Site 2. Historic Big Cottonwood Canyon Trail
• Location: This trail can be accessed from different locations. Here are the two trail endpoints: BCC Park and Ride Lot at 3865 Big Cottonwood Canyon Road from the west end of the lot. 40°37'10.7"N 111°47'21.2"W And, Knudsen’s Park 40°38'13.2"N 111°48'40.7"W with the trail beginning at the south end 40°38'08.5"N 111°48'42.2"W
• Date: 1848
• Significance: This paved walking and bike path has signs documenting historic pioneer sites that existed in the area such as a school, paper mill, and post office.
Photo Title: Paper Mill[1] (probably before the 1893 fire)
[1] Photographer unknown. Paper Mill P.1. Date unknown. Photograph. J. Willard Marriott Digital Library, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City. https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s61266kw
In 2013, the Cottonwood Heights Historical Society completed a paved pedestrian path connecting Knudsen’s Park to the canyon entrance. The historic trail commemorates locations like the first post office, the Butler Brewery and Hotel and pays tribute to early Black pioneers in the area.
The most memorable trail site is the crumbling stone remains of the Old Mill, originally called Granite Paper Mill. The site for this paper mill, the second in the Salt Lake Valley, was selected because the creek was the best source of waterpower. Construction began in 1880, the mill produced high quality paper for ten years but burned on April Fool’s Day in 1893. The remnants were partially rebuilt, and the building was used as a dance hall beginning in the 1930s. Subsequent generations used the building for a haunted house, and in 1971 the mil was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s a memorable experience to walk past the Old Mill ruins, framed by the mountains with the sound of the creek rushing past. The mill is not open to the public.
Interesting Fact: The pioneers began planning how to make a newspaper soon after their arrival so they could print a newspaper. “The Desert News” was first printed in 1850 and is still in circulation today. “Deseret” means honeybee and the beehive became a symbol of the industrious pioneers. Today, you can see references to bees and their hives throughout our state. Utah’s state flag and state road signs feature the beehive symbol.
Photo Title: Old Mill - Near Mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, (1907-1935).[2] This photo shows the road leading into the canyon.
[2] Pack, Frederick J., Old Mill - Near Mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, 1907-1935. Photograph. J. Willard Marriott Digital Library, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City. P0268 Frederick J. Pack Collection, https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s6nqw76f. Accessed February 16, 2025.
Additional Information:
• City of Cottonwood Heights Historic Walking Tours (Big Cottonwood Canyon Creek Trail):
https://cottonwood-heights-walking-tours-chcity.hub.arcgis.com/
• US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places, “Granite Paper Mill,” “Deseret News Paper Mill”: https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_UT/71000848.pdf