October 29, 2010

We headed south this morning towards the Pipe Spring National Monument. There is a natural spring located on this otherwise arid section of northern Arizona that has attracted various groups of people through the years ---the two most notable being the Paiute Indians and Mormons. The Indians were able to cultivate crops using the water and moved about seasonally to hunt. In the late 1850's leaders of the Mormon church discovered the spring and soon moved ranchers, sheep and cattle  into the area. There were Indian raids regularly on the livestock and the Mormon's built a fort of sorts (called Winsor Castle) to protect the families they had living there tending the livestock and dairy cattle operations. Many plural wives and their children stayed so their husbands would be safe from prosecution after congress passed laws against polygamy. They produced butter and  cheese at the fort and every two weeks would make a delivery to the workers in St. George, Utah who were building a Mormon Temple. The Spring is still producing fresh water and the Castle is standing as well.

Along the road to the Spring we saw an actual cattle drive in progress! I felt like I was right in the middle of "City Slickers"! When we came over a crest in the road some of the cows were actually crossing the road as the cowboys ( and cowgirls!) herded them along. There were some very young children on their own horses and some even younger ones riding with their parents. The woman at our campground said they drive the cattle south every fall to pasture in northern Arizona---they used to actually herd them down the main road through all the small towns around, but now keep them more on the back roads. Some tourists go along for all or part of the 10 day drive. Maybe next year!! I knew there was a reason I bought those cowboy boots.

We also passed Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park----looked like a giant pink beach!---beautiful!

I also discovered today that I am addicted to my IPhone....there is not much service around these parts, and I cannot tell you how many times I checked! Thank goodness there in internet.

Unique fence posts

Winsor Castle

Inside the castle

Resting in Glendale, Utah...Debbie and John