Deadman Spring looking North as seen from Pony Express Trail
Fish Springs – Boyd Station
“Courage is being scared to death
And saddling up anyway”
John Wayne
Leaving Fish Springs, the Express trail heads west nearly to the base of the barren Fish Springs range. At this point the road heads north around the end of the mountains. Along this stretch you will pass North Spring which could have been one of the springs that George Bean and Porter Rockwell noticed the mummified Indians in. The spring is very picturesque and accessible from the Express Trail.
As the road rounds the point of the mountain there is sparse grass out on the plain. This grass disappears a bit farther north as the plain turns to salt and becomes incredibly level. As I drove this stretch coming from the west, I kind of got the feeling that the road was skirting the valley at the base of the range as if to avoid a body of water. There is no water here but you will doubtless have the same sensation as you look west into the desert. As you head farther south to where the road bends to the west, you will notice some abandoned mine workings on the south side of the road. Back in the 1890’s and early 1900’s these mines were extremely productive. The chief producer was the “Utah” mine. Ores that ran 50 percent lead with 500 ounces of Silver to the ton were produced regularly from the mine. The auto hulks and mine tunnels near the road are an interesting side adventure. From these mines the road heads west with the towering peaks of the Deep Creek Range filling the horizon.
From south to north the peaks are Red Mountain 11,550 feet; Ibapah Peak 12,120 feet; Haystack 12,020 feet; and Ibapah Azimuth 11,987 feet. This group of peaks is a truly remarkable sight from the desolate desert. There are many live streams, 7 different types of conifers in its forests, aspens, and an abundance of wildlife. Pioneer journals claimed that these peaks often times were snow capped year round. A few miles farther along the Express trail, you will pass a curious, isolated group of very large tamarack bushes on the south side of the road. Good place for a game of hide and seek.
About a mile further on you will come to the remains of Boyd Station. This is the junction where the old Chorpenning mail route headed south around the Deep Creek Range via Pleasant Valley. The Pony Express Trail heads due west from this place towards present day Callao which was known as Willow Springs Station back in the 1860’s. There is a small knoll with some curious wind blown rock formations rising south across the road from Boyd Station. If you park at the station, cross the road and climb the knoll, you will have a bird’s eye view of the station and a fine panorama of the surrounding terrain. To the south east is the seldom visited summit of George H. Hansen Peak in the Fish Springs Range, Walking around the rim of the knoll you will have a fine view of Red Mountain and the rest of the Deep Creek Range, Looking north you will see the different old trails emanating from Boyd Station out onto the Salt Desert.
This station must have been a real crossroads back in the day. George Boyd worked under Major Howard Egan and had a contract to furnish hay and wood to Willow Springs, Boyd Station, Fish Springs, Black Rock, and Dugway Station. George built those stations as well. Boyd’s Station was a small stone structure, complete with rifle ports. There are only a few walls remaining but it is still one of the best preserved stations along the trail. Examining the walls, it appears that the rock was held together with some sort of crude mortar. These remains are now protected by chain link fence. There is a good parking area, and some interesting information panels. On a clear day you can make out “Round Station” at the entrance to Overland Canyon some 25 miles distant to the North West.
There was constant threat of Indian attack and an 1860 article in the Deseret News stated “Boyd’s station was attacked – 3 horses taken and some hay burned”. The problems suffered at Boyd station paled in comparison to what happened at the next station about 8 miles down the road to the west at Willow Springs.
Related posts:
- PONY EXPRESS TRAIL EXPLORATION – Part XI: Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge
- PONY EXPRESS TRAIL EXPLORATION: Part IX – Dugway Station
- PONY EXPRESS TRAIL EXPLORATION Part VII: Simpson Springs
- PONY EXPRESS TRAIL EXPLORATION: Part X – Dugway Pass & Black Rock Station
- PONY EXPRESS TRAIL EXPLORATION: Part VIII – The Old Riverbed
Tags: boyd station, caption, desolate desert, fish springs range, pony express, range, road, side adventure, Station, TRAIL