Things to do / Travel Guide
With everything from dinosaur tracks and Native American rock art to Mormon historic sites, visitors to southern Utah have plenty to explore and grab their attention.
Historic Sites in Spring City
Spring City, Utah has so many historically-significant sites that the whole town is listed on the National Registrar of Historic Places. Expect to be transported to 19th-century Mormon pioneer town as you visit the Old Spring City School, restored 1860 stone house, and the Orson Hyde Home. The town is said to be in the heart of what is known as "Little Denmark," a nod to the influence of Scandinavian pioneers sent by Brigham Young to settle the area.
Fruita, Capital Reef National Park
The orchards planted by Mormon settlers in this area of present-day Capital Reef National Park were so successful that the tiny town was named after them - Fruita. Today, visitors can tour the one-room schoolhouse (built in 1896), historic buildings, the orchards, and the visitor's center to get a taste of Mormon pioneer history … and some scrumptious fruits. The Gifford farmhouse, also in Capital Reef National Park, is a culture center dedicated to the 1880s Mormon settlement that once flourished here. Tours of the farmhouse are also available.
Hole-In-The-Rock Road, near Escalante
Hole-In-The-Rock road, near Escalante, is an outstanding example of one of the epic journeys undertaken in the settlement of the southern Utah region. On their way to settle the lands near the San Juan River at the call of Mormon Church leaders, Mormon pioneers ran into several geological challenges. In trying to take a shortcut to their destination, they encountered terrain nearly impossible to pass. Determined, they blasted through rugged rock region to open a path just large enough for their wagons to pass through. The project took six weeks, and only after six months of travel did the pioneers reach their destination, settling in present-day Bluff along the San Juan River. Travelers can visit the site for a taste of the will and determination of these pioneers, but should note that four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles are recommended. Or, visitors can rather opt for a boat tour to the area leaving from Wahweap Marina on Lake Powell.
Parowan Gap Petroglyphs, near Cedar City
The small town of Parowan, about 18 miles northeast of Cedar City, is actually the oldest community in Utah. Native Americans painted designs on the rocks at a pass about 10.5 miles northwest of the town, providing a glimpse into the lives of these early tribes. Geometric designs, snakes, lizards, mountain sheep, human figures, and bear claws can all be deciphered, making for an interesting artistic and historic attraction.
Historic Sites in St. George
Another important historic Mormon site in the area is the Brigham Young Winter Home. Mormon Church president Brigham Young built the house when health problems called for a warmer climate to call home. Today, the preserved house is restored and includes much of its original furnishings and artifacts. The house is open for daily tours and is located on 89 West Street in St. George.
St. George Live Historic Tours let you travel through time as live actors in periodic costume recount the history and events of this southwest region. Based at the Pioneer Center for the Arts in St. George, these tours really help the history of the region come alive.
Near Pine Valley in the St. George vicinity, Mountain Meadows is the site of one of the pioneer-era's most infamous massacres, a rather dark chapter in Mormon history. The area was a common stop for pioneers on their way west. For unclear reasons, in 1857, a skirmish broke out between a California-bound wagon train full of pioneers passing through and Mormon settlers and local native American tribes, resulting in the deaths of about 120 people. Today, the church marks the site of the tragedy with a simple monument, one mile west from State Road 18.
St. George is also home to Utah's first Mormon temple, built after the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in 1877. The St. George Temple, as it is known, is built of plastered sandstone and is surrounded by excellently-groomed temple grounds. The temple itself is not open to the general public, but all are welcome to enjoy its visitor center and free to wander the beautiful temple grounds.
Historic Sites near St. George
Another famous Mormon figure is Jacob Hamblin (1819-1886), who was an early convert to Mormonism and a pioneer that settled in the surrounding St. George area. He is known for acting as a liaison between the native tribes and white settlers in the region. His house, the Jacob Hamblin Home, located in Santa Clara, has been restored and filled with interesting pioneer artifacts and is open for daily tours all year round.
A group of dinosaur trackways was discovered at Hurricane, near St. George, documenting the travels of at least two different species from more than 200 million years ago. The Dinosaur Trackways are well-preserved, and may have been made by a 20-foot herbivore weighing up to 10 tons and a carnivore half the size.
Old Fort Pearce honors Captain John Pearce, who led Mormon troops during the Black Hawk War with Ute Indians from 1865 to 1869. Much of the fort has survived.
Kanab Heritage House
For a glimpse of pioneer-era life in the heart of Utah's Dixie, visitors should head to the restored Victorian-style house known as the Kanab Heritage House. This 1895 Queen-Anne-Style Victorian house demonstrates the prosperous lifestyle of Kanab's early Mormon residents. A guide will show you around the house and explain all is architectural details, giving you an idea of what life was like in early Kanab through photos, furnishings, and artifacts. Since there were no stores in town when the house was built, the complex has its own vegetable and fruit trees and gardens - usually free for the picking to visitors.
Pipe Spring National Monument, the Arizona Strip
From Native Americans and Mormon pioneers to the plants and wild animals that currently dominate the region, Pipe Spring has been a life-giving water source in a sparse climate. Today, Pipe Spring National Monument preserves the historic fort known as Windsor Castle and other structures built by Mormon pioneers near the year-round spring in the southern Great Basin Desert of the Arizona Strip. The monument itself was established in 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge in order to commemorate the settlement and exploration of the southwest. A visitor center and museum provide information on the history of the site as well as opportunities for guided or self-guided tours of the historic buildings, Windsor Castle, orchards, gardens and trails to help familiarize visitors with the site. Living history demonstrations and events also spice things up.
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