Clark county

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The Grand Gulch Trail was the Southwest's busiest and most profitable freighting trail from 1905 to the end of World War I, and the men who freighted the trail were some of the West's most rugged teamsters.

The trail got its name from the Grand Gulch Mine, a copper mine north of the Colorado River in Arizona. But until the railroad came through Las Vegas and Moapa in 1905 the ore was freighted to Modena, Utah. The Grand Gulch Trail was built in 1905 to accommodate the arrival of the railroad and the freighting distance was shortened considerably to 75 miles - 58 miles after the St. Thomas spur was laid in 1911.

In 1905 gold was discovered at Gold Butte and a short-lived rush died the following year. But the discovery of gold sparked interest in the area. Prospectors and would-be-miners combed the rough hilly country which lies between what is now the Overton Arm of Lake Mead and the Arizona border to the east.

St. Thomas, pioneered by Mormon settlers in 1865, became the principal supply point on the newly built trail from Grand Gulch to Moapa. From St. Thomas the trail struck due east, crossed the Muddy River, rounded the southern point of the Mormon Mesa and crossed the always treacherous Virgin River. The trail then followed a southeasterly course to Bitter Spring, one of many bitter-laxative seeps freighters were forced to rely on, and endure. The trail then followed the narrow Bitter Wash, a challenge to the best of freighters.

At Bitter Spring the trail forked. The trail to Grand Gulch continued southeasterly through St. Thomas Gap and Mud Spring.

Another fork turned south through Gold Butte Wash, then through the Scanlon Dugway - a treacherous risk for any freighter and his rig. The trail ended at Scanlon Ferry, also known as Greggs Ferry, on the Colorado River. A third fork went north around Virgin Peak to Bunkerville.

In 1909 a copper boom at Copper City, five miles north of Gold Butte spurred interest in the area. In addition, the Old Tramp Mine and the Lincoln Mine, both north of Gold Butte began producing high grade copper ore, some of it 80 percent pure. Old timers still speak with awe of the large rocks of pure copper taken from the Old Tramp mine.

From 1909 until 1920, the Grand Gulch Trail was alive with six, eight, ten and twelve-horse freight rigs. Up to 40 freighters were kept busy hauling ore from Grand Gulch, Bronzel (also known as The Savanic) and the more recently developed mining in and around Gold Butte. The Grand Gulch Mine shipped over $1 million worth of ore and was owned by the McIntyres of Salt Lake City. But the Bronzel Mine, locally owned by Harvey Gentry of St. Thomas shipped over $250,000 of ore.

St. Thomas was a booming town during the freighting period. Freighters could make the trip to Grand Gulch and return in seven days. Freight was weighed at Harry Gentry's store in St. Thomas. Jake Bowers' blacksmith shop was bustling with activity; most outfits needed shores or wagon repairs following the tough drive.

Albert and Harvey Frehner, from Alamo, freighted the trail as did Martie Bunker, Jess and Bob O'Donnell of St. Thomas. Alex Swapp had a rig as did Park Westover, Chan Nay, Harry Gentry and Stowell Whitney. Rube Boggs, Alex Tyhn, Ike Sprague, Buck Ross, Old Man Hutchings and many more freighted the trail and made good money at it.

But these freighters had their bad luck, took their losses and came back for more. Martie Bunker had a jerk line of eight horses. Dixie and Dolly were "lead," Prince and Tommie were "sixes," Doc and Chub were "point" and Rube and Mug were "wheelers." They were a beautiful outfit, pulling two freight wagons and a supply trailer.

Marti came loaded from the gulch and found the Virgin River running high. He waited until the water receded, then, feeling it was safe, began to cross. When he reached the middle of the stream a second flood came down the river. A four-foot wall of water hit his team and wagon. He lost the wagon and two horses, Rube and Mug, "the wheelers." It was a hard loss for any freighter to lose his horses but for Martie it was heartbreaking. He would break down and cry whenever he retold the story.

The trail was mostly sand, with some gravel patches, and alkali; it followed the washes, which made for rough travel, and freighters earned every last cent they made.

Jess O'Donnell was in Bitter Wash when a flash flood hit. He lost his entire team and wagon, washed clear to the Virgin River, five miles away.

Bitter Wash became the testing ground for a freighter's skills as a driver. The wash was narrow, precipitous walls, barely wide enough for a freight wagon to get through. A driver with three or four pairs of horses would be forced to maneuver a team through the twisting turns by "jumping the chain," that is, getting some of the horses on one side of the main chain to step across it and pull the wagon at an angle to the lead horses which had already turned the corner. The maneuver prevented the wagon from being pulled into the bank beside the trail.