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National Historic Trails
Four National Historic Trails pass through Utah, recognizing routes of travel that are of national historic significance. Utah's trails touch on past routes of exploration, migration and military action. Explore three of these trails with free NPS audio tour. Additional backcountry routes follow routes lost to time, such as the Transcontinental Railroad Backcountry Byway. When traveling in the backcountry, always travel prepared and stay on designated routes.
National Historic Trails in Utah
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
1,300 miles
Experience the final stretch of the route 70,000 Mormons traveled from 1846 to 1869 to escape religious persecution. It's about 75 miles from the Wyoming border to Salt Lake City, but there are dozens of historical sites along the last leg of the famous route. Get a taste of the journey on a 4.5-mile hike in Little Emigration Canyon near East Canyon State Park (Read: A Family Bike Tour of Salt Lake’s East Canyon) from Mormon Flat to Big Mountain then learn more at This Is the Place Heritage Park and The Museum of Church History and Art in Salt Lake City. Learn more
California National Historic Trail
5,600 miles
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s — the greatest mass migration in American history. Learn more
Old Spanish National Historic Trail
2,700 miles
Follow the routes of mule pack trains across the Southwest on the Old Spanish National Historic Trail. Explore areas where the routes passed near Moab and its neighboring national parks (Arches and Canyonlands), through the central part of Utah, the oasis of the Fishlake Cutoff and southwest Utah near Cedar City, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, St. George and Zion National Park. Visitor centers throughout the region may have NPS passport stamps for trail enthusiasts. Learn more
Pony Express National Historic Trail
2,000 miles
Young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. The toughest and most dangerous stretch passed through Utah's West Desert. Today, it makes an unforgettable road trip. See: West Desert Ramble & The Pony Express itinerary
Discover More
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10 Places to Honor Women's History on Your Trip to Utah
Written By Lindy Blanchette
Notable places you can visit where women have shaped history
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12 Family-Friendly Activities Near SLC
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
From roller coasters to ski slopes, discover 12 fun family activities in and around Salt Lake City.
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A Matter of Geological Consent
Written By Darby Doyle
7 minute read
A billion years of geological history surrounds Salt Lake City, where a modern landscape reflects ancient constraints.
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Ancient Pictographs, Petroglyphs and Timeless Mysteries
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
Exploring Horseshoe Canyon isn’t for everyone. First of all, the effort to get there is an adventure in itself, but those efforts make the reward — namely, the chance to see up close some of the most significant pictograph panels in North America — even more noteworthy.
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Art Deco in Motion: Ogden’s Creative Remodel
Written By Maria Milligan
6 minute read
Visitors looking for Art Deco architecture and art often travel to New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. But the Intermountain West has preserved what may be Art Deco’s best-hidden gem: Ogden, Utah.
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Bryce Wildlife Adventure Museum
Explore wildlife near Bryce Canyon at the Bryce Wildlife Adventure Museum.
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Chasing John Wesley Powell: Six Places to Explore Utah's Green and Colorado Rivers
Written By Heather May
5 minute read
One hundred and fifty years ago a one-armed Civil War veteran set off with nine mountain men on a scientific expedition to map one of the last blank spaces left on the U.S. map: The Green and Colorado rivers. Much of the river remains wild today. Follow Powell's journey here.
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Dinosaurland Top 5
Written By Visit Utah
3 minute read
Vernal, Utah, is an adventure base camp to the best of eastern Utah. Uintah County around Vernal — called Dinosaurland — is home to diverse outdoor recreation and natural history at three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument and countless trailheads to the Ashley National Forest.
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Explore a Pioneer Homestead Near Flaming Gorge
In the heart of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, the Swett Ranch is a testament to the self-sufficiency and ingenuity of Utah pioneers, representing the bygone homestead era, and it’s a historic site not to be missed by those interested in pioneer life.
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Explore Antelope Island's Fielding Garr Ranch
Volunteers Beth and Dennis Simonsen show visitors around the historic Fielding Garr Ranch complex on Antelope Island State Park in Northern Utah.
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High Art & Hometown Americana
Written By Kristen Pope
There’s no shortage of fun things to do in Logan, Utah. From theatre to arts and crafts to unique dining, we have your Logan guide. Check it out!
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Historical Sites in Utah
4 minute read
Explore Utah's fascinating past with our guide to historical sites and hidden gems. Uncover pioneer and indigenous stories at these Utah heritage hot spots.
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Hole N'' the Rock
Your road trip in Moab might call for a stopover at the famous Hole N” The Rock.
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In Search of Robbers Roost
Written By Lindy Blanchette
4 minute read
Robbers Roost Utah, one of the infamous hideouts of Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch, is not easy to find even with directions from the locals. Explore Utah.
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Journey Through Utah's History at This Is The Place Heritage Park
Written By Matcha
3 minute read
This Is The Place Heritage Park has a major place in Utah’s history — quite literally.
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Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival
2 minute read
Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival is filled with round-the-clock Western-themed entertainment — think: music, cowboys and history.
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Legacy and Craft
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Three of Glen Thompson’s custom leather horse saddles are fitting examples of craftsmanship and a Utah folk art tradition. See more at the Chase Home Museum.
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Movies Filmed in Utah: Plotting a Cinematic Drive-Through
Written By Andrea David
Follow a Germany-based film enthusiast on an extended road trip to discover the rich history of Utah cinematography.
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Navajo: Fry Bread, Tacos, Pizza
Despite its troubling origins, Navajo fry bread is an inspired food of the nation’s people, and it can be found in many forms with various names around the southwest.
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The Legendary Joe McQueen: Utah's Original Jazz
Written By Visit Utah
6 minute read
Legendary saxophonist Joe McQueen came to the city of Ogden , Utah, in 1945 for a two-week gig and he never left. For decades he was the musical godfather of Ogden's lively 25th Street.
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Time Traveling at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
Many have dreamed of exploring jungles and forests only to discover a land filled with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike.
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Tooele? Tuilla? The Fascinating History of this Utah Town
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
While the town of Tooele has a fascinating story to its name, the best part about one of Utah’s original counties is its history.
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Utah Female Artists Explore the Sublime Through Art
Written By Ashley Mae Hoiland
10 minute read
See how Utah women artists are creatively interpreting a dramatic landscape into art.
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Utah’s Unexpected Pit Stops
Written By Melissa McGibbon
5 minute read
You’re doing it wrong if you think road trip pit stops are boring layovers on your way to more exciting destinations. How many of these hidden gems have you been to? Here are 11 mini-adventures to check off your list next time you’re road-tripping through Utah.
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Why a Visit to the Blanding Dinosaur Museum is a Must
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
The Blanding Dinosaur Museum, off U.S. 191 in Southeastern Utah, is a hidden gem: The artifact collection here includes bones, dinosaur eggs, and even fossilized skin! The museum also has three wonderfully preserved petrified trees and unique movie memorabilia.
3 Days
West Desert Ramble & The Pony Express
This itinerary is a three-day adventure along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in Utah's West Desert. Visit Simpson Springs, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Gold Hill and more.
Adventure, Film Tourism, Ghost Towns, History and Heritage, Solitude, Wildlife
Highlights
- Camp Floyd State Park Museum
- Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge
- Pony Express National Historic Trail
- Historic Wendover Airfield