Arrowhead (Trails) Highway

Arrowhead [Trails] Highway The Arrowhead Highway-was the first “scenic highway” through southern Utah. The concept of such a route was proposed in 1914 by businessmen in Las Vegas, to encourage automobile tourism between Los Angeles, CA and Salt Lake City, UT, through southern Nevada. Their proposed route followed the route of a late 19th century wagon road, the “Old Mormon Road” and the earlier “Old Spanish Trail”. Touring clubs and local communities in southern California, Nevada, and Utah published maps and promoted tourist travel on “the Arrowhead Trail”. As few segments of the route were constructed roads, mechanical breakdowns, flat tires, and overheated engines in remote areas challenged even the most adventurous travelers. In 1918, the first stretches of road in southern Utah were improved by Washington County prison work crews and laborers from St. George and Santa Clara, working with horse teams and “Fresno scrapers”. The route of the Arrowhead Highway through Beaver Dam Wash NCA closely followed the alignment of the later paved U.S. Highway 91. Artifacts and structures associated with early service stations that supplied water, gasoline, tire repairs and overnight tent camping areas to travelers on the Arrowhead Highway have been documented in the NCA.