Heritage Districts of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area in Utah

Discovery Road – Winner of Best In State 2022 – Best Documentary

Since its debut in 2012, Discovery Road has produced over 60 episodes, taking viewers on immersive journeys down U.S. Highway 89 through six historic counties in central and southern Utah.

 

Each 30-minute episode blends history, mystery, heritage, and natural beauty into family-friendly storytelling that educates as much as it entertains.

 

Broadcast locally on KUED-TV and across the country through the National Educational Television Association, or NETA, the series has become a public media touchstone for anyone seeking a deeper connection to the region’s past. It is also used in classrooms across the state as part of Utah’s history curriculum.

Mormon Pioneers traveling to the west Covered Wagons Courtesy of Shaun Messick

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area is the only National Heritage Area designated and named for a specific people, the Mormon Pioneers – as they forged to the west. Their remarkable story of dedication, fortitude, and extraordinary efforts offers one of the best features of the Mormon colonization experience in the United States. The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area has been identified by Congress as a factor in the expansion of the United States and contributing to the United States.

Districts

travel planner for the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

Cowboys, Outlaws, and the Movies 

The unique landscape features a geological wonderland that has been the backdrop for feature films including; “Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid,” and “Jeremiah Johnson.” While traveling through the picturesque scenery, you might recognize a scene or two. Included in the heritage area is the birthplace of Utah outlaws, Butch Cassidy and Matt Warner. Matt was a lifelong friend and a gang member alongside of Butch.  Many movies were filmed in the scenic Under the Rim District of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.

Mormon Colonization 

In the later part of the 1800s the Mormon pioneers began their great relocation to the west. They trekked 1,400 miles from Illinois to the Great Salt Lake. This mass-Exodus brought about colonization in Utah, Nevada, the southwest corner of Wyoming, the southeast corner of Idaho, southeast Oregon, and a large portion of southern and eastern California.

log cabin with Mormon Pioneer Family Echo City Utah
Family Portrait of Mormon Pioneers in Echo City, Utah

Districts of the MPNHA – Southern Utah Tourism

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area consists of five Districts, each of which offers a wealth of natural wonders, rich history and friendly towns which can transport their visitors to the past.  Recreational activities are plentiful which include snow-kiting, ATV trails, hiking, horseback riding, fishing and camping.  Included in the districts of the area are some of the best offerings of southern Utah tourism available!

Enjoy scenic vistas as you travel through the wonders which are found in the Boulder Loop, including Bryce Canyon, The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and Anasazi State Park.

Photo Courtsey of Kreig Rasmussen Photography
Photo Courtsey of Kreig Rasmussen Photography

As the name of this district suggests, water is plentiful and the rivers run clear.  Fishing is a popular activity and enjoyed by many.  For those with a historical bent, the childhood home of outlaw Butch Cassidy is located within the Headwaters District.

Visitors to Little Denmark are charmed by the small town life of communities such as Mt. Pleasant.  Ephraim is home to Snow College, which is regularly rated in the top 10 colleges in the US and is currently ranked as the best two-year college in the United States.  The Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti is held annually and draws large family crowds.

Glenwood Co-op Sevier Valley District of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area

Sevier County is rugged country in which real cowboys work the land which often has been in their families for generations.  Communities in Sevier County are rich in charm and history with a touch of the old west.

Southern Utah Tourism options
Photo Courtesy of Utah.com

Movie buffs can recognize sites from their favorite movies in the Under the Rim District.  This area has long been used by Hollywood to depict the Old West.  Zion National Park is visited by thousands of people each year and offers returning visitors as much as those who’ve never set eyes upon this spectacular landscape, which was considered to be sacred land to the Native Americans.

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This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office for Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 849 C Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.

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