Clover Creek Guest House
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The Pony Express Trail: Ride Utah's West Desert History from Rush Valley

Rush Valley isn't just close to the Pony Express Trail — it was part of it. Faust Station, the first home station west of Salt Lake City for Pony Express riders, once stood right here in Rush Valley, run by stationkeeper Henry Faust. Today, the Pony Express National Historic Trail Backcountry Byway retraces roughly 133 miles of the original 1860–61 route across Utah's West Desert, from Fairfield to Ibapah.

What to Expect

  • A maintained BLM gravel road following the historic route, with 14 marked station sites and interpretive signage along the way.
  • Simpson Springs, one of the best-preserved stops, with a reconstructed station building and a year-round BLM campground.
  • A landscape that's changed remarkably little since 1860 — open range, distant mountains, and a real sense of how isolated this route once was.
  • Overlap with the Onaqui wild horse herd, often visible right along the byway (see our wild horse guide).

Tips for Driving It

  • This is a high-clearance, gravel-road trip — a standard sedan can usually manage it in dry weather, but conditions change fast after rain or snow.
  • Fill up on gas and water before you go; there are no services along most of the route.
  • Cell coverage is unreliable to nonexistent — bring a paper map or downloaded offline maps.
  • Combine it with a stop at Camp Floyd State Park in Fairfield, a restored 1858 army post and former Pony Express station (see our BYU & Provo guide for a route that passes nearby).

How Far Is It From Clover Creek Guest House

The trail effectively starts at Rush Valley's doorstep — Faust Station's original site is just down the road, and Simpson Springs is about 25 miles away, roughly a 45-minute drive on the byway.

Why Stay at Clover Creek

You won't find a closer base for exploring the Pony Express Trail than Clover Creek Guest House — a working-farm cottage in the same valley the route ran through, with a comfortable bed and full kitchen waiting after a dusty day on the byway.

Read our FAQ for trip-planning tips, or check availability for your stay.