development in 2015 and was fully released in 2021, with its relative success leading to a prequel which began development in 2019 and a sequel which was released in 2024, all of which were based within Echo. Though an unusual claim to fame, this has brought some attention to the town from those who played the game.