The cloudless Utah skies gave way to a rain storm today. Since the rain was supposed to be sporadic this afternoon, and the areas I planned to hike are remote and likely to get dangerous during the rain, I went and visited the Pipe Springs National Monument.
Pipe Springs is a natural springs. Beginning at the Vermilion Cliffs many miles away, the water seeps through the sandstone and works its way downhill until it found a fault line that separated the shale and the water comes up through the ground.
The Kaibab Paiute Indians utilized the spring to sustain their tribe for many years until the Mormon pioneers brought cattle in the 1860s. Brigham Young directed that a tithing ranch be built to supply the workers building the Temple in St. George and placed a fort over the spring prohibiting the Indians from utilizing the spring. The Mormons also did not share their gardens, beef, cheese, or butter that they made there.
After many conflicts and a lot of history including overgrazing that permanently decimated the grasslands, the area became a 40 acre National Monument. The fort retains many of the original features including all the walls and flooring. They also keep a small number of animals to show the type of animals that were kept by the Mormons.
A view of the surrounding area that was grassland beyond the spring.
The horses are beautiful - L
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