Muddy Creek, Emery County

A view of the Muddy Creek river crossing taken by Old Spanish Trail travelers

Photo/Bureau of Land Management

Quick Facts

Location:

Muddy Creek, Emery County, Utah. (38.4028, -110.6929)

Significance:

This location along Muddy Creek was used by Old Spanish Trail travelers as a river crossing.

MANAGED BY:

BLM Price Field Office

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

Between 1829 and 1848, pack mule caravans and travelers used the Old Spanish Trail as a trade route between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Los Angeles, California, which were part of Northern Mexico at the time. River crossings were dangerous undertakings for Old Spanish Trail traders yet also vital for the water and resources they provided in the arid environment. This location along Muddy Creek became a river crossing for travelers on the trail. Because the river could be difficult to cross after heavy rainfall, travelers planned their journeys in such a way to avoid crossings at peak-flow times.

Site Information

Location (Latitude: 38.4028, -110.6929 Longitude: -110.6929)

Muddy Creek is located in Emery County, Utah. The landscape surrounding Muddy Creek is dry and filled with sagebrush and cottonwood trees. As you travel here, you’ll pass through parts of the San Rafael Swell, a large geologic area that has been uplifted and eroded over time, creating many valleys, canyons, mesas, and buttes that can be observed the further you venture in.

A small pull-off is available near the interpretive sign for parking. As you make your way to this site, you may find other cultural sites and evidence of Old Spanish Trail travelers.

The Rochester Rock Art Panel is a nearby site managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This Fremont Culture petroglyph panel predates the Old Spanish Trail travelers, and shows that people have been traveling through and living in this area for millennia.

Safety Considerations

More Site Information 

Exhibit Audio Description available

Old Spanish National Historic Trail

• Emery County - Muddy Creek Exhibit Audio Description

  
  

  Listen to the audio description of the Emery County - Muddy Creek exhibit.

  Date created:

  12/02/2021

  Audio Transcript

  This exhibit is placed at a 45-degree angle a few feet off the ground and is 36 inches wide and 24 inches tall. The exhibit has a textured background resembling black and dark gray rock layers. Two red horizontal accents frame the elements of the panel. Title: River Crossings Primary Text: Can you imagine crossing a river with your belongings and pack mules in tow? River crossings were dangerous undertakings for Old Spanish Trail traders, especially the Green and Colorado Rivers. However, rivers were also vital for the water and resources they provided in this arid environment. Muddy Creek, which flows below this bluff, could be difficult to cross after heavy rain fall. The seasonality of larger flows in the spring caused travelers to plan their journeys to avoid crossings at peak-flow times. Secondary Text: Title: Spot the Silhouettes! Text: The silhouettes depicting a pack mule caravan ahead of you are not just for decoration. You are standing in near proximity to the Old Spanish Trail, north of this location. After they crossed Muddy Creek, traders would continue southwest, roughly following the path marked by the power line. Additional Secondary Text: Title: The Rochester Panel Text: The Fremont culture resided in this area hundreds of years before traders traveled on the Old Spanish Trail. This culture left remnants in the form of rock art. Do you think the Old Spanish Trail travelers stopped and saw the Rochester Panel? Photograph below Additional Secondary Text: There is a small photograph from a portion of the rock art panel of a figure representing a large, four-legged creature or animal. Caption: This petroglyph could represent a bighorn sheep, a monster, or a variety of different things. What do you see? Features for more information: At the bottom left of the panel there are two blocks containing text and QR codes.

  Text block 1 with QR code: Learn more about these sites. https://www.nps.gov/olsp/index.htm

  Text block 2 with QR code: Audio description available go.nps.gov/muddy-creek-emery-county.htm

  Bottom Red Banner: Text: Explore the Old Spanish Trail. Text Block 3 with QR code: Travel the trail with the Explorer app to go on a self-led adventure! Maps can be downloaded and used offline. A black silhouette is set to the right of the text block. It shows a man with a cowboy hat sitting on top of a pack mule, with two other mules behind him in line attached by ropes.