Martin's Cove goes under new restrictions

"We don't do proselytizing here. Our service tour guides will continue to do what they did last year. If people approach them and ask questions, they will answer them. But missionaries are not to approach people on the public access trail on BLM or church property," he said.

Plaintiffs had complained visitors not interested in the LDS perspective on historical events there were confused about how to access the trail into the cove — which lies on both LDS Church and BLM land — without entering the LDS visitor's center. Holliday said there has long been a public access trail to the cove, but appropriate signage has since been put in place to facilitate easy public access.

The lawsuit was independent of new BLM restrictions on the number of trekkers allowed on public land in the area.

Holliday said the LDS guides at the visitor center do tell the story of what happened at Martin's Cove. The stories also are told at several camp sites for thousands of Latter-day Saints who visit the area, recalling the ill-fated Willie and Martin handcart companies, who were stranded in the area by early winter snows in October 1856. Scores of the handcart pioneers — most of them recent LDS converts, many from Europe — died of exposure before rescue parties from Salt Lake City arrived.

The saga has become a focal point for what LDS volunteers say are "life-changing" experiences for young people who visit the area to pull handcarts and are inspired by stories of the pioneers' faith, heroism and devotion to God. "The impact that these young people experience on these treks is just phenomenal. They grow up in the cities, then spend three days stepping back in time. It has a miraculous effect in their lives," Holliday said.

Some visitors aren't interested in such stories, "and we don't compel anyone to listen to it," he said. "They just want to walk the trail and not be talked to by anybody. Of course we respect that." Even inside the visitors center "we're very careful. We don't want to say things that would be offensive to people not of our faith."

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