Old Mormon Wagon Trail (East)

Trail Overview

This is a portion of the old Mormon wagon trail that was first mapped in 1847. The early pioneers were seeking a route to modern southern California to provide a means of gathering needed goods and supplies. The history of this trail is provided by the BLM website. This is a portion of the trail that connects Beaver Dam Wash to the published Joshua Tree Road which is also a part of this trail. That road actually takes you to St. George, Utah, which was one of the earliest settlements in this area. This entire area is full of history and hardship as those who came here were unaware of the severity of the environment yet they toiled to develop the land.

Photos of Old Mormon Wagon Trail (East)

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Difficulty

This is a relatively easy trail. The western end of the trail starts in the Beaver Dam Wash and then transitions to the Welcome Creek Wash. Both of these washes are relatively easy to navigate by most offroad four-wheel drive vehicles or motorcycles. There is one word of caution that is true of all washes. Washes are created by significant amounts of water flowing rapidly down the wash. Thunderstorms and long-duration rain events significant distances away can put water into these washes even though the local area appears to be clear. Be mindful of surrounding weather anytime you are operating in a wash.

History

In October of 1847, Jefferson Hunt, who had served in the Mormon Battalion in California, led a group of 18 men, 130 pack mules, and a single wagon to southern California to buy cattle, seed grain, and other needed goods. The party arrived in San Bernardino after 45 days of travel, having reportedly brought the first wagon over the Old Spanish Trail. The success of this expedition encouraged others to follow, including large numbers of prospectors and merchants "rushing" to the newly-discovered gold deposits at Sutter's Mill in northern California during the winter months when the passes of the high Sierras would be impassable. Over time, the wagon road that developed was labeled on maps as the "Old Southern Road", the "Immigrant Road", or the "Old Mormon Road". By the first decade of the 20th century, early automobiles were traveling this same route and paved highways eventually replaced the wagon ruts. Taken from BLM Website.

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