Last updated: January 15, 2023
Place
Horseshoe Springs, Utah
NPS Photo
Quick Facts
Location:
Skull Valley, Tooele County, Utah
Significance:
In 1846 when the Donner Party passed through, and later when the gold rushers passed through, this was an important water source in the desert.
Designation:
Bureau of Land Management Wildlife Management Area
MANAGED BY:
Amenities
2 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Tactile Exhibit
Horseshoe Springs is near the old Hawaiian townsite of Iosepa, Utah, west of Salt Lake City. In 1846 when the Donner Party passed through, and later when the gold rushers passed through, this was an important water source in the desert.
Site Information
Location (Skull Valley, Tooele County, Utah)
Horseshoe Springs is both a Wildlife Management Area (WMA) and a historic site on the California National Historic Trail located in Skull Valley, Tooele County, Utah. Two large springs come together to form a horseshoe shape, giving the site it's name.
Horseshoe Springs was utilized extensively by local Goshute tribes and first visited by a white man in 1827 by the legendary trapper and explorer Jedediah Smith while returning to Utah from California. In 1846, Horseshoe Springs became a stop on the Hastings Cutoff emigrant trail and was visited by the infamous Donner Reed party.
Today, Horseshoe Springs is managed for its important riparian, fisheries, and widlife habitat. There is a visitor kiosk and boardwalk providing access for fishing and other recreation. There also is an interpretive display for the California National Historic Trail. No restrooms or overnight camping.