In late July, 1776, the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition started out from Santa Fe, New Mexico to find a route to Monterey, California. There were ten men in the group, with Father Silvestre Velez Escalante and Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez as co-leaders. Along the way to Monterey they were also to explore the possibilities of trade and establish new missions among the Native Americans they came across. Maybe 10 weeks after departing Santa Fe, they had made it almost as far as Thermo Hot Springs in Utah when they were stopped by a blizzard (in early October). Supplies were short, they were pretty burned out on the adventure, they cast lots to make a decision as to whether to continue on to Monterey or return to Santa Fe. The lots decided and they turned around and went back to Santa Fe.

The Dominguez-Escalante Trail is a marked National Historic Trail. Thermo Hot Springs is about 30 miles northwest of Cedar City. Take Highways 56 and 253 west from Cedar City to the intersection with Highway 19. Turn north on Highway 19 and go to Lund. In Lund, turn right at the railroad tracks and follow that road to the sign for "Thermo Hot Springs." Another method of getting there is to find the marked trail just out of Cedar City and walk the 25 miles...

At the Interstate 15 rest area south of Kanaraville there's interpretive signage regarding the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition, with maps of their journey and points of interest along the way.