The Old Spanish Trail

This pullout sits on the Old Spanish Trail, the Santa Fe to Los Angeles route that crossed here for two decades before the first settler came. What ran it were pack mules, not wagons; the trail threaded canyons and fords no wheel could follow, which is why later Mormon companies with wagons struggled over the same ground. The traffic was not only goods. Traders carried Indigenous people, many of them Paiute children, to be sold in California — the trade the trail is least often remembered for, and should be.

What the plaque says

United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management The Old Spanish Trail Traders, trappers and adventurers carved out the route known as the Old Spanish Trail New Mexican traders on their way to California in the early 1800's left behind many Spanish place names (Continued reverse side) In cooperation with Five County Organization Historical Committee The 49'ers traveled here during the gold rush into California One of the companies, lead by Jefferson Hunt traveled from Salt Lake City arriving here on October 27 1849. Impatient and quarrelsome the company broke up near Enterprise Utah Some followed the Old Spanish Trail to California others drove southwesterly through remote desert regions and gave Death Valley its name John C. Fremot an army topographer and explorer also came this way with a party in 1853-54 seeking a railroad route The party almost perished before Fremont got provisions from Parowan Utah Fremont Canyon to the east bears his name

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Beaver — 10 mi
  A charming main street town with surprisingly good food
• Butch Cassidy Boyhood Home — 19 mi
  The restored Circleville cabin where the West's most famous outlaw spent his teens
• Panguitch — 23 mi
  A well-preserved pioneer town and gateway to Bryce Canyon
• Parowan Gap Petroglyphs — 28 mi
  An ancient rock art gallery hidden in a desert canyon

More markers nearby

• Southern Utah Expedition of 1849 — Winter Trail in Fremont Canyon — steps away
• John Christopher Armstrong — steps away
• Lee's Ranch Indian Raid — 8.8 mi
• Pioneer First Camp Ground — 9.4 mi