National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service: U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
 
 
Find a National Park Near You
Pony Express National Historic Trail Historic South Pass Wyoming used by emigrants and Pony Riders alike.
view map
text size: largest larger normal
printer friendly
Pony Express National Historic Trail
Simpson Springs
Photo image of the Simpson Springs Pony Express Station.

NPS

Simpson Springs Pony Express Station.

Simpson Springs - Tooele County, Utah

This Pony Express station bears the name of explorer Captain James H. Simpson, a Camp Floyd topographical engineer, who stopped here in 1858 while laying out an overland mail route between Salt Lake City and California. The availability of excellent water made Simpson Springs one of the most prominent stations in the West Desert.

George Chorpenning established his second mail station at this site in 1858, which was later used by the Pony Express and the Overland Stage. A number of structures have been built and destroyed in the vicinity of Simpson Springs over the years. It is not known for sure which served as the station for the Pony Express. The current building is a replica, built in 1975 by the Future Farmers of America under the direction of the Bureau of Land Management.

The BLM maintains interpretive wayside exhibits and a nearby campground. A monument was erected in 1965 to mark the station site. Additional information about BLM's "Backcountry Byway" along the original trail route may be found on the Salt Lake Field Office web site.

From Salt Lake City, travel to Tooele via I-80 and continue south on Highway 36 to the signed Pony Express turnoff.
 
Map image showing the location for the Simpson Springs Station.
NPS Image
Map image showing the location for the Simpson Springs Station.

You are exiting the National Park Service website

Thank you for visiting our site.

You will now be redirected to:

We hope your visit was informative and enjoyable.
Pony Express riders carried official mail in a mochila that fit over the saddle.

Did You Know?
To carry the U.S. Mail across 1800 miles of wilderness, Pony Express riders changed horses about every 12-15 miles. At each station, the rider would quickly take the mochila with mail pouches from his saddle and throw it onto the saddle of the fresh horse - and off he went.
more...
Disclaimer Accessibility Privacy Policy FOIA Notices USA.gov

Last Updated: January 06, 2011 at 09:43 MST