History on the Rocks: Hiking Snow Canyon's Pioneer Names Trail

The Pioneer Names Trail in Snow Canyon State Park is a short yet fascinating hike that offers a glimpse into southern Utah’s pioneer history. Just 0.4 miles round trip, the easy trail leads visitors to a sandstone wall where 19th-century settlers inscribed their names using axle grease—a remarkable window into the past that has endured for generations. Surrounded by the park’s signature red cliffs and desert scenery, the Pioneer Names Trail is one of the most unique and family-friendly hikes in Snow Canyon, perfect for history lovers and anyone looking for a quick, scenic walk that connects natural beauty with the stories of early Utah pioneers.

Trailhead elevation 3,268'

Water none

Don't miss scrambling up the slope below the panel

Hiking the Pioneer Names Trail

With storms rolling in from the south, I have just enough time to squeeze in one more short hike before the rain arrives. I’ve been to Snow Canyon State Park many times—usually at sunrise or sunset—but never along the Pioneer Names Trail. Parking along the roadside, where only one other car sits, I set out quickly.

The trail is short but scenic. Almost immediately, it passes a small sandstone arch before curving left and following the base of the cliffs. The compact sand is soft underfoot, and the wide-open desert views stretch beautifully in every direction.

Only about 0.2 miles from the trailhead, I reach a sloping wall of sandstone. Roughly forty feet up, in the shade of a shallow alcove, are the names that give this hike its title: Sam Gubler, Albert Graf, Samuel Whittwer, Jacob Gubler, and Harman (Herman) Gubler.

I climb partway up the slope—close enough to read the names but not all the way, knowing the storm is closing in. The inscriptions, written in wagon axle grease, belong to early settlers of the region. These men were descendants of pioneer families who helped establish nearby Santa Clara and farmed the land during the mid to late 1800s.

Their names tie back to a larger story of the area’s settlement. St. George was founded in 1861 as part of the “Cotton Mission,” directed by Latter-day Saint apostle Erastus Snow (Snow Canyon is named after him). With the outbreak of the Civil War threatening the nation’s cotton supply, Brigham Young accelerated efforts to make the Utah Territory self-sufficient. He turned his attention to the warm lands below the rim of the Great Basin—believing cotton could be successfully grown there.

At the October 6, 1861, general church conference in Salt Lake City, about 300 families were “called” to settle the new Dixie Mission and develop the cotton industry. Most learned of their assignment only as their names were read aloud from the pulpit, yet nearly all accepted and prepared to depart within weeks. The families were carefully selected to create a balanced community of farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters, educators, and tradesmen.

The settlement was named St. George in honor of LDS apostle George A. Smith, and the names inscribed high on the sandstone wall belong to some of those original settlers—pioneers who helped shape this corner of Utah’s red rock country—or their descendants.

As the first drops of rain begin to fall, I make my way back to the trailhead, pausing once more to glance up at the faint but enduring names painted on the sandstone.

The Pioneer Names Trail may be short, but it offers a fascinating glimpse into the early days of settlement in southern Utah—a tangible link to the families who helped shape the region more than a century ago. It’s an easy, rewarding walk that blends scenic beauty with history, and a perfect way to wrap up another day in the park.