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‘The trail whispers’: Church historian joins Latter-day Saint youth on newly reopened 29-mile Wyoming pioneer trail

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‘The trail whispers’: Church historian joins Latter-day Saint youth on newly reopened 29-mile Wyoming pioneer trail


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has reopened a handcart trail for youth at its Wyoming Mormon Trail Historic Sites, allowing participants to pull handcarts along a 29-mile linear route that follows the original pioneer trail from Sixth Crossing over Rocky Ridge to Rock Creek Hollow.

After being halted due to the global pandemic and other logistical complications, this trail is available for the first time in a decade, said Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as Church historian and recorder and executive director of the Church History Department.

Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, speaks to youth during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder McKay noted that walking these Wyoming trails enables members to connect with their ancestors and Church history, gaining insight into the challenges faced by handcart pioneers.

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“This trail whispers,” he said. “There are those who have gone on before, and we listen to their stories, and we read their stories, and their testimony still reverberates in these sagebrush-covered hills.”

Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church Historian and Recorder, and his wife, Sister Jennifer McKay, walk with youth on a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, and his wife, Sister Jennifer McKay, walk with youth on a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder McKay and his wife, Sister Jennifer S. McKay, accompanied youth and leaders of the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake in walking the extended trail July 8-9.

“I know the potential that this place has for providing an amazing experience,” Elder McKay said. “And so when we were finally able to open the trail back up, I wanted to be here.”

A map shows the approximate locations of Sixth Crossing, Rocky Ridge and Rock Creek Hollow, historic locations that are part of the Church's Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites.
A map shows the approximate locations of Sixth Crossing, Rocky Ridge and Rock Creek Hollow, historic locations that are part of the Church’s Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites near Lander, Wyoming. | Church News graphic

What drove them

Sixth Crossing is where the Willie Handcart Company encountered the first rescue wagons at the Sweetwater River amid early winter conditions in 1856.

A short time later, the Willie company sheltered at Rock Creek Hollow after the difficult ascent of Rocky Ridge — one of the highest points of altitude (7,300 feet) along the Oregon, Mormon and California trails — during a severe snowstorm.

Latter-day Saint youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake climb the trail to Rocky Ridge during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Latter-day Saint youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake climb the trail to Rocky Ridge during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Sister McKay said walking the trail helps one better understand the pioneers’ faith and perspective.

“What drove the people to do what they did was their love for God and their willingness to follow a prophet, and that is what drives us. We love our Heavenly Father. We want to let God prevail,” she said. “You can feel and you can see God at work in the lives of His children.”

Youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake stand at a monument as part of a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake stand at a monument as part of a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The trek experience

Robert Goates, site president of the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites, encouraged stakes, wards and branches to bring their young women and men to have this “unique experience.”

“They can walk where their ancestors walked. They can see the landscape that they saw in the conditions in which they saw and experienced it,” Goates said. “This is sacred ground, but it becomes sacred for very personal reasons to those youth that feel the Spirit here, and feel a deeper relationship with their Savior.”

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Latter-day Saint youth participate in a pioneer dancing activity as part of a handcart trek near Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Latter-day Saint youth participate in a pioneer dancing activity as part of a handcart trek near Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Blake Hansen, a youth participant, said, “You can feel the spirit when you’re walking along these trails.”

Fellow trekker Lydia Burrows said: “I have a pioneer ancestor that came across in the Willie Handcart Company, and it’s been really cool to walk in his footsteps and to see and be in the places that he was. It makes me feel so much more connected and to realize that they went through really hard things. But through Jesus Christ, they made it.”

Added Brayden Calvin, “Trek has helped me draw closer to Christ by wanting to help others. I’ve been able to help with other people. So, like serving others, and then also just being able to turn to Him when things get hard.”

Latter-day Saint youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake participate in a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Latter-day Saint youth from the Hooper Utah Pioneer Trail Stake participate in a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

How to make a trek reservation

Members are welcomed and encouraged to have the trek experience at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites, said Benjamin Pykles, director of the Church History Department’s Historic Sites Division.

“You are walking where they walked and having as authentic an experience as you can get,” he said. “Trekking is still happening, and you have great experiences. We have this new route. It’s arduous, but it’s exciting.”

Handcart trek reservations for 2026 open in September. Information for how to request a trek reservation, along with itinerary options, planning resources, frequently asked questions and more are available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Standing center, Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, speaks to youth during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Standing center, Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, speaks to youth during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, speaks to youth during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, speaks to youth during a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
A view of the Sweetwater River near the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
A view of the Sweetwater River near the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Elder Charles Sypher and Sister Karen Sypher, senior missionaries serving at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites, speak to youth in July 2025.
Elder Charles Sypher and Sister Karen Sypher, senior missionaries serving at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites, speak to youth in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Right, Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, interacts with youth on a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025.
Right, Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder, interacts with youth on a pioneer trek at the Wyoming Mormon Trail Sites in July 2025. | Screenshot from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints



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Wyoming

6 Colorado, Wyoming hot springs worth the drive this winter

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6 Colorado, Wyoming hot springs worth the drive this winter


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  • Colorado and Wyoming offer numerous natural hot springs resorts for a winter getaway.
  • Locations range from a two-hour drive from Fort Collins to over 300 miles away.
  • Amenities vary by resort, including tropical atriums, geothermal caves and cold river plunges.

Weary of winter already?

Kick back in one of the many natural hot tubs our area has to offer.

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Colorado and Wyoming are sprinkled with natural hot springs, with various resorts each offering something different — think untouched natural scenery, tropical plant-laden atriums and cold riverside plunge pools.

Virtually dip your toes in with this list and see if any stick out to you for a future winter getaway.

Hot springs to visit in Colorado, Wyoming

Strawberry Park Hot Springs

Where: 44200 County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Need to relax? Head to Strawberry Park Hot Springs where you’ll find thermal mineral water pools surrounded by Steamboat Springs’ natural beauty.

The pools are open to both its day visitors — admission costs $20 per person for a two-hour reservation — and overnight lodgers. It also offers up massage options and aqua therapy in private pools.

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Located about 165 miles from Fort Collins, Strawberry Park Hot Springs is a roughly 3.5-hour drive away. From Nov. 1 through May 1, four-wheel drive with snow tires or chains are required to get to the hot springs. To avoid tough road conditions, Strawberry Park encourages contacting its shuttle partners to schedule drop off and pick up.

Pets, outside food, glass, alcohol and smoking are prohibited.

Minors are not permitted after dark, and clothing is optional after dark.

Hot Sulphur Springs

Where: 5609 Spring Road, Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado

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Soak your worries away at Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa. The resort — once used as a winter campground for Native Americans — is now home to 20 manmade pools supplied by a handful of natural hot springs that flow through the resort and into the Colorado River, according to its website. Located about 130 miles away, the springs are a roughly 3-hour drive from Fort Collins.

Its pools — which run from 98 to 112 degrees — are open yearround and welcome walk-ins. Adult day passes cost $30, senior day passes cost $23 and children’s passes (ages 4-11) cost $16. Towels and robes are also available for rent.

Pets (except trained service animals), outside food, glass containers, alcohol, smoking and vaping are prohibited.

Indian Hot Springs

Where: 302 Soda Creek Road, Idaho Springs, Colorado

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Located the closest to Fort Collins on this list, Indian Hot Springs is a quick two-hour jaunt down Interstates 25 and 70. Once there, you’ll find a large indoor mineral water swimming pool and tropical plant-strewn atrium as well as private baths, outdoor tubs and geothermal caves.

Regular admission to the indoor swimming pool costs $30 per person Monday through Thursday and $35 per person Friday through Sunday. Caves are open to visitors 18 years old and older and can be accessed for $35 per person Monday through Thursday and $40 per person Friday through Sunday. Prices are different when “summit pricing” is in effect. Check the calendar on the Indian Hot Springs website for those dates.

Private baths and outdoor tubs can be reserved for varying rates. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit the Indian Hot Springs website.

Glenwood Hot Springs Resort

Where: 415 E. 6th St., Glenwood Springs, Colorado

At more than 200 miles away, Glenwood Springs is a bit of a hike — but that hike comes with beautiful scenery and, of course, hot springs. Try its Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, a fixture since 1888 that offers up a collection of hot springs pools, including its historic Grand Pool, an athletic club and other amenities.

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Day passes range from $38 to $55 for adults and teenagers and $27 to $34 for children, with pricing varying based on off-peak and peak times. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit the resort website.

The Springs Resort

Where: 323 Hot Springs Blvd., Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Located more than 300 miles away in Pagosa Springs, The Springs Resort is a worthy weekend trip contender instead of a day drive. But despite its distance, it has plenty to offer — more than 50 hot springs pools, cold river plunges, a waterfall, steam grotto and more.

You can either stay at its resort or reserve a day pass to visit its pools, with general admission passes costing $69 for adults and $37 for children ages 3-12. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit the resort website.

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Hot Springs State Park

Where: 51 US Highway 20 North, Thermopolis, Wyoming

Colorado can’t have all the fun. While located quite a ways away — 350 miles from Fort Collins — Wyoming has some impressive natural hot springs of its own in Thermopolis’ Hot Springs State Park. There are three soaking pools and a free and open-to-the-public Wyoming State Bath House. The bath house is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12-5:30 p.m. Sundays in the winter. For more information, call 307-864-2176.

Want more Fort Collins development news? Subscribe to The Buzz, the Coloradoan’s weekly dive into local business, development, real estate and restaurant news.



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Cowgirls play at Minnesota on Sunday

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Cowgirls play at Minnesota on Sunday


LARAMIE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Cowgirls will return to action Sunday with their final non-conference game of the season when they travel to face Big Ten foe Minnesota on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.

Wyoming is coming off a 58-46 loss at Colorado on Dec. 7. Malene Pedersen and Henna Sandvik led the Cowgirls with 11 points each in the loss, while Kelly Walsh High School grad Logann Alvar also finished in double figures, with 10 points.

Madi Symons had a solid all-around game, grabbing a team-high five rebounds while also leading the way with four assists and blocking a pair of shots.

The Cowgirls recorded 12 assists on 18 made baskets against the Buffs and have assisted on better than 65% of their made field goals this season. Wyoming is averaging 14 assists per game in 2025-26, good for fourth in the Mountain West.

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Defensively, UW has been solid all season long. The Cowgirls enter Sunday ranking third in the league in opponent scoring, surrendering 57 points per game. Wyoming also allows just 38.6-percent shooting from the field overall and 24.8-percent from 3-point range. Both marks rank third-best in the conference.

Although she missed her first free throw of the season in the loss, Pedersen is still shooting 94% at the line. She is also shooting just under 55% from 3-point range this season, a mark that ranks third in the country.

Entering the week, Pedersen was the only Division 1 player in out of 466 qualified athletes who was shooting 90% or better from the free throw line and better than 50% from 3-point range. On the season, Pedersen is second in the MW with 17.1 points per game and shooting 52.5-percent from the floor. Her 2.13 3-pointers made per game are sixth in the league.

Through eight games this season, Alvar and Sandvik average 8.3 and 8.0 points per game, respectively.

Payton Muma leads the team with 23 assists and 13 steals. Symons, meanwhile, leads Wyoming averaging 4.5 rebounds per game while Lana Beslic’s 4.4 boards per game and 19 assists are both second on the squad.

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Opinion | Gratitude and hope for Wyoming

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Opinion | Gratitude and hope for Wyoming


This month, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a fitting time for reflection. Our focus turns toward family and community, and the changing weather causes us to slow down. It is a good time to take stock of the society around us. The Thanksgiving holiday naturally turns our minds to what we are grateful for — what already exists that we cherish. Christmas is a holiday of hope, focused on the promise of what is yet to come. With these holidays in mind, let us reflect on what parts of our state we are thankful for and hopeful about.

Perhaps the thing Wyomingites hold most dear is our heritage. Culturally, we are descended from pioneers and settlers — or from those who came before — and we take that frontier heritage to heart. We value independence, community and overcoming challenges. We are willing to endure hardship to build a life that we want, and we are closely attuned to the natural world and the benefits that it provides. Above all else, we know that our perch in this place is still precarious. These are perspectives that are hard to find elsewhere. They set us apart. By embracing these values, we create a society that fits our circumstances. These ideas would not fit in other places, but they fit here, and for that I am grateful. 

I am also thankful for the good stewardship of our forefathers. Wyoming is a harsh place and it’s challenging to thrive here. Most of our land is arid and inhospitable, our physical conditions are difficult, and we are remote from most modern conveniences and luxuries. With poor planning or shortsighted leadership, this place could easily fall into decline. 

Fortunately, we have been blessed with the opposite. The state’s early settlers understood the importance of building the infrastructure that would allow for growth. When it became clear that natural resources would power our economy, our leaders decided to set aside large portions of the state’s mineral revenue to support us in perpetuity. The easy decision — the short-sighted decision — would have been to spend those dollars on the needs of the day. They certainly could have built some nice things, and those projects would have been popular. They also would have been fleeting. Because of wise leadership and decisions that focused on the long-term, we all benefit from our state’s bounty.

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Just as we are grateful for the good decisions of the past, we should be hopeful for the future. Despite our state’s challenges, there are many good reasons to have hope. First, our state is full of opportunity. We have space, natural resources, and the ability to be nimble when it comes to building regulatory structures that can support new industries. Our people are hard-working and determined. We have existing expertise in manufacturing and mining that is missing in many other parts of the country. Our climate and location give Wyoming an advantage in attracting computing facilities to locate here. If we take advantage of the opportunities in front of us, Wyoming is poised to thrive, and that gives me hope.

I am also hopeful because there appears to be a growing consensus on the issues we face, which allows us to better meet these challenges. In surveys and conversations about Wyoming’s future, the challenges of economic diversification and talent retention quickly rise to the top. We recognize where our weaknesses are, which is a significant part of the battle. Once we agree on the problem, we can work to find solutions. 

Finding a fix is often an easier undertaking than identifying the problem itself. Already, drilling into these challenges has helped us recognize the underlying problems connected to affordable housing, livable spaces, health care access and education. Understanding how these fit together and how improvements in one area can lead to improvements in others puts us on a much more manageable path. It will still not be easy to overcome our hurdles, but the fact that we must wrestle with difficult problems is not unusual or unique. We have answered big questions before. Now that we have a growing consensus on what those problems are, I am far more hopeful about our ability to move forward.

In this holiday season, we should take the time to contemplate the world around us. Self-reflection is important. We should look both behind us and ahead of us, toward the past and gratitude and the future and hope. Our state gives us plenty to consider on both accounts.

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