The Hole-in-the-Rock Journey/San Juan Mission |
A Colonization Endeavor of Unparalled Challenges |
A Demonstration of Unwavering Commitment and Devotion |
The Hole-in-the-Rock Trail
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 blazed a route across some of the most broken and rugged terrain in North America. 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. Annually, over twenty thousand visitors are gaining a glimsp of life on the San Juan frontier thanks to donations and the efforts of numerous volunteers. Photograph: The Bluff Fort Historic Site, 2009. |
Youth Groups and the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail
Groups who visit a site of historical significance along the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail or walk over ground, hallowed by the sacrifice and struggles of the San Juan pioneers, can have a remarkable experience. Click on this text or the image for additional information.
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 Biographies, Journals and Photographs
Our online collection of biographies, journals, and histories convey the story of early pioneer life and the sacrifices, conviction, and determination of the pioneers who established a community in one of the most remote regions of the West. Photo: Children of Louise & Charles Walton children, Bluff Utah, about 1893. Courtesy of the San Juan County Historic Commission.
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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.
Photo: One of the covered wagons at the Bluff Historic Fort.
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