Where to see the pioneer and frontier history of Utah’s Canyon Country: the Bluff Fort Historic Site, Monticello’s Pioneer Park and Frontier Museum, Goulding’s Museum in Monument Valley, Nations of the Four Corners in Blanding, and the Hole in the Rock Trail that the San Juan Mission pioneers carved on their way to Bluff.
Pioneer history sites at a glance
| Site | Town | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluff Fort Historic Site | Bluff | 550 E Black Locust Ave, Bluff, UT 84512 | 435-672-9995 |
| Monticello Pioneer Park | Monticello | W 100 Block of S Main St, Monticello, UT 84535 | |
| Monticello Frontier Museum | Monticello | 232 S Main St, Monticello, UT 84535 | 435-587-2271 |
| Goulding’s Museum | Monument Valley | 1000 Goulding’s Trading Post Rd, Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536 | 866-313-9769 |
| Nations of the Four Corners | Blanding | 461 W 500 S, Blanding, UT 84511 | 435-678-4000 |
| Hole in the Rock Trail | Glen Canyon |
Bluff Fort Historic Site
550 E Black Locust Ave, Bluff, UT 84512, 435-672-9995
Bluff Fort Historic Site commemorates the original pioneer town founded by Mormon missionaries at the end of their expedition to settle the San Juan area in 1880. Featuring recreations of the town, complete with a meeting house and cabins decked with some original furnishings provided by local families, Bluff Fort offers an interactive historical experience. Visitors can tour inside reconstructed log cabins and Native American dwellings, sit on covered wagons and more as they learn about the lives of these remarkable pioneers. Significant attractions at Bluff Fort Historic Site include an authentic replica of the Bluff Meetinghouse, the social epicenter of the community used as a church, school, Co-op Store, courthouse and dance hall, and the Barton Cabin, the oldest existing pioneer structure in San Juan County. Another recent addition is the giant water wheel in the center of the grounds, where visitors can try their hand at gold panning!
Monticello Pioneer Park
W 100 Block of S Main St, Monticello, UT 84535
Enjoy a relaxing stroll in Pioneer Park, a park containing replicas of historic Monticello buildings. Monticello holds an annual Pioneer Day celebration each year in honor of the pioneers who settled the town.
Monticello Frontier Museum
232 S Main St, Monticello, UT 84535, 435-587-2271
The Frontier Museum is housed in a century-old barn once used as storage for the L. H. Redd Mercantile. The barn was moved from its original site and renovated to house the museum by the Monticello Foundation. The original post and beam construction is visible inside. Frontier life as it was lived on the edge of the Great Sage Plain over 100 years ago is on display. A visit to the museum is a passage through time via the day-to-day items used by our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. Exhibits include vintage clothing and household items. Items from famed Canyonlands tour guide Kent Frost, who brought the region to the world’s attention, are on display. Early telephones, relics from ancient native people, and remains from the Home of Truth are on display. Cowboys, Native Americans, outlaws, farmers and shopkeepers are represented.
Goulding’s Museum
1000 Goulding’s Trading Post Rd, Oljato-Monument Valley, UT 84536, 866-313-9769, gouldings.com
Housed in the original 1920s trading post, the museum examines the history of Monument Valley and its people. Sections of the museum include the “Trading Post Bull Pen”, the “Ware Room”, the “Josef Muench Room”, the “Movie Room” and the “Living Quarters”. Step back in time as life in the 1920s comes to life!
Nations of the Four Corners
461 W 500 S, Blanding, UT 84511, 435-678-4000
Discover the unique history and heritage of the Four Corners region. The mesas and canyons were home to Ancestral Puebloan people, the Ute, Paiute, and Navajo, as well as the Pioneers in the area. Learn about the rich heritage of historic cultures by walking the trails, visiting the villages, and exploring the historic site.
Hole in the Rock Trail
The 55-mile-long Hole-in-the-Rock Road marks the only point at which early pioneers could descend to the Colorado River below with their wagons and animals. Hole in the Rock is a narrow and steep crevice in the western rim of Glen Canyon. Together with another canyon on the eastern side of the Colorado River, it provided a route for Mormon pioneers through what would otherwise be a large area of impassable terrain. Pioneers worked through the winter to widen the original crack, making a gap that allowed them to pass through to Bluff.
#RecreateResponsibly in Utah’s Canyon Country
Utah’s Canyon Country is home to many wonderful destinations and experiences. From wide-open spaces to historic neighborhoods, please remember to #RecreateResponsibly. When you visit, follow Leave No Trace and Visit With Respect principles so everyone can have the opportunity for years to come to visit these amazing sights.
- Plan ahead and prepare for your adventures
- Stay on designated trails
- Leave artifacts where you spot them
- Do not enter any archaeological structures
- Do not eat near sites and pack out what you pack in
- Properly dispose of human and pet waste
- Leave historic sites and rock art untouched
- Respect and be aware of wildlife
- Keep dogs on leashes at all times
Questions about planning your trip? Call 800-574-4386.