Oh the buzzin’ of the bees
In the cigarette trees
Near the soda water fountain
At the lemonade springs
Where the bluebird sings
On the big rock candy mountain

You may recognize this chorus from the folk song, “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” attributed to Harry “Haywire Mac” McClintock and made famous in a 1950s recording by Burl Ives.

Shortly after the release of the song in 1928, some local residents, as a joke, placed a sign at the base of a colorful mountain in Utah naming it “Big Rock Candy Mountain.” They also placed a sign next to a nearby spring proclaiming it “Lemon Springs.” These names stuck, and the mythical Big Rock Candy Mountain of the song became perhaps one of the most recognized geologic sites in Utah.

Located a few miles north of Marysvale in Piute County, Big Rock Candy Mountain consists of altered volcanic rock in various shades of yellow, orange, red, and white.