A rider in a red vest on a horse in a grassy patch surrounded by sagebrush with clouds in the sky.
A National Pony Express Association rider poses at Simpson Springs in Utah. NPS photo

Pony Express National Historic Trail

Federal Recreation Area · California · National Park Service

It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking · Horseback Riding

Know before you go

Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

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Things to do

Highlights: Archeology · Ruins · Arts · Photography · Explorers and Expeditions · Monuments and Memorials · Westward Expansion · Trails

Activities & features: Auto and ATV · Scenic Driving · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Auto · Horse Trekking · Living History · Reenactments · Junior Ranger Program · Museum Exhibits

Photos

  • A tall rock buttress with a cleft in the center sits behind a sagebrush covered valley.
    NPS photo
  • A footbridge leads to a dark steel silhouette of a Pony Express rider.
    NPS photo
  • A tall obelisk monument with bronze plaques sits on a paved pathway in front of a building.
    NPS photo
  • A large brick historic stable.
    NPS Photo

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Sources: National Park Service · updated 2026-08-12