Segments of old Indian trails between St. George and Long Valley became the route Mormon pioneers used to settle Long Valley in 1864 and to resettle it in 1871 after Indian conflicts. Just east of present-day Colorado City, Arizona, the trail divided, with the Elephant Trail taking a northeasterly route and the alternate Cottonwood Canyon-Sand Ridge trail going more easterly before rejoining the Elephant Trail after its descent into Parunuweap Canyon and Long Valley. About 85 miles long, this desert route crossed deep sand, sandstone ledges, and lava faults and served as the primary transportation route for mail and heavy freight for half a century. Loaded wagons pulled by horse or ox teams took four days to cover the distance.