Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs is convenient to I-80 and I-29. Brigham Young and the advance group of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arrived in Council Bluffs on June 13, 1846. They camped at Mosquito Creek Hill, later called Redemption or Taylor Hill which today is adjacent to I-29 at East 29th Avenue and Harry Langdon Boulevard. To see the early Mormon Pioneer Trail historic sites in the area, go to this website.  

The sites of the 1846 Grand Encampment of Mormon Pioneers and the Mormon Battalion Mustering Grounds are today on the grounds of the Iowa School for the Deaf, east of I-29 at the intersection of US 92 and Harry Langdon Boulevard. Two historical markers and a walking path at the area are located on the scenic grounds where visitors can still imagine the enlistment and mustering of Battalion volunteers on July 16, 1846 for one year. They marched for Fort Leavenworth on July 21st. 

The reconstructed Kanesville Tabernacle and visitor center is a few hundred yards from the actual location of the reorganization of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1847. The Tabernacle is not open for public tours, but a visitor center has exhibits and a film on the Mormon Battalion’s journey and its achievements. Go to this website. 

Omaha is across the Missouri River, accessible by either I-480 or I-80. The Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters is in north Omaha at 3215 State Street. The Center features interactive exhibits, artwork, reconstructed settings, artifacts and a film on the Mormon Trail pioneers, the Mormon Battalion, and the historic Winter Quarters of 1846-48. Go to this website. 

Leavenworth

The Battalion arrived at Fort Leavenworth on August 1, 1846. The post was established in 1827 and today is the oldest continually operating U.S. Army post west of the Mississippi River. The Frontier Army Museum at Fort Leavenworth features exhibits and displays of one of the best collections of 19th century military weapons and equipment. The Fort Leavenworth Wayside audio driving tour leads visitors to over 20 different historic, commemorative and scenic sites within the fort’s grounds including the inspiring Buffalo Soldier Monument memorializing the African American troops on the frontier. The Fort’s National Cemetery is one of the first 14 national cemeteries established by President Abraham Lincoln. The Leavenworth Landing Park Walking Trail in the downtown area features sculptures along the city’s scenic waterfront.  Kids of all ages will enjoy the C.W. Parker Carousel Museum and Gift Shop. Leavenworth’s colorful history comes alive at the 1880s Victorian Carroll Mansion, First City Museum, and the Richard Allen Cultural Center and Museum. A variety of comfortable lodging is available. Go to this website. 

Bent’s Fort and La Junta

Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site, CO – CO 194. The original Bent’s Fort was built in 1833-34 as a trading post where traders, trappers, travelers, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes came together in peaceful terms for trade. The trading post became a military base in July 1846 during the War with Mexico by Brigadier General Stephan Kearny whose Army of the West preceded the Mormon Battalion to Santa Fe. It is assumed that the Higgins Group laid over at the fort from September 28 to 30, 1846. Today, the fort has been reconstructed by the National Park Service and is filled with period furnishings for visitors to get a feel for life at a frontier fort. Go to this website.    

La Junta – US 50 and CO 109.  The name La Junta means “the junction” in Spanish, and the original town was located at the junction of the Santa Fe Trail’s Mountain Branch and the Trappers’ Trail up to Colorado’s gold camps. The Koshare Museum features a Kiva replica  with the largest self-supporting log roof in the world. Performances by the Koshare Dancers are showcased in the Kiva. The Koshare Museum houses a world-class collection of Native American art and artifacts. La Junta’s rich and varied history is on display at the Otero Museum. For outdoor enthusiasts, Comanche National Grassland features more than 400,000 acres of grass prairies, rugged canyons, over 300 species of wildlife, and prehistoric sea-beds with dinosaur tracks. Nearby Vogel Canyon is a great place for a short hike, a quiet picnic or a great spot to view the fall tarantula migration. Picketwire Canyon offers more of a strenuous hike with trails leading to Native American rock art, the ruins of an old Spanish mission, the remains of a 19th century ranch and the largest dinosaur tracksite in North America. Go to this website.   

Santa Fe

Santa Fe, NM – I-25.  Santa Fe was established as the capital for the Spanish “Kingdom of New Mexico” in 1610. U.S. Brigadier General Stephan Kearny, commander of the Army of the West, raised the American flag over the Plaza during the War with Mexico on August 18, 1846. The Mormon Battalion arrived October 9, 1846, and encamped on the northwest side of town, possibly near the Rosario chapel. Today the city is a mecca for art, culture, unique shopping  and delicious New Mexican cuisine. Santa Fe Plaza features historic buildings including the Palace of Governors, the oldest continually occupied public building in the United States, as  well as cultural gems like the New Mexico History Museum, the New Mexico Museum of Art, the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and great shopping, dining and local Native artisans within easy walking distance. Discovery Walking Tours of Santa Fe provides guides who can share insights on Santa Fe’s colorful history, cuisine and art. The Museum Hill area features the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, the International Folk-Art Museum, the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian and the Museum of Spanish Colonial Art. The Railyard and Guadalupe Districts feature contemporary art galleries and great restaurants in the setting of a 19th century railroad depot. Go to this website. 

San Diego

San Diego – I-8 and I-5. The Mormon Battalion Historic Site at San Diego is adjacent to Old Town State Historic Park, south of Presidio Park and the I-8/I-5 interchange. Visitors may take a guided interactive video tour that highlights the faith, service and sacrifice of the Mormon Battalion volunteers during their 2,100-mile march from Council Bluffs, IA to San Diego, CA. Visitors can see historic artifacts, get a photo of themselves and their group in pioneer attire, and enjoy demonstrations of gold panning and brickmaking. Old Town San Diego State Park also includes other historical buildings and museums, restaurants, shops and galleries. Go to this website. 

Ogden, Brigham City and Golden Spike

Ogden – North of Salt Lake City on I-15/84. Fort Buenaventura Park features the reconstructed fort and trading post built by mountain man Miles Goodyear in 1845. The park features a visitor center with artifact exhibits and a campground. Go to this website. 

Brigham City – Off I-15/84. Mormon Pioneer Trail pioneer attractions include the Brigham City Museum-Gallery and the 1855 pioneer cabin near Box Elder Tabernacle and the Box Elder Museum. Go to this website​.  

Golden Spike National Historic Park – 32 miles west of I-15 at Exit 365 at UT 13 to UT 83. Follow the signs to SR 83 to the Golden Spike National Historic Park. This is the site of Promontory Summit where the “Golden Spike” was pounded in to complete the Nation’s first transcontinental railroad. Today the grounds include a visitor center, two operating steam engines and a walking trail. Go to this website​.  

This Is The Place Heritage Park

This Is The Place Heritage Park – Immediately east of Salt Lake City on I-80 at the Foothill Drive Exit. The park includes the inspiring Duty Triumphs statue and monument dedicated to the Mormon Battalion. At This Is The Place Heritage Park, visitors can step back in time and experience the Old West and early pioneer life in Utah. This unique historical park is fun for everyone! Visitors can pan for gold, ride ponies, ride one of four trains for a tour around the park, make take-home crafts, interact with frontier shopkeepers, a blacksmith, tinsmith, and saddle maker and and see the Pioneer Children’s Memorial dedicated in 2021. Visitors can also see an early Native American Village featuring authentic Navajo Hagans, America’s largest teepee and Native American presentations of traditions, storytelling and much more before stopping at the best little Gift Shop west of the Mississippi. The park is also home to the National Pony Express Monument and Mormon Battalion Monument and Museum. This Is The Place Heritage Park is open from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday – Saturday.  Visit the Gift Shop and Pioneer Center on Sunday. Go to this website.