Interpretive Sign

Eight Thousand Years of People and the Land Nine Mile Canyon's 78 miles of Back County Byway take you back through thousands of years of history. Native Americans, the U.S. Cavalry, homesteaders, freight and stage drivers left a legacy in the canyon for us to enjoy. As you explore the canyon, remember these resources are fragile, irreplaceable, and protected by law. World's longest art gallery Thh world's largest collection of prehistoric rock art runs along the Byway. Three prehistoric cultures were active here: the Archaic, Fremont and the Ute. The Fremont painted and etched about a thousand years ago. Remains of Fremont dwellings and granaries are seen throughout the canyon. Look but do not touch these fragile resources. Road to change After the Civil War, the Army's 9th Cavalry, a black regiment, built a road through the canyon linking Fort Duchesne with the railroad in Price. Cattlemen, miners, and a busy stage freight line followed this commercial artery between the Uinta Basin and central Utah. Portions of the original stage road, as well as iron telegraph poles, stage stations, and settler's cabins are all seen along the route today, reminding us of the time when the canyon was the main road, not the Back Country Byway. Home on the range Much of the bottom of the canyon is private land dating from homesteads as early as the 1880s. Settlers farmed the same fields where the Fremond grew corn, beans and squash more than 500 years earlier. In 1902, cattle baron Preston Nutter purchased the ranch that now bears his name. From the headquarters in Nine Mile Canyon, he oversaw a cattle business that included grazing land in Wyoming, western Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Families still ranch in Nine Mile Canyon today. Please respect their property and privacy. The history behind the name The name Nine Mile comes from a map prepared by the 1872 government expedition led by Major John Wesley Powell. The canyon was the site of a nine-mile triangulation for the purposes of survey. The survey maps were titled "Nine-Mile Creek" Rediscover the West Back County Byways open doors to new experiences. Following a Byway can take you back in time, allow you glimpses of things you have never seen, and provide you with a variety of recreational opportunities. Each Byway has exceptional values, whether scenic, recreational, or historical, and provides a unique encounter with the land. The Bureau of Land Management's Back Country Byways Program is a national effort to open up the less traveled corridors of the western public lands, to provide access to the treasures of our rich heritage, and to enhance opportunities for scenic driving. The public lands exhibit such a diversity of resources and uses - they can provide an enjoyable experience for almost anyone!