The Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) was an early attempt to connect Salt Lake City with Los Angeles, and is Nevada State Historic Marker 168 located in Valley of Fire State Park, Clark County, Nevada.
A rough road was built through this area in 1912 as part of the Arrowhead Trail, connecting Salt Lake City with Los Angeles. This road allowed people to travel through what became known as Valley of Fire. In the 1920s the name was coined by an AAA official traveling through the park at sunset. This person purportedly said that the entire valley looked like it was on fire; hence the name.
Nevada State Historical Markers identify significant places of interest in Nevada’s history. The Nevada State Legislature started the program in 1967 to bring the state’s heritage to the public’s attention with on-site markers. These roadside markers bring attention to the places, people, and events that make up Nevada’s heritage. They are as diverse as the counties they are located within and range from the typical mining boom and bust town to the largest and most accessible petroglyph sites in Northern Nevada Budget cuts to the program caused the program to become dormant in 2009. Many of the markers are lost or damaged.
Nevada State Historic Marker Text
Las Vegas promoters claimed to be the originators of this all-weather route between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. From the beginning, the Arrowhead Trail was a “grass roots” effort, including promotion by various chambers of commerce and volunteer construction by local citizens. However, it was Charles H. Bigelow, from Los Angeles, who gave the trail publicity. Between 1915 & 1916, he drove the entire route many times in the twin-six Packard he named “Cactus Kate.”
The trail, which extends near here, was built in 1915 and completed the section between St. Thomas and Las Vegas. In its day it denoted a milestone of progress.
STATE HISTORICAL MARKER No. 168
STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
Nevada State Historic Marker Summary
| Name | Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) |
| Location | Valley of Fire, Clark County, Nevada |
| Latitude, Longitude | 36.4261, -114.4628 |
| Nevada State Historic Marker Number | 168 |
Nevada State Historic Marker Trail Map
The Arrowhead Trail (1914-1924) state historic marker is along highway 168 in the valley of fire near Elephant Rock.