Little Cottonwood Canyon

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This page was last updated on December 2, 2024.

Overview

The Little Cottonwood branch was built in 1872-1873 as a 3-feet narrow gauge line by the Wasatch & Jordan Valley Railway. W&JV was controlled by D&RG after 1881.

The 1937 D&RGW branchline summary shows that the line above the granite quarries went out of operation in the 1880s, suggesting that the mines at Alta had played out. The rails likely remained in place, explaining the interest in 1902-1907 (below) about the horse tramway along the same route.

Wasatch Resort

Wasatch Resort (Our Pioneer Heritage, Vol. 8, p.460):

Granite for building the Salt Lake Temple was taken from a quarry in Little Cottonwood Canyon. A Mr. Livingston was foreman of the project where he and the workers lived in small cabins built with wooden floors and wooden sides a few feet high, topped with tent roofs. These cabins were surrounded with flower gardens, lawns and attractive walks, and each had its own small stream of clear cold canyon water with dipping facilities. These cabins were on the south side of the Little Cottonwood stream; a bridge crossed the north side where the larger cookhouse was located in which meals were prepared for all employees in the quarry. In reference to the beautiful appearance of the spot, Donette S. Kesler said, "The whole place was a dream."

After the Temple capstone was laid in 1892 and the quarrying stopped, the families of the prominent Church leaders joined in summering at Wasatch. The cabins, now enlarged, were filled with families, and happy children ran through the garden paths and climbed the granite mountain slopes to the wild raspberry patches farther up.

On week days, passengers, mail and necessities were taken to the resort by steam car, arriving at 9 a.m., and returning to the city in the late afternoon. A mule car on a track met the train, taking [p.461] passengers and supplies to the mining town of Alta near the head of the canyon. Then the mules were unhitched and turned loose to go home by themselves while the car guided by a brakeman coasted down the canyon on its rails.

Highway

Wasatch (Granite) to Alta

The road is on the old narrow gauge railroad roadbed, from the granite quarries (Wasatch, now known as Granite) near the mouth of the canyon, up to about a half mile before Alta itself. The terminal at Alta was just across the creek (south) of the the current big parking lot of the original Alta resort (now known as the Peruvian Lodge). In late summer 1936, Salt Lake County paid D&RGW $1,000 for the land (200 feet wide and 9.4 miles long), and the county used its own funds ($21,000) and federal funds ($160,000) to rebuild and widen the roadbed. The first formal ski resort was opened in late 1937.

October 18, 1933
George H. Watson was complaining to Salt Lake County about the condition of the road in Little Cottonwood canyon. He was unable to haul ore from his Alta mine due to the poor condition of the road, and was urging the county to obtain a federal loan from the state to pay to have the road upgraded and improved. Watson was a member of a special committee established study county roads. (Salt Lake Telegram, October 18, 1933)

June 25, 1935
Salt Lake County had prepared a draft study for a new road in Little Cottonwood canyon to be built on the abandoned roadbed of the Denver & Rio Grande line to Alta. A letter had been sent to the local D&RGW superintendent asking for his assistance in the matter. (Salt Lake Telegram, June 25, 1935)

November 1, 1935
"Board Buys Road Route — Clearing the way for construction of a modern highway in Little Cottonwood canyon, county commissioners Friday purchased from the Denver & Rio Grande Western railroad 11 miles of right-of-way." "The federal government, it was reported by County Surveyor George M. Haley, has already approved a grant of $158,535 for the work. Salt Lake county's share of the construction cost will be $20,638." "The 200-foot right-of-way, extending from a point near the settlement of Granite to the mining town of Alta, near the canyon head, will form the basis for the new highway. The road will be 24 feet wide." (Salt Lake Telegram, November 1, 1935, "Friday" was November 1st)

In April, May and June 1936, D&RGW removed a total of 15.7 miles of rail from the line between Sandy and Wasatch, and from Wasatch to Tanners. (D&RGW AFE 5196, "Retirement of Little Cottonwood Branch," approved February 27, 1934; closed as "complete" on November 18, 1936)

August 4, 1936
"Old D.&R.G. Strip Purchase Approved — Purchase of the old Denver & Rio Grande railroad right-of-way in Little Cottonwood canyon for $1000 had been affirmed Tuesday by county commissioners." "The strip of land is 9.37 miles long and is the basis for a new roadway through the canyon which is nearing completion under supervision of the county road department as a Works Progress Administration project." (Salt Lake Telegram, August 4, 1946, "Tuesday" was August 4th; Murray Eagle, August 6, 1936)

October 8, 1936
The upper and lower portions of the new Little Cottonwood canyon road were complete, with the middle portion of "several miles" still yet to be graded and graveled. The appropriated funds were being requested to allow the road to be completed before the winter season. (Salt Lake Telegram, October 8, 1936) (The final funding was released on November 11, 1936.)

Milestones From "Silver To Skis"

"Silver To Skis: A History of Alta, Utah, and Little Cottonwood Canyon, 1847 to 1966." Thesis by Anthony Will Bowman, 1967, Utah State University. (979.22/AL7b)

1853 -- Grazing rights were granted in Little Cottonwood canyon. (page 7)

1853, November -- Jeter Clinton was granted rights to build a wagon toll road. (page 8, citing Salt Lake County Road Book #A, November 16, 1853)

1851 -- First sawmill was likely built at Tanner's Flat. (page 9)

1859 -- First settlement, Granite or Graniteville, located at church quarries. (page 46)

1863, September -- Wasatch Mining District was organized. (page 13)

1864, July -- Silver ore was discovered in Little Cottonwood canyon. (page 14)

1865, August -- First claim was filed in the newly organized Mountain Lakes Mining District. By 1873, the number of claims had risen to 2,100. (page 15, 16, 30)

1866, Summer -- First smelter was built; didn't last a year. (page 19)

1869, July -- First ore was shipped by rail, from Ogden, after being freighted from the mine to Ogden by wagon. Prior to railroad service, all mining was by placer mining. After the railroad came, mining was by "lode" mining. (page 22, 24)

1870, June -- Little Cottonwood Mining District organized, included all land drained by Little Cottonwood creek. (page 24; citing Utah Historical Quarterly, October 1955)

1871, January -- Smelters were built again; last smelter ceased operation in 1875. Highest production was in 1871-1877. About $13 million being taken out of the ground between 1871 and 1880. Ratio of silver to other ore was 3 to 1. (page 34)

1871, January -- Central City post office established nine miles up canyon. (January 21, 1871). Central City replaced by Alta as principle city in canyon. Alta located about 1/2 mile east (up-canyon) of Central City. (page 47, 48, 49)

1871, September -- Utah Southern railroad began operating to Sandy. (page 22)

1872-1873 -- Peak of ore production from Little Cottonwood Mining District. (page 51)

1873 -- Granite (Graniteville) changed to Wasatch upon arrival of railroad. Wasatch station located 1-1/2 mile into canyon. (page 47)

1873, May -- Wasatch & Jordan Valley railroad was completed to the granite quarries. (page 23)

1873, July -- Alta City platted. (page 52)

1873, September -- Wasatch & Jordan Valley railroad was completed to Fairfield Flats. (page 23)

1903 to 1907 -- Second boom period. (page 35)

1908 to 1915 -- Second period of decline. (page 35)

1915 to 1917 -- Third boom period. (page 35)

1918 to (x) -- Third period of decline. (page 35)

1919 -- D&RG operated a narrow gauge railroad on roadbed of mule road above Fairfield Flats. (page 41)

1922 -- Same railroad operated as Alta Scenic Railroad. (page 42)

Map

Little Cottonwood Canyon Railroads -- A Google map of the railroads in Little Cottonwood Canyon.

More Information

Alta Mines -- Information about the mining activity at Alta.

D&RGW Little Cottonwood Branch -- Information about the railroad branch in Little Cottonwood Canyon

Wasatch & Jordan Valley Railroad/D&RGW (1873-1895)

Clarence Reeder's research for the Wasatch & Jordan Valley Railway

Salt Lake & Alta Railroad (1913-1917)

Little Cottonwood Transportation Co. (1916-1925) (including Alta Scenic Railway)

Granite For The Temple

When Alta's Cliffs Echoed The Sound Of Train Whistles -- An article by Larry James, from the Home Section of the August 27, 1967 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper.

Newspaper Research -- An album of newspaper clippings retained from researching the railroads and mines of Little Cottonwood canyon.

Little Cottonwood Images -- An album of images of the railroads and mines of Little Cottonwood canyon.

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