Last Mountain Pass - Mormon Pioneer Trail Markers

Mormon Pioneer Trail

The last mountain pass on the Mormon Pioneer Trail, near the end of a dreary thousand-mile trek from the Missouri River to the Great Salt Lake Valley, can be seen northwest from this point Thankfully called, by the first company of Pioneers, "Last Mountain." It was later known as Little Mountain. From Big Mountain, 10 miles northeast, the weary travelers caught their first glimpse of the valley. They crossed the Little Mountain pass and descended into Emigration Canyon, from which they entered their Promised Land on July 24, 1847 under the leadership of Brigham Young. About 2,000 other settlers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley the same year.

In all, more than 80,000 Mormon emigrants followed this old trail before the coming of the railroad in 1869. Of these, approximately 6,000 lie buried along the way in unmarked graves.

The first road down Parley's Canyon was opened in 1850 by Parley P. Pratt, but after a short time fell into disuse. About 15 years later it was reopened as the main eastern gateway to the Salt Lake Valley.

Last Mountain Pass - Parleys Canyon - SLC Utah

• I Walked to Zion
  Young Pioneers on the Mormon Trail



• Historical reading
  The Old Spanish Trail


• The Dominguez-Escalante Expeditions Journals
  Through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico in 1776



• Hiking Historic Trails in Utah
  Utah's Favorite Hiking Trails


• Driving in Utah
  Scenic Driving in Utah



---