Cedar City Rock Church

Considered to be the crown jewel of Cedar City’s Historic Downtown. This ornate building was built in the early 1930’s from donated labor and local materials.   Free tours are available mid June -mid Aug. on scheduled days. Tour schedule is usually posted on the building or call Kimbell Weaver at (435) 590-6758.

Old Irontown

Old Iron Town, located about 25 miles west of Cedar City, tells the incredible story of southern Utah’s historic mining industry.  During the 1850’s, Mormon pioneer leader Brigham Young sent several families to the Cedar City area to establish an iron works.  During the 1870’s, Iron City (Old Iron Town) was established as Iron County’s second attempt at mining iron.  The establishment had a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, a foundry and charcoal kiln.  While Iron City seemed prosperous at the time, it only operated for seven years, closing due to the lack of sufficient transportation for the iron ore and the money panic of 1874.

While visiting the park, one can tour the ruins of the iron works and a preserved beehive shaped charcoal oven and stroll along the nature trail.  Before embarking on your journey to Old Iron Town, visitors are strongly encouraged to first stop by the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum in Cedar City to obtain a better understanding of the area and to pick up a self guided tour brochure.

Hiking
There are two easy hikes through the Old Iron Town ruins. Also, several hiking trails can be found in the nearby Pine Valley section of Dixie National Forest.  A list of Pine Valley hikes can be found at  www.fs.fed.us/r4/dixie

Old Iron Town Ruins
A short ¼ mile trail with interpretive plaques describing the significance of the ruins including the kiln, furnace and foundry area and the Erastra (grinding stone).

Nature Trail
A short ¼ mile trail that includes information about the area’s vegetation and leads to the remnants of a pioneer cabin.

Fishing
Newcastle Reservoir is just 10 miles west of Old Iron Town along Hwy 56 (follow the signs). The lake is stocked with trout and bass. There is also unimproved camping areas and a boat ramp.

Mountain Meadow Historic Site
An interesting side trip for history buffs. Mountain Meadows is a memorial site for a massacre that occurred on September 11, 1857 between The Fancher Party Wagon Train and local settlers.  To get there, head west on Hwy 56 to Hwy 18 and proceed south on Hwy 18 for about 10 miles to the site.

Getting There
From Cedar City head west on Hwy U-56 for approximately 20 miles. Turn south onto Old Iron Town Rd. Travel this gravel road for approximately five miles to the ruins located on the left hand side.
Distance From Cedar City
25 miles

Entrance Fees
Free. Open all year, daylight hours only.

Season/ Operation Hours
Old Iron Town is open year-round but use caution getting there in the winter months. Old Irontown is only open to the public during daylight hours.  No staff are on the premises.

Camping
Old Iron Town has restrooms and a small, covered picnic area. There are no campgrounds however, primitive camping is available at Newcastle Reservoir further west and developed campgrounds are available in Cedar City.

More Info

Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
635 N. Main
Cedar City, UT 84720
435-586-9290
www.frontierhomestead.org

Children's Forest and Leeds Kiln

Difficulty: Easy
Length: 0.4 miles / 0.6 km
Duration: 1 hour or less
Family Friendly • Dog Friendly

Overview: This is a forest. A pygmy forest. It is also a children's forest. Descriptive signs were written and drawn by children for children.

This wonderful historical educational trail is a great activity for families. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy an afternoon of exploration, education and history.

Tips: No Restrooms
No Potable Water supply
A picnic table and park benches exist along the trail.

Although designed for children be mindful that this area is wild habitat and as such can contain wildlife. Rattlesnakes live in this type of terrain so keep children close.

Leeds Creek can contain fast moving water at times.

Parking and Trailhead
Traveling south on I15 take exit 23 (Leeds, UT) and turn right onto Silver Reef Road.

Traveling north on I15 take exit 22 (Leeds, UT) and travel north through town (Main Street) to Silver Reef Road (I15 entrance for northbound travel).

Follow Silver Reef Road through the several subdivisions. Silver Reef Road turns to the south. Stay on the main road headed west which becomes Oak Grove Rd. After passing a final subdivision, the road drops into a creek bed, and turns to gravel. A Dixie National Forest Sign is seen and a few hundred yards further is an information board.

Continue to the "Y" turn right and follow the signs for Oak Grove Campground. Shortly after the road crosses over Leeds Creek, look for a parking area on your right hand side.


Just a few miles up a dirt road near Leeds lies a small forest treasure built especially for children — although grown-ups will find it a real treat, as well.

The Children's Forest near Leeds features a charming stroll through nature and a historic kiln, Leeds, Utah, Sept. 7, 2015 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
The Children’s Forest near Leeds features a charming stroll through nature and a historic kiln, Leeds, Utah, Sept. 7, 2015 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
The Children’s Forest at the Kiln offers a charming experience for all.

An easy half-mile trail winds through terrain featuring a variety of plants, shrubs and trees, including Gambel oak, juniper, sagebrush, manzanita, cactus, live oak, cottonwood trees and many others.

Interpretive signs created by children dot the landscape.

The welcoming white gravel trail leads through trees, shrubs and flowers, eventually ending up at the Leeds Creek and the historic Leeds Creek Kiln.

Leeds Creek Kiln

The kiln is built of sandstone blocks and mud mortar. The beehive-shaped oven measures 20 feet in diameter at its base and stands 25 feet high.

The Roman arch entryway was sealed with a metal door, and the upper entry on the opposite side was used to fill the kiln with wood. Small openings around the base of the kiln were used to regulate air circulation to the fire.

According to the Washington County Historical Society, local legend has it that the Leeds Creek Kiln was designed and built around 1885 by Italian stone masons and silver miners. The Roman arch-style entryway and the kiln’s location west of Italian Wash give credence to the legend.

The Children's Forest near Leeds features a charming stroll through nature and a historic kiln, Leeds, Utah, Sept. 7, 2015 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
The Children’s Forest near Leeds features a charming stroll through nature and a historic kiln, Leeds, Utah, Sept. 7, 2015 | Photo by Julie Applegate, St. George News
The kiln supported the mining operations for the Silver Reef Mining Area and was used to make charcoal from the surrounding oak and juniper forest. Loggers worked the nearby slopes of the Pine Valley Mountains to provide pinyon pine and scrub oak to fill the kiln.

The wood was set on fire and allowed to smolder until the logs became charcoal.

Teamsters would then unload the charcoal logs through the main entryway and haul the logs on wagons to the smelter at Silver Reef. The charcoal kept the smelter at a constant temperature for removing silver from sandstone.

According to the Washington County Historical Society, families from Leeds helped restore the kiln in the 1990s.

The trail was developed by the Zion Partners, of Partners in Parks, in association with the Utah Native Plant Society and the U.S. Forest Service.

Directions

From Interstate 15, take Exit 23 or 24 to Main Street in Leeds. From Main Street, turn west on Silver Reef Road. Wind through Leeds until the road turns into Oak Grove Road. After you pass the last houses, the road crosses a creek bed and turns to gravel.

Continue to the “Y” intersection, and follow the signs toward Oak Grove Campground. Soon after the intersection, the road crosses another creek, so look for a sign and parking area on the right.

Golden Spike National Historic Site

In a day when cars or airplanes can travel anywhere, anytime, it can be difficult to appreciate just how momentous the completion of the transcontinental railroad was to the United States in 1869. The railroad was a tremendous feat of engineering that cost the lives of many. The railroad made it possible for people to travel from coast to coast in a few days, instead of a few months. The railroad effectively ended a way of life for the American Indian as white settlements multiplied throughout the West.
Our family recently visited Golden Spike National Historic Site. Here is what you need to know about visiting this attraction:
1. Golden Spike NHS is off the beaten path
We had been there before, but I didn’t remember Golden Spike NHS being so far off Interstate 15. Take the marked exit a short distance north of Brigham City and then drive 30 miles west. The way is well marked and the road is well maintained. While you drive through the desert hills at highway speeds, imagine what it must have been like in 1869 for those who laid the track, mile by painstaking mile through all kinds of weather to reach the same spot.Tips for visiting Golden Spike National Historic Site | tipsforfamilytrips.com
2. Golden Spike NHS is open year-round
This Historic Site is open every day except New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Visitor Center hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Jupiter and 119 trains can be seen in the train yard in the summer and in the Engine House in the winter. Stop by the Visitor Center for an Engine House tour. Whenever you go, Golden Spike is not likely to be crowded, which is a refreshing change from most of our weekend summer outings.
3. See a reenactment
On Saturdays and holidays, May through October, local volunteers re-enact the ceremony where the golden spike was driven in 1869, including the part where railroad executives missed hitting the spike on the first two attempts. This ceremony is held only once per day, in the early afternoon. History enthusiasts won’t want to miss it. The re-enactment is about 30 minutes long and is full of speeches. My kids thought it was boring, but the ceremony was the thing that impressed upon me how important an event this was. Call ahead for the schedule if you want to be sure to see the re-enactment.

4. See a train demonstration
The Jupiter and 119 trains at Golden Spike NHS are not original, but they were constructed to look and run like the originals. They are brightly painted and they move short distances a couple of times during the day. When the trains aren’t running, they are parked nose to nose outside the visitor center. Visitors can get as close as they would like and even see into the engineer’s seat.
5. Earn free Junior Ranger badges
Our children have collected nearly a dozen Junior Ranger badges from different national parks and they were eager to earn another at Golden Spike NHS. The program is geared toward children ages 6-12, but Golden Spike has a simplified booklet for children under 6. We scoured the Visitors Center, learning a lot along the way, to find the information needed, and our children enjoyed the booklet’s activities. The rangers at Golden Spike were more engaged in the Junior Ranger program than any I have seen. They reviewed the booklets thoroughly with our children and invited everyone in the small visitor center to applaud new Junior Rangers after they were sworn in.

6. See a movie
The Visitor Center plays a movie about the transcontinental railroad in the main theater every 30 minutes, but a list of other train-related movies are available upon demand. My husband and I would have liked to see “The Great Train Robbery” or the Johnny Cash train movie, but our kids wanted to see the animated Peanuts movie about the building of the transcontinental railroad. Four thumbs up. If you’re into train movies, you could spend all day here.
7. Expect to spend half a day or less
Unless you really love train history, two hours is plenty of time to see Golden Spike National Historic Site. The visitor center is small and the trains and re-enactment are just outside. There is an auto tour and a Big Fill Walk nearby, but most of the action happens at the visitor center.
One of the signs at the Golden Spike National Historic Site explains,
“A telegraph signal sent from the tracks… signaled a truly transcontinental extravaganza. As the word went out over the wires, the nation went wild. In city after city, church bells rang, trains hooted, fire engines howled, gongs clanged and cannons thundered.  Citizens thronged the streets to watch parades. People sang The Star-Spangled Banner, prayed and shouted themselves hoarse. Countless orators hailed this as a ‘great day’ of national destiny.”
On this visit to Golden Spike NHS, I finally “got” what a feat the transcontinental railroad was and how it shaped America. I was able to share it with my children. Come share this piece of American heritage with your family.

Since you’re here…
These attractions near Golden Spike National Historic Site may also be of interest:
ATK Rocket Display
Take 15 minutes to see the free roadside display of rockets and missiles on the property of government contractor ATK, which built them. It is only 2 miles past the turnoff to Golden Spike, so it’s an easy detour. See a space shuttle rocket booster, a Minuteman missile, a Patriot missile and more. All have signs for easy identification. We were amused to find that birds have built nests inside of several hollow bomb casings.

Spiral Jetty is a large piece of environmental art by Robert Smithson in the Great Salt Lake. I have been there twice, and while it’s not for everyone, I find it fascinating. High clearance vehicles are recommended, but the unpaved road has recently been smooth enough for passenger cars. You can only see the jetty when water levels are low enough. Here is a link to our post on Spiral Jetty, which includes links to water level tables and driving directions.

Brigham City is the embodiment of small town America. It’s the best place in the area to stop for a meal or the other amenities of civilization. There are no restaurants or gas stations at Golden Spike National Historic Site. Try Idle Isle Cafe on Main Street for an old-fashioned dining experience and homemade candies. Maddox, located just south of Brigham City in Perry, attracts diners from miles around with its local beef, bison, and produce. During the summer and fall, stop at one of the farm stands on the “Fruit Way” on Highway 89 for local produce.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
The wetlands of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge are a popular oasis for a birds migrating over the desert. It’s also a great stop for bird watchers and photographers and those who would like to learn more about the birds and insects that travel through here. There is a visitor center and a half-mile accessible walking trail. Tours are available during the summer. Reservations are recommended.

Paris Tabernacle and museum

The Paris Tabernacle is an LDS historical site that is open for tours daily in the summer (9:30 am-5:30 pm). It is a beautiful building completed in the 1880s and very much resembles the old Provo Tabernacle (now the Provo City Center Temple). You will find the Paris Tabernacle at 109 S Main street in Paris, Idaho—it’s hard to miss.

Paris was settled by Charles C. Rich, a famous figure in Mormon history as he was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Rich had the Paris Tabernacle built, but did not live to see it completed.

Inside the tabernacle are 2000 seats, including a large main floor and a balcony that runs along three sides of the structure. There is also a beautiful organ which has 200 pipes. They were letting visitors play the organ on the day we visited.

The building is huge and beautiful and looks a little out of place in such a tiny town. It is built in the Romanesque style (I think) and is still being used as a meeting house by local residents for conferences and other meetings. One unique feature is the ceiling. It was built by a ship builder, and if you look straight up, it looks like you are looking into the bottom of a ship. It is quite strange to see the wooden ceiling.

I love to look at these buildings and think about how it was all done by hand. All these benches, the ceiling, the windows, the finish work…it would be hard and take a long time.
If you’re at Bear Lake, be sure to make the short drive north to Paris and check out the Tabernacle. The Paris Ice Cave is also nearby, as well as the Paris Historical Museum.

There is a tiny museum located in downtown Paris, Idaho just across the street from the Paris Tabernacle. The museum is free, and will only take a few minutes to walk through, but our kids enjoyed it.

The City of Paris Historical Museum is just 1 small room and 1 large room and features Charles C. Rich, the early Mormon Apostle prominently as he is was an early settler of this area.

Featured in this museum are old pioneer artifacts and farm equipment. There is a large section that honors people who served in the military. Our boys especially loved the old typewriters and cash registers, even though they called them old computers. Ha ha!

We only spent about 20 minutes in this museum, but we always enjoy these small hometown nuggets. Everyone is very nice and it’s fun to look back at the historical items, too. The Paris Historical Museum is located at 34 S. Main Street in Paris, ID, and is open M-F from 10-4.

Cove Fort

Cove Fort is located at the junction of the 1-15 and the 1-70. Cove Fort was constructed as a protection for travelers from the Native Americans, as well as a telegraph office, post office, and inn. In 1867, Brigham Young asked Ira Hinckley (President Gordon B. Hinckley’s grandfather) to construct a fort along the Old Spanish Trail. Ira moved his family to Cove Fort where they lived for many years. There was never a shot fired at Cove Fort and the residents actually had great relations with the Native Americans.

When you visit Cove Fort today, there are LDS missionaries who take you on a tour of the fort. You begin by watching a short film in the cabin that Ira Hinckley had built in Coalville and where he planned to raise his family. It was moved to the property when the area was restored.

After the film which gives background on the fort, you enter the fort and make your way through the different rooms. There are 12 rooms (6 on the north and 6 on the south). The rooms on the south are mostly working rooms. There is one for the post office, one for the telegraph, a large kitchen, a sewing room, and a laundry room. There is also a small bedroom for the children. One the north side of the fort, there are rooms for people who came to visit the fort and bedrooms for the family who lived there. There are tons of pioneer artifacts to view, and our tour guide gave us lots of interesting facts about the way that pioneers lived.

You will also get a chance to climb up on the battlement and look through the “windows,” which were actually places to shoot your rifles. This was our boys favorite part. They like to pretend to be soldiers, not pioneers.

There is a large grassy area with huge trees and picnic tables if you want to bring a lunch, as well as restrooms, just outside of Cove Fort.

Topaz National Historic Landmark

10000 West 4500 South, 16 miles northwest of Delta
WW2 internment camp

Topaz Museum (www.topazmuseum.org)