Dominquez - Escalante Expedition

Grand Canyon

Escalante' plan was to take 14 men and travel north. The Grand Canyon in Arizona was too big to cross. They would have to go north until they could get across it.

On July 29, 1776 this expedition left Santa Fe, New Mexico. Traveling northwest in to now western Colorado.

On August 13 the party reached a winding river, which they called Dolores. Moving north through western Colorado they became lost nearly perishing from hunger and thirst. A Ute Indian just happened to find them and took them to his village on the Uncompahgre River. Here Dominquez and Escalante knew they could not afford to ever get lost again. With that in mind they acquired two Ute Indians to guide them. Going to Rangeley, Colorado and then turning west and after crossing the eastern Utah desert the explorers encountered Bison. They were able to eat and rest for one full day. Making jerky meat and taking what fresh meat with them as they could carry, next was the difficult forge of the Green River.

• The Dominguez-Escalante Expeditions Journal:

Through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico in 1776

• I Walked to Zion:
- Young Pioneers on the Mormon Trail

• The Gathering of Zion:
- The Story of the Mormon Trail

• National Geographic's Guide to:
- Lewis and Clark Trail

• Hiking Historic Trails
- Utah's Favorite Hiking Trails

• Scenic Driving - Travel guides
- Scenic Driving in Utah

• Historical reading
- The Old Spanish Trail

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