The Hole-in-the-Rock Expedition/San Juan Mission |
A Colonization Endeavor of Unparalled Challenges |
A Demonstration of Unwavering Commitment and Devotion |
In 1879-80, Mormon pioneers built a wagon road between established communities in southwestern Utah and the Four Corners area. They were fulfilling an assignment from their church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to establish a settlement in the area. Their journey turned into an ordeal of unparalleled difficulty as they spent six months blazing a route across some of the most broken and rugged terrain in North America, including a path through the Hole-in-the-Rock (a crevice in the Colorado River gorge). Photograph: 1963 reenactment of a covered wagon coming up Cottonwood Hill with the Hole-in-the-Rock crevice in the background. Courtesy of the Utah State Board of Education.
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The Bluff Fort
Upon their arrival in the San Juan area in April 1880, they established a small community called Bluff. Their first dwellings were one-room log cabins. The cabins were arranged to form a large square. Security was achieved by everyone living in close proximity. In 1997, volunteers launched an effort to preserve and restore the original fort site. Photograph: The Bluff Fort restored log meetinghouse at night.
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Visitors Gain Insight into Pioneer Challenges
The Hole-in-the-Rock Trail and the Bluff Fort Historic Site give visitors a glimpse into early pioneer life and provide a unique opportunity to see firsthand the sacrifices, conviction and determination of the Mormon pioneers who blazed a wagon road and established a community in one of the most remote regions of the West.
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 The Foundation
The Hole-in-the-Rock Foundation was organized to facilitate the ongoing development of the Bluff Fort Historic Site and interpretive projects throughout the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail. Photograph: One of the covered wagons at the Bluff Fort.
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