WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)

THE TEMPLE TRAIL

Miscellaneous

Histories

The old pioneer Temple Trail was used to move lumber 80 miles from Mt. Trumbull to St. George for use in the
construction of the St. George Temple.

ROUTE

There were two alternate routes making up the Temple Trail:

The main trail dropped down over the Hurricane Cliffs about 8 miles south of the Utah/Arizona border and
continued up to the Ft. Pearce Wash on into St. George. The trip took about 7 days.

The alternate route went to Antelope Springs where lumber could be stored until snow closed the sawmills.
From there, the trail went down over the Hurricane Cliffs just south of the Utah/Arizona border and joined
what would later become the Honeymoon Trail. It followed the Ft. Pearce Wash into St. George.

HISTORY

Forty-five volunteers from local communities constructed the roadways during April and May of 1874.

There were two sawmills at Nixon Springs on the south face of Mt. Trumbull. They only worked during the
warmer months, but produced over a million board feet of lumber.

From 1874 through 1876, lumber was hauled by ox team to St. George for use in construction of the
St. George L.D.S. Temple.

PHOTOS

WCHS photos:
WCHS-02359 Plaque telling about the Sawmill Sites at the origin of the Temple Trail at Mt. Trumbull
WCHS-02360 Site of the first sawmill on Mt. Trumbull where the Temple Trail originated
WCHS-02361 A GC-PNM plaque: "From a Forest Cathedral to a Desert Temple"
WCHS-02362 A BLM marker on the site of the old Mt. Trumbull sawmill
WCHS-02363 A BLM marker and a segment of the original Temple Trail
WCHS-02364 A segment of the original Temple Trail
WCHS-02365 A BLM Temple Trail interpretive sign
WCHS-03512 Photo of a big Temple Trail interpretive sign
WCHS-03513 Photo of the Temple Trail heading southsoutheast from the Navajo Trail
WCHS-03514 Photo of the Temple Trail heading northnorthwest from the Navajo Trail
WCHS-03515 Photo of David Rogers' pickup truck on the Temple Trail along side a trail marker monument
WCHS-03516 Photo of an unidentified cabin and corral on the east side of the Temple Trail
WCHS-03517 Photo of Paul & Bonnie Weaver's ATV on the Temple Trail where it crosses Fort Pearce Wash
WCHS-03518 Photo of a Jeep crossing the Fort Pearce Wash where it intersects with the Temple Trail
WCHS-03519 Photo of a Jeep crossing the Fort Pearce Wash where it intersects with the Temple Trail
WCHS-03520 Photo of three vehicles having just crossed the Fort Pearce Wash on the Temple Trail
WCHS-03521 Photo of participants in a Temple Trail field trip
WCHS-03522 Photo of Thad Stewart and Ken Peterson getting lunch on a Temple Trail field trip
WCHS-03523 Photo of the Temple Trail Tank and associated corrals
WCHS-03524 Photo of a big Temple Trail interpretive sign
WCHS-03525 Photo of the Temple Trail starting down off Hurricane Cliffs through a dugway cut through rock
WCHS-03526 Photo of the Temple Trail starting down off Hurricane Cliffs through a dugway cut through rock
WCHS-03527 Photo of the Temple Trail starting down off Hurricane Cliffs through a dugway cut through rock
WCHS-03528 Photo of the Temple Trail starting down off Hurricane Cliffs through a dugway cut through rock
WCHS-03529 Photo of the Temple Trail coming down off of the Hurricane Cliffs

REFERENCES

Temple Trail Brochure
from the Sons of Utah Pioneers, Dixie Arizona Strip Interpretive Association, and Washington County
For a little higher resolution versions, see
The front side in JPG format or PDF format
The back side in JPG format or PDF format

Markers and Monuments Database: Pioneer Honeymoon, Temple Trails"
Utah Division of State History, Utah Department of Heritage & Arts