From Deseret News archives:
Thousands still reliving Mormon Trail trek
And while they are not near modern highways, these parallel grooves in the sand and clay are again attracting tens of thousands of pioneers from around the world who seek to relive the experiences of their ancestors.
But in a twist of history, the new trekkers mostly members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are making their own tracks and endangering parts of the original trail.
Some areas of the trail started "looking more like a road than a historic trail," said Jack Kelly, manager of the Bureau of Land Management office in Lander.
In a mutual desire to protect the trail, the BLM and the LDS Church agreed to curtail the church-sponsored journeys but not do away with them altogether.
This summer's first wave of church trekkers started out in mid-June. Over a 28-mile stretch of the Mormon and Oregon pioneer trails, they walk or pull handcarts modeled after ones Mormon pioneers hauled over the trail from 1846 to 1869.
The original Mormon Trail extended 1,300 miles over five states, beginning in Nauvoo, Ill., and traversing Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming and into Utah. Faced with religious and political violence in Illinois, including the 1844 shooting death of church founder Joseph Smith, some 70,000 Mormons led by Brigham Young migrated West over the trail to settle in the Salt Lake Valley.
The exodus occurred before the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. Some traveled by wagon train. Those who couldn't afford wagons built wooden, two-wheeled handcarts that held food, cooking utensils, extra clothing, a tent and bedding.
In Wyoming, the Mormon Trail enters in the southeast part of the state, heads northwest to Casper and then southwest to Utah. Along the way are such landmarks as the Mormon Ferry, built by the first group of emigrants led by Brigham Young; Independence Rock, on which the names of pioneers are still clearly engraved; Devil's Gate, a unique narrow passage; and Martin's Cove, where more than 100 Mormon pioneers died after being caught in a fierce snowstorm in October 1856.
"It's just an intriguing saga this country has been blessed with," Larsen said.
- D-Will, Price sit out Jazz practice 1:11 p.m.
- Utah Jazz: 2010 NBA All-Star ballot 1:09 p.m.
- Ex-astronaut pleads guilty in attack 1:01 p.m.
- Mo. governor's mansion lockdown 1:01 p.m.
- Clinton to Dems: pass health bill 12:55 p.m.
- Deseret Book moves from Orem mall 12:52 p.m.
- Ed chief wants to redo appointment 12:50 p.m.
- No bail for accused cop shooter 12:48 p.m.
- Flu appointment full in 15 minutes 12:47 p.m.
- Dodd: Gov't can prevent crash 12:46 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Senators want food tax restored
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Soccer MVPs know how to win
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Utes get extra motivation
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Price injured; Miles has cast removed
- Mitchell seeks to block witnesses
- House passes health care bill
242 - TCU showdown has big implications
185 - Lobo suspended
182 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
134 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - Thousands protest health bill
120 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
Brothers and Sisters, Let us not be so quick to judge either party. We...
Senator Bennett is a member of the minority party who at the moment has very...
I think this is standard procedure in lots of cases. Doesn't mean he's...
Timpview had kafausi when the played pg
as soon as he comes back,resign Korver and groom Matthews to be our 2 of the...
To Observer55, it is hard not to lose some of an adoptees heritage when they...
I think BYU's disregard for the post came when BYU brought on it's first JC...
Pulling their key players was the right thing to do. Cougar fans don't hate...
A Imman not “their Imman,” I know its hard to tell the difference...
Dude your reasoning is so sound and logical. Yes, let's cancel all sports at...

