Most historic sites in Arizona have one thing in common — a reliable water source. Precious water often led to conflicts between native peoples and early settlers. Native tribes and pioneers are integral to the history of Pipe Spring, the site of a natural spring that sustained life for centuries. In the 1850s, Mormon settlers entered the area inhabited by the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. Learn about Kaibab Paiute and pioneer life by exploring the museum, historic fort and cabins, as well as the gardens, orchards and corrals of a historic working farm.
Tour the Site
Guided ranger tours are the only way visitors can go inside the site’s main attraction, Winsor Castle. The Mormon stronghold was built as the headquarters for a cattle operation and as a fortified ranch house to protect against raids. The site depicts what life was like for early Mormon settlers in the late 19th century. To learn more about the area’s original inhabitants, visit the Pipe Spring Visitor Center and Cultural Museum. Exhibits chronicle Kaibab Paiute culture and history with artifacts and stories of survival and ingenuity.
Hike the Ridge Trail
A well-maintained red-dirt trail leads through the magnificent landscapes surrounding Pipe Spring National Monument. The half-mile Ridge Trail loop climbs to the top of cliffs overlooking the settlement. Capture views of the homestead and its outbuildings, orchards and corrals. Although the hike is short, visitors should bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen and protective clothing while they are exposed to the elements on the plains of the Kaibab Plateau.
Read reviews online before the hike, or check in with ranger staff on-site, to find out where to see faint petroglyphs and evidence of dinosaur tracks along the trail.
Visit More Natural Wonders
Northern Arizona features a kaleidoscope of colors in scenic canyons and valleys. Take Highway 89A east to access the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The less-traveled rim offers remote views of the canyon’s legendary panoramas. Continue east to Vermillion Cliffs and Lake Powell, other canyon-country sites that invite visitors to immerse themselves in the astonishing natural beauty of Arizona.
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