Fremont Park

The town and the river carry the name of a man who nearly died crossing this country in winter. In 1853 and 1854, John C. Frémont led his fifth and final expedition through here searching for a railroad route, a party of twenty-two that included the daguerreotypist Solomon Carvalho, who made photographs standing waist-deep in snow. Bitter cold, failing animals, and starvation dogged them from the Green River until they staggered into Parowan in February 1854. Powell named the Fremont River for the explorer in 1869. The park keeps his name where he once struggled through.

What the plaque says

In 1853, Lt. Colonel John C. Fremont mapped a new trail and made daily astronomical observations from Green River to Parowan, Utah. In his party of 22 were: S.N. Carvalho, artist and daguerreotypist, Mr. Von Egloffstein, topographer with assistants Mr. Strobel & Oliver Fuller. Fighting bitter cold, deep snow, lack of food & death of animals, they came to a river, named Fremont by Maj. Powell in 1869, then continued up the valley and over a mountain pass to Parowan, Feb. 1854.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Fishlake National Forest — 8.4 mi
  Home to Pando — the largest living organism on Earth
• Torrey — 15 mi
  A charming gateway town for Capitol Reef National Park
• Gifford Homestead — 23 mi
  A pioneer homestead famous for its fresh-baked pies
• Fruita Historic District — 24 mi
  A pioneer orchard oasis in the red-rock heart of Capitol Reef.

More markers nearby

• The First Sawmill — steps away
• First Public Building — steps away
• Allred Point Pioneers — 1.8 mi
• Peace Treaty with Fish Lake Indians — 8.3 mi