Junior Rasmussen
The Honeymoon Trail was a route taken by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877 to 1927. The trail was used by couples to reach the St. George Temple in Utah, where they would be united in marriage. The trail had several points of origin, including Arizona and New Mexico, and passed through Kanab, Utah, before reaching St. George. Kanab, therefore, was a part of the Honeymoon Trail.
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What You'll Learn
The Honeymoon Trail's origin and destination
The Honeymoon Trail was a route that had a number of points of origin but only one destination. The trail was used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877 to 1927. The route got its name from the fact that it was used by newlyweds to travel to St. George, Utah, to have their marriage vows solemnized in the newly completed St. George Temple. Couples would travel in small groups for safety and companionship, making this long-distance trek across the varied and rugged terrain of northeastern Arizona and southwestern Utah.
The trail had several points of origin in Arizona and New Mexico, with one source citing Snowflake, Arizona, as the starting point of the trail. From there, the trail would enter Kanab, Utah, and then proceed to Pipe Spring, the Rock Canyon Dugway, down Hurricane Cliffs, through Fort Pearce, and then on to St. George. Another source mentions that the trail would then go from St. George to Little Creek Mesa in Apple Valley, Utah.
The Old Arizona Road, which linked the Little Colorado settlements in Arizona to northern Utah, served as the original Honeymoon Trail. This road went through Kanab, Utah, and Lee's Ferry, Arizona, before extending southwest to St. George, Utah, through Pipe Springs and the Arizona Strip. Settlers first began traveling this route in the 1860s, and the road was established in the early 1870s. The road became a major communication and transportation artery, serving religious and economic functions.
The St. George LDS Temple opened in 1877, and many faithful members of the church traveled the Old Arizona Road to the temple to be married or participate in other religious rites. The religious use of the road declined with the arrival of railroads in northern Arizona and ceased in 1928 with the construction of the Temple in Mesa, Arizona.
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The trail's route through Kanab, Utah
The Honeymoon Trail was a route taken by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877 to 1927. The trail had multiple points of origin but one destination: the St. George Utah Temple, where travellers would unite in eternal marriage. The trail passed through Kanab, Utah, and its route through this region is described in several sources.
The trail entered Kanab from Arizona, specifically from Snowflake, Arizona, according to one source. Another source states that the trail entered Kanab from Lee's Ferry, Arizona, where families from Arizona and New Mexico would cross. The trail then proceeded to Pipe Spring, the Rock Canyon Dugway, down Hurricane Cliffs, and through Fort Pearce before reaching St. George.
The trail's route through Kanab is described in more detail in one source, which mentions that Highway 89 in Utah follows the trail from Pioneer Gap into Kanab. The source also mentions that dirt roads in some segments follow or parallel the route.
The Honeymoon Trail was also known as the Old Arizona Road, which linked the Little Colorado settlements in Arizona to northern Utah through Kanab and Lee's Ferry. This road became a major communication and transportation artery, serving religious and economic functions.
Today, the trail has been mostly reclaimed by the environment, but some remnants and markers remain. One source mentions a trail marker on the west side of Highway 389, and another mentions a historical marker for the Honeymoon Trail located near Kanab.
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The trail's historical marker
The Honeymoon Trail Historical Marker is located near Kanab, Utah, in Kane County. The marker can be reached from U.S. Highway 89 at milepost 49, and it is 15.2 miles east of Kanab. The trail had a number of points of origin but only one destination.
From 1877 to 1927, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints travelled this route to be united in eternal marriage in the St. George Utah Temple. Thus, the route was named the "Honeymoon Trail". Families came from Arizona and parts of New Mexico, crossing at Lee's Ferry. From here, the trail enters Kanab, Utah, and proceeds to Pipe Spring, the Rock Canyon Dugway, down Hurricane Cliffs, through Fort Pearce, and then on to St. George.
Located a quarter of a mile west of this marker is Navajo Wells, a natural spring that supplied water to travellers, their horses, and oxen. The trail was a primitive wagon road and the primary travel route between the Mormon settlements in northeastern Arizona and southern Utah. In the late 1870s, Mormon colonists were sent by church leaders to pioneer new settlements along Arizona's Little Colorado River. As the new settlements were remote and isolated, many goods and services could only be obtained from the established Mormon communities of southern Utah.
The Honeymoon Trail was also used to haul timber from Mt. Trumbull, Arizona, to St. George, Utah, for the construction of the St. George LDS Temple, which opened in 1877. Pioneers travelled 80 miles along the rough, dirt road, hauling one million board feet of timber by horse-drawn wagon. The temple trail is still an obscure wagon road that has faded with time, but the depressions formed by the wagon wheels are still visible in some places.
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The trail's decline in use
The Honeymoon Trail was a route taken by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877 to 1927. The trail's name derived from its use by newlyweds and couples on their way to get married in the St. George Temple in Utah. The trail began in Arizona and New Mexico, crossing at Lee's Ferry, and entered Kanab, Utah, before proceeding to Pipe Spring, the Rock Canyon Dugway, and down Hurricane Cliffs.
The trail's use began to decline with the arrival of railroads in northern Arizona and completely ceased in 1928 with the construction of the Temple in Mesa, Arizona. The environment has since reclaimed many parts of the trail, although some sections can still be travelled using modern vehicles.
The decline in the use of the Honeymoon Trail can be attributed to several factors:
- The introduction of railroads: With the arrival of railroads in northern Arizona, there was a decrease in religious use of the trail. The railroads provided a faster, more convenient, and comfortable mode of transportation for individuals travelling to St. George, Utah.
- The completion of the Temple in Mesa, Arizona: In 1928, the construction of the Temple in Mesa, Arizona, marked the end of the trail's religious use. Couples no longer needed to travel to St. George, Utah, for their marriage vows as they could now get married at the new Temple closer to home.
- Changes in settlement patterns: Over time, the remote and isolated settlements along the Little Colorado River in Arizona became more established and self-sufficient. The need to travel to southern Utah for goods and services decreased, reducing the frequency of trips along the Honeymoon Trail.
- Advancements in transportation: As transportation technology advanced, alternative routes and modes of transportation became available. Individuals could now travel by train or vehicle on improved roads, bypassing the primitive wagon road of the Honeymoon Trail.
- Decline in religious significance: With changes in religious practices and the centralization of religious activities, the need for long-distance travel to specific temples or locations may have decreased. The construction of new temples or the establishment of different religious traditions could have reduced the significance of the St. George Temple as a destination for marriage vows.
- Shifting cultural practices: Cultural and social changes may have influenced marriage practices and the importance of long-distance travel for weddings. Over time, couples may have preferred more convenient, local wedding options, reducing the appeal of undertaking a lengthy and challenging journey to a distant temple.
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The trail's modern-day accessibility
The Honeymoon Trail, which was in use from 1877 to 1927, connected Arizona and parts of New Mexico to St. George, Utah, through Kanab, Utah. The trail was named as such because it was used by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who travelled this route to be united in marriage in the St. George Temple.
Today, U.S. Highways 89 and 89A follow the original route of the Honeymoon Trail near House Rock Valley, Arizona, and into Kanab, Utah. In other segments, dirt roads follow or parallel the route. The trail can be accessed from U.S. 89 at milepost 49, 15.2 miles east of Kanab, by taking a gravel road just past milepost 49 for 0.4 miles south to the monument.
The trail is still traversable using modern vehicles, as demonstrated by a group who drove up the trail in 2014. However, the environment has reclaimed the tracks for many miles west of the spring, and the trail has faded with the passage of time. The depressions formed by wagon wheels are still visible in some places.
The trail features a variety of landscapes, including majestic views, rocks, ruts, deep dry washes, slick rock, deep sandy soils, muddy stream crossings, and cliffs. Along the trail, travellers can visit sites such as Navajo Wells, a natural spring that supplied water to travellers and their animals; Pipe Spring; Rock Canyon Dugway; Hurricane Cliffs; Fort Pearce; and St. George.
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Frequently asked questions
The Honeymoon Trail was a route taken by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1877 to 1927.
The Honeymoon Trail had multiple points of origin, including Arizona and parts of New Mexico, but its destination was the St. George Utah Temple.
The route was named the Honeymoon Trail because many newlyweds traveled the wagon road to have their marriage vows solemnized in the newly-completed St. George Temple.
Yes, the Honeymoon Trail went through Kanab, Utah.
At Kanab, travelers on the Honeymoon Trail would proceed to Pipe Spring, the Rock Canyon Dugway, down Hurricane Cliffs, through Fort Pearce, and then on to St. George.
