Honeymoon Trail

United States Arizona  Honeymoon_Trail

Historical Background
The "Honeymoon Trail" is a loosely defined system of wagon roads that lead from the Arizona settlements of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to St. George, Utah. The trail got its name from the fact that many newlyweds, after first being married in their locality or accompanied by chaperones, traveled to St. George, Utah to be sealed in the Temple there. The journey from the northern Arizona colonies such as Sunset, St. Joseph, Snowflake, Show Low and Taylor took from 3 to 6 weeks.

One of the chief obstacles of the journey was crossing the Colorado River.The two major crossing points were Lee's Ferry and Pearce's Ferry.

Because of the romantic nature of these adventures, Arizona newspaper reporter Will C. Barnes gave the route its name, The Honeymoon Trail. After the Atlantic Pacific Railroad was completed in 1885, a few couples went by train, and later by auto. In later years, the trip was made by automobile until the dedication of the Mesa, Arizona Temple in 1927.

Links
U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Land Management Historic Trails Short description of the trail.

The Honeymoon Trail website Includes a copy of Ida Udall's 1882 Wedding Trip diary.

Many of the US Migration Trails and Roads

General References
Ricketts, Norma B., David B. Haight, Marshall Trimble, and James W. Byrkit. Arizona's Honeymoon Trail and Mormon Wagon Roads. Mesa, Ariz: Maricopa East Co., International Society, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 2001.

Young, Valerie P. The "Honeymoon Trail": Link to Community and a Sense of Place in the Little Colorado River Settlements of Arizona, 1877-1927. Thesis (M.S.) -- Utah State University, American Studies, 2005, 2005.