Mormon Trail Wagon Train Schedule for 1997

Wagon Train to Enter Utah, But Access Will Be Limited

The Sesquicentennial Mormon Pioneer Wagon Train entered Utah on Monday, July 21, 1997, culminating its journey from Winter Quarters, Neb., with arrival in Salt Lake Valley on July 22, 1997.

Public viewing and access to the wagon train was limited due to terrain and private property while it was traveling to Salt Lake City, according to wagon train organizers and the Utah Travel Council. However, sesquicentennial events were planned in Salt Lake City on July 22, 23 and 24, 1997 that offered easier opportunities for seeing the wagon train.

Here is the schedule for the Mormon Trail Wagon Train as it arrived in Utah.

SATURDAY, SUNDAY -- Bear River Crossing Camp at the Evanston Fairgrounds, 5 miles south of Evanston, Wyo., on state Route 150, private property with limited parking. Saturday will be a pageant and rodeo with city band and choir. Sunday will be an Interfaith service at 1 p.m. with community hymn sing-along at 7:30 p.m.

MONDAY -- Wagon train enters Utah at Yellow Creek, west of Evanston, and makes camp. Limited public access.

TUESDAY -- Travel to Castle Rock to camp on private ranch, no public access, although camp will be visible from Interstate 80.

WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY -- Wagon train travels through Echo Canyon to Henefer on Wednesday, via I-80, county roads and state Route 65. Use extreme caution while traveling westbound I-80. Visitors can access wagon train camp at Henefer via exits 112 or 115 from I-84. Wednesday night street dance; Thursday activities include food, crafts and evening program with LDS Church Elder Russell Ballard and the Utah Symphony.

JULY 18, 19, 20 -- Train travels Friday to East Canyon via state Route 65, which will be closed from 8 a.m. to noon to auto traffic. Camp at Broad Hollow on private land just north of East Canyon State Park near junction of state Route 65 and state Route 66. Public invited to visit wagon camp to see living history pioneer demonstrations.

JULY 21 -- Wagon train travels to Little Mountain via state Route 65, which will be closed to auto traffic from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. No public access to camp at Little Mountain.

JULY 22 -- Wagon train arrives in the Great Salt Lake Valley to camp at This Is The Place State Park via Emigration Canyon Road, which will be closed to auto traffic from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. The train is scheduled to arrive at 11:30 a.m., with a welcoming program at 1 p.m. This Is The Place State Park and Old Deseret Village will open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with no admission charged on July 22. No parking will be allowed in the state park until after 3 p.m. Free shuttle buses will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. from University of Utah parking lots to the park, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from the Rio Grande Depot in downtown Salt Lake City to the park.

JULY 23 -- Wagon train travels from This Is The Place State Park to the Salt Lake City-County Building at Washington Square, arriving at 2 p.m. LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley and Salt Lake City Mayor Deedee Corradini will keynote a welcoming program at 5 p.m. at the City-County Building. A few wagons will camp that night at Washington Square, while the remainder will parade to the Utah State Fairpark to camp.

JULY 24 -- All wagon train participants, including walkers and handcarts pullers, who have made the journey from Winter Quarters, Neb., to Salt Lake City will be the final entry in the ``Days of '47'' Parade.

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