Many early settlers of Bicknell had small herds of cattle or sheep. Initially, because there was ample grazing in the valley, fencing was nonexistent and community herds and grounds were common. As numbers grew, it became necessary to construct fences and to graze livestock on surrounding mountains and deserts. Later, farming became a means of providing additional feed for livestock, but short growing seasons have always made farming difficult. Transporting cattle to market was difficult for early settlers. Until roads were built in the 1930s, stock was driven to railroads in Nephi and Green River and later to a branch line in Sevier County. Today, the ranching industry is made up of many family operations. Although cattle management is becoming more mechanized, a man on horseback will never be replaced in the rough, rocky canyons and mountains of this area. In Bicknell, cowboys are still cowboys, and horses are their most important tool.