Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)

Box Canyon

Photographed by Christopher Earle, March 8, 2012

1. Box Canyon Marker

Inscription. The old way variously known as Sonora, Colorado River or Southern Emigrant Trail and later as Butterfield Overland Mail Route traversed Box Canyon just east of here. January 19, 1847, the Mormon Battalion, under command of Lt-Col. Philip St G Cooke, using hand tools hewed a passage through the rocky walls of the narrow gorge for their wagons and opened the first road into Southern California.

Erected 1950 by San Diego County Board of Supervisors and the Historical Markers Committee. (Marker Number 472.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Butterfield Overland Mail, the California Historical Landmarks, and the Mormon Battalion series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1852.

Location. 33° 0.906′ N, 116° 26.568′ W. Marker is in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, in San Diego County. It is on Great Southern /Overland Stage Route of 1849 (County Route S2), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11982 County Route S2, Julian CA 92036, United States of America.

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Regionally, this marker is in California’s Peninsular Ranges.

It is also on the American Pacific Coast.

Globally, it is in North America,

on the Ring of Fire,

in the Pacific Rim,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain

and also Mexico’s Alta California.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Butterfield Overland Mail Route (approx. 2.7 miles away); Morteros Memories (approx. 3.8 miles away); Pictographs (approx. 4.8 miles away); Pedro Fages Trail (approx. 6 miles away); Vallecito-Butterfield Stage Station (approx. 6 miles away); Vallecito Stage Station (approx. 6 miles away); San Felipe (approx. 6½ miles away); Location, Location, Location (approx. 8.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Photographed by Adam Margolis, September 26, 2021

2. Box Canyon Marker

Photographed by Michael Kindig, May 18, 2008

3. Box Canyon Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 13, 2012, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. This page has been viewed 2,825 times since then and 121 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 29, 2017, by Christopher Earle of Olympia, Washington. 2. submitted on February 16, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 3. submitted on January 13, 2012, by Michael Kindig of Elk Grove, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.