Pioneer Activities in Utah

LDS Church History museum

To celebrate Pioneer Day in Utah, there are many great pioneer adventures and a lot of them are FREE. We at Utah Valley Family Adventures will be heading to the Golden Spike re-enactment. Look for our post on this later in the week. Here are some other great Pioneer sites to check out this week: Pioneer Memorial Museum: This museum in Salt Lake City is headquarters for the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. It houses thousands of pioneer artifacts. The highlights are Brigham Young's wagon on which he entered the Salt Lake Valley, and the first fire engine in Utah. This is the Place Heritage Park: Located across from Hogle Zoo, this park is a simulated pioneer village with activities including a blacksmith shop, school, and farm. The kids will love this stop and learn a lot about Pioneer life. Benson Gristmill: This site is currently CLOSED due to budget cuts, but watch for it to open again. It was one of our favorite places to visit. Head out toward Grantsville and see the five-story mill that belonged to the family of Ezra Taft Benson. Don't miss the old water wheel. There is also a scavenger hunt for the kids.  Ensign Peak: This short steep hike taken by Brigham Young just days after entering the valley overlooks all of Salt Lake. There is a park at the bottom and a monument at the top.  Beehive House: In downtown Salt Lake is the Beehive House, the main residence of Brigham Young. Check out the elaborately carved beehives on the stair railings and the velvet furniture.  Temple Quarry: This short walk takes you through the quarry where granite was mined for the Salt Lake Temple. Interpretive signs explain the process. LDS Church History Museum: This museum is located in downtown Salt Lake. There are many pioneer artifacts including the death masks of Joseph & Hyrum Smith and Brigham Young's green sunglasses.  Fort Bridger: Located in Wyoming, Fort Bridger has been rebuilt to show much of it's glory. (Brigham Young had it burned to the ground to stop the United States army in 1857 during the Utah War.) They have a general store, museum, and many artifacts. Camp Floyd: When the US Army finally made it to Utah, they established Camp Floyd. Now a state park located west of Lehi, your kids can participate in the Junior Ranger program, and walk through the old hotel.  

Ensign Peak: where the pioneers overlooked their new home.