The Hole-in-the-Rock Trail / San Juan Mission

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 and nurture peaceful relations with the Utes and the Navajos. 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).

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 to each other. In 1997, volunteers launched an effort to preserve and restore the original fort site.

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 on the San Juan frontier and provides them with a unique opportunity to see first hand 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. The Bluff Fort Historic Site is open year round for free, self-guided tours.

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.