The Pony Express is iconic and a huge part of American history. Movies, Documentaries and TV shows have been made about the brave riders who risked their lives to deliver the mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California.
Nearly 2,000 miles were covered on horseback in only ten days. Each rider travelling between 70 and 125 miles daily (or at night,) changing horses every ten miles or so. The average speed of the pony is seven miles per hour.
working out the details
This business venture began with a freighting outfit, Russell, Majors and Waddell, in 1860, whose dream was to have a mail relay service of riders and horses. Most of the trail was already established by the early pioneers. Part of the Oregon and Pioneer Trails, used by the Overland Stages, were mapped out, but additional Way-stations were needed. Every seven to ten miles, stations and corrals were built, approximately 400 horses were purchased, and 40 riders were employed. The first Express rider was on his way on April 3 1860.
Mail costs were $5/ half an ounce, equating to roughly $84 per letter in today’s money. With the telegraph service established in 1861, the Pony Express could not compete, and the last run was completed on November 21 1861.
Our journey begins
We will be travelling from west to east through Utah. Our overland adventure starts at Deep Creek Station, the last stop for the riders in Utah before they head into Nevada. The original Station is further up a dirt road which is gated off. But the marker is by the side of the road.
Unfortunately, most stations have been demolished, or their exact locations are unknown. It is believed that Deep Creek consisted of a house and barn and was an adobe structure. The telegraph had a repeater station located here in 1861, and the last telegraph was sent in 1869.
As we continue, we pass several abandoned homesteads and ranches.
burnt station (blood canyon)
The second marker of our journey can be seen across the ravine. The original trail veers off the well-graded dirt road we were traversing, so we back-tracked a little and found the track leading to Burnt Station.
According to some websites, this Station had two locations. The first one was built at the mouth of Blood Canyon and named after a bloody Indian attack where five station employees and two soldiers were killed in 1863, and the buildings were burnt to the ground.
The second location, further west of the monument, consisted of a log house with adjoining stables and a dugout where meals were cooked and served.
ROUND STATION
Archaeologists have interpreted this site as a fortified rock structure complete with gunports. They have discovered the foundations of a station house and corral area, which is believed to be one of the Pony Express Stations.
Information boards give some history of this location; please watch for rattlesnakes. We did see a baby one slither across the road into the long grass.
willow creek (six-mile station)
Our next pull-out point is void of a marker. This was known as Willow Creek or Six Mile Station. Apparently, a cabin, springs and connecting roads have been surveyed, in addition to records showing that Pete Joyce built and lived in a log cabin at this site. Historians believe that his cabin was used as a Station House.
Now it is all private property and is inaccessible.
willow springs pony express station
Although the present-day marker is adjacent to the road, the Pony Express Station lies on the grounds of the Bagley Ranch in the small town of Callao.
On pulling up to the marker and reading the inscriptions, Don Anderson, the property owner, approached us. When we explained we were filming a YouTube video of all the Pony Express stops throughout Utah, he gave us permission to record the actual Station on his land. His wife, Beth, is 4th generation Bagley, and her Great Grandfather bought the building and surrounding land in 1889 and lived in the original Station for many years.
Inside The Bagley Ranch
Beth kindly gave us a tour, showing us artefacts and the place’s history, which her Grandfather told her about. She has fond memories of growing up and relayed stories of her childhood and what life had been like “back in the day”.
Leaving us to it, Mrs (Bagley) Anderson gave us full permission to film and explore to our hearts’ content.
This place is fantastic. So many artefacts were discovered when the Bagleys’ purchased the land. Many more have been handed down from generation to generation.
Her Grandfather built an extension to the tiny Station, and imprinted on the concrete foundation is Beth’s Grandmothers footprint and date, 1926.
Inside the old Express Station are remnants of the past. Tools, household utensils, bottles, jars and a host of other memorabilia line the walls and are scattered around.
There are many stories about how Russell, Majors & Waddell recruited their riders. Here is one example of a fake advertisement which first appeared on a magazine cover in 1923.
Taking the Oath
It is documented that all riders did have to make the following pledge, and those who refused were terminated.
I . . . do hereby swear, before the Great and Living God, that during my engagement, and while an employee of Russell, Majors and Waddell, I will, under no circumstances, use profane language, that I will drink no intoxicating liquors, that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm, and that in every respect I will conduct myself honestly, be faithful to my duties, and so direct all my acts as to win the confidence of my employers, so help me God.
Everyone Wanted A Piece
Buffalo Bill Cody claimed to be one of the 80 Express riders employed and is even listed as so, making him only 14 years old at the time!
However, we did speak to a historian who told us that William Cody was never one of the acclaimed riders and only boasted of being so as part of his travelling Wild West Show. One of Bill’s accounts was a 300-mile, 22-hour ride, during which time he encountered hostile Indians and escaped from highwaymen.
This story was found to be for publicity.
BOYD’S STATION
This site wasn’t originally on the 1861 mail contract but was named an Express Station by Howard Egan (the first rider to bring mail to Salt Lake City and the oldest known Pony Express rider). It could have also been known as Butte or Desert Station.
The small stone structure should have had gunports, although we could not see them due to degradation. It was built by George Washington Boyd in 1855, and a relative, “Bid” Boyd, took over as station master and continued to live here into the 1900s.
A well was dug nearby, but it was far too salty to drink, so the water was used for curing meats. Further away, a natural spring was discovered, but it was named Poison Spring due to all the animal bones.
fish springs
The area was named because of the hundreds of tiny fish in the warm springs. It was a prominent stop for the riders and stagecoach alike, being halfway between Rush Valley and Deep Creek.
A new Pony Express route was constructed across the flats, which was also used for the stage and telegraph.
Historians believe that a thatch-roofed shed was on the site in 1859, and the original Station was built at House Spring. Due to all the development, the exact location is unknown.
Later, John Thomas built a ranch near the Station and continued serving travellers for many years. Unfortunately, those buildings were demolished in the 1930s.
Wilson Hot Spring
Back on the dusty trail, we veered off the road near the remains of some old, rusted, tattered, abandoned vehicle. Stepping out to test the road to ensure Tonto would make it to the next destination.
Our first stop was a quick walk over to the disintegrating skeleton of a city bus that the soft unstable ground had been slowly swallowing. In the belly of the barren salt flats with steam rising from boiling waters, a chilled wind blowing and blackened skies quickly racing over the mountain ridges gives this visit an ominous feel. The unique and stunning landscape really engrains these surrounding into your memory.
We then walked over to the only plunge pool that was visible and accessible. Across rickety splintered pallet remains and twisted sinking planks, we reached its edge.
Not daring to venture further as the impending storm would make the soft sludgy ground impossible to retreat from. So we made our way back to Tonto and onto the next stop.
Hot Spring Cave
We noticed an entrance high in a rocky outcrop across the road from the hot spring, which piqued our interest. Parking Tonto, we climbed the steep trail which led us to a cave entrance. Unfortunately, access is denied to protect this historic site.
Reading the information sign, we learned that archaeologists discovered bones and botanical remains and have concluded that it had been inhabited aeons ago by hunter-gatherers.
Around 11,000 years ago, this area was fed by Lake Bonneville, providing a plentiful source for the many animals and birds which inhabited the region.
Due to natural evaporation, Bonneville receded, leaving the salt flats which can be seen today.
black rock station
Black Rock Station was non-contract, so very little is known about it. Apparently, there was a black rock building just north of the volcanic outcrop in 1861. According to some websites, this route was used during bad weather and is also known as Butte or Desert Station.
dugway station
This monument was a little more challenging to get to. It is situated some way from the main thoroughfare, along a dirt road and doubling back. The trail was so soft and sandy that we left Tonto and walked so we wouldn’t get bogged.
In 1860, a shelter was placed over a dugout with an adobe chimney. This was later used as a halfway stop for the stage company.
Once again, there are discrepancies regarding where the original site was located. However, we did find foundations of some sort.
Trekking back to the truck, our next stop was Riverbed Station.
RIVERBED STATION
The Sevier River once flowed through this area. Due to natural evaporation, the only signs of this ancient bed are the banks.
Many structures were found at this site, which was believed to be those of the stagecoach line, plus Riverbed isn’t mentioned in the mail contracts.
Unfortunately, due to flash flooding, nothing remains.
SIMPSON SPRINGS pony express station
Did you know that the first east-bound Pony Express courier stopped here at 5 pm on April 7 1860, and the west-bound courier on April 10 at 2 am? The very last riders stopped in October 1861.
This stop had the most dependable water supply and was named after explorer Captain J H Simpson in 1858. Simpson was seeking a suitable route for the overland mail.
George Chorpenning pioneered the Central Overland route and was the first person to contract with the Postmaster General to provide an overland mail service between Utah and California. The Station he had built here in 1858 was also used by freighting companies, stagecoaches and later, the Pony Express.
The area is still used for livestock, and a reconstruction of a typical 1860s station has been built for visitors.
Many buildings have been built here over the years. You can still see the ruins of a stone cabin which Alvin Anderson built for his wife in 1893. Unfortunately, she passed away in childbirth before she had the opportunity to live in her new home built with stones from the Pony Express station.
GOVERNMENT CREEK STATION
This was the telegraph relay station in 1861 and is believed to be an Express stop (although not listed); the location is the right distance for a change of horses.
POINT LOOKOUT / LOOKOUT PASS STATION
Known as General Johnson’s Pass in the Express days, the old road can still be seen to the left of the monument, heading steeply up the hill.
A small dam was built to catch water from a small natural spring. We believe we found the remnants and the lush grass that leads back towards the source.
The Pony Express was shut down during June and July of 1860 because of the Pah Ute War. Looking west, the area became known as Piute Hell.
Libby’s Dog Cemetery
A small cemetery lies several hundred feet from the monument. This is known as Libby’s Dog Cemetery. Sometime between 1860 and 1890 (dates vary according to different websites), Horace Rockwell and his wife Elizabeth homesteaded here. Some people believe that they operated the Express Station and, after its demise, continued to live in a log cabin built by stage workers, ranching cattle and horses until 1890. At this time, they moved to California.
Void of children, the Rockwells’ dogs were Libby’s babies, and several are buried within the stone graveyard next to two emigrants and a child who had already been laid to rest.
FAUST STATION
Originally established as a stagecoach stop by Chopening in 1858, this became the first home station in Utah, having a large log building. This apparently is on private property if, of course, it is still standing!
CAMP FLOYD / FAIRFIELD STATION
Camp Floyd was built in 1858 by Albert Sidney Johnston and his army of 3,000 Union soldiers. At its boom, there were 7,000 inhabitants, 3,000 of which were soldiers.
The Pony Express Station was located in John Carson’s Inn, also used by stagecoach travellers. It was a happening place, with several hotels and 17 saloons. Unfortunately, most of the town and buildings have been demolished, and new structures have been built.
By mid-summer 1861, the troops had all been called back east to aid with the Civil War. Camp Floyd became abandoned, leaving only the residents.
One of the original hotels still stands and is furnished with period furniture. The adobe building was built in 1858 and continued to operate until 1947.
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, aka Mark Twain, stayed in one of the hotels in town, and the British explorer Sir Richard Burton also stopped by.
DUGOUT / JOE’S DUGOUT STATION
Joseph Dorton operated the Station here, building a grocery store, a two-roomed brick home, a log barn and a small dugout for an Indian boy helper.
Although there was a well, water was hauled from Utah Lake and subsequently sold for 25 cents a bucket.
Little else is known about the location after 1861.
ROCKWELL STATION
There are many discrepancies about the location of this Station. Named after Orrin Porter Rockwell, a member of the Mormon protection group – a Danite.
Rockwell was friends with Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, and at one point was his bodyguard. Later he became a lawman with a reputation for “swift and final justice!”
TRAVELLER’S REST / TRADER’S Rest
The original adobe Station wasn’t used for long. Later it was covered with wood siding and a false front and used as a business. Most recently, it was a garage, but unfortunately, it has been razored.
Travellers Rest is now a busy intersection.
HEADING INTO SALT LAKE
The main Pony Express trail went through today’s Main Street and is unrecognisable.
Salt Lake City Station is no more, and even the monument has been moved. It is believed to have been one of the better Home Stations for the riders, with food, lodging and a large livestock area at the rear. The building is said to have had two stories and a veranda which was also open to travellers on the stage route. Mark Twain and his brother frequented the Station on their overland trip in 1861.
We could not drive along Main Street, which was closed to traffic, so we missed some of the locations.
MOUNTAIN DALE
Apparently, no one knows if Mountain Dale was one of the sites, and there is an entry fee to see the marker, so we skipped this site and continued to Wheaton Springs Station.
WHEATON SPRINGS STATION
Also known as Carson House Station, a one-roomed, square log cabin was moved from its first location. On an 1881 survey plat, a building and corral are shown, but the true location is unknown.
According to some websites, East Canyon and Dixie Hollow (believed to be Brimville Emergency Site and used in bad weather) are now under the reservoir.
WEBER STATION
Pulpit Rock, or Hanging Rock as it also went by, was destroyed when the highway went through. The landscape has totally changed with all the developments, and it is unknown what the Station looked like or its exact location.
This was a small village with two grocery stores and a blacksmith. Today there are still several establishments, so we parked Tonto and strolled up “Main Street”. Nothing was open, but there is a monument and information plaque with pictures.
HALFWAY STATION
We pulled over to a wooded area, but with the building of the railway in 1868, all remnants have been erased.
But there is a “Fun Fact” about this area. Apparently, rustlers would steal the Express ponies and sell them back to the company. To put an end to this, the ponies were branded with XP. It worked!
(HEAD OF) ECHO CANYON
Once known as Castle Rock and Frenchie’s, this is now Private Property and a total junkyard!
The story goes that the log cabin Station located some way up the canyon was sold to a French trapper who moved it to the current location of the Castle Rock grocery store.
Cache Cave, a popular camping spot on the Emigrant Trail, reveals the pioneers who traverse the route. Carving their inscriptions high in the rocks so their livestock couldn’t wear them out. Unfortunately, this too is on Private Property, and we were unable to access it.
NEEDLE ROCK STATION
This is our last stop on the Pony Express Trail through Utah.
The route through this area was also used by the Donner-Reed party in 1846, the Mormon Pioneers in 1847, General Johnstons Army in 1858 and the Transcontinental Telegraph in 1861. Regarding the Pony Express, nothing is known apart from being named by Sir Richard Burton in his journals.
It is possible that the foundations found just inside the Wyoming border could have been the site. These are now on Private Property.
OUR TAKEAWAY ON THE PONY EXPRESS TRAIL – UTAH
Even though most of the actual trail is long gone or inaccessible to a vehicle, we had so much fun retracing the Pony Express as best we could. The barren landscapes, vast distances and weather we encountered en- route added to the experience. It also gave us more insight into what the riders would have to endure on their journey. Racing on horseback through harsh weather must have been quite exhausting, to say the least.
This was a fun and unique adventure that we both really enjoyed. The scenery, the history, the weather and the legendary Pony Express made for a highly memorable experience.
We have two videos of our adventure across Utah’s Pony Express Trail.
IN A NUTSHELL
- Well graded, unpaved road (check weather conditions)
- Some areas have no cell service
- No amenities
- Boondocking is allowed on BLM land
- Pack it in, Pack it out
- An established campground at Simpson Springs with water and toilets
- Make sure you fill up your tank with petrol and have plenty of food and water
Now Get Out There, Go and Explore, and Put Another Pin In The Atlas
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Road Trip Essentials Check List
Water: This is probably the most critical item to place in any vehicle. Make sure you have plenty at all times.
Water Purifier: In the instance, you have gone through all your water, you may need to collect some to purify.
Snacks: Bring your favs.
Camera: You’re going to see some incredible things document it all with a camera.
Coolbox or Mini Fridge: Keeping your cold items cold, allows you to open up the menu when you are away for extended periods of time.
Jumper Cables: For those nights you dance in the headlight beams for a little too long.
Automotive Toolkit: With some necessary tools to help you out in any situation.
Spare Tire: Having a spare with a fully inflated tire is a must if you go offroad.
Tire Pump: Maybe your spare tire wasn’t as fully inflated as you initially thought, or perhaps you let the air out of your tires for better traction.
Hire Car: If you’ve planned your road trip in a rental car, check to see if that company still covers you if you go off-roading.
Folding Shovel: You never know when roads may require you to do some digging. Or if your way out in the wilderness and there are no bathrooms.
Extra Clothes: This should be a no brainer, but also bring clothes for any situation. Weather can change quickly.
Bedding: This depends on where you plan to catch some zzz’s. If it’s in a tent, have a sleeping bag. If it’s in your vehicle, adjust accordingly to how much space you have and how warm or cold it is.
Safety: This topic will mean different things for different people. We have a few items we carry in case we run into some unsavoury character or vicious wild animal and its a life or death situation.
First Aid Kit: Scrapes and cuts can happen in your own home so you should have a kit ready for going outside.
Sense of Adventure: Apart from water and being sensible, I think this is one of the essential aspects. Have an open mind, enjoy seeing the unknown, expand your world and have a damn good time doing it!
Camping Stove: Especially if it is cold out, there is nothing better than a nice hot, hearty meal to warm you up.
Propane Bottles: Make sure you bring enough propane, so you’re always ready for an improvised cup of tea or meal.
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