The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) encompasses a vast region that covers nearly two million acres in southern Utah. The lifeblood of the GSENM is the Escalante River, a major tributary of the mighty Colorado River. As it meanders towards Lake Powell, the Escalante has carved a maze of narrow side canyons known as the Escalante Canyons. Even today, this area remains one of the most remote regions in the continental United States.
I included a brief summary of the following story in my 2018 guidebook, Utah Canyon Country: 20 Must-See Sites and Short Hikes. But recently, I read more about the incident and decided to publish a more complete version of the story here on this blog.
A Friendship Gone Wrong
The Escalante area was first settled in the late 1800s by Anglo-Americans drawn to the area by the abundant grazing land. But living in such a remote region makes for a tough existence of isolation, and a life of hardship can make tempers run hot.
In the 1870s, neighbors John Boynton and Washington Phipps ran cattle in the section of Escalante Canyons now known as Phipps Death Hollow. For perspective, this location is roughly the area near the present-day Escalante River trailhead on Scenic Byway 12.
Boynton and Phipps started out as friends and neighbors, and they even did business together. But sources say that Phipps had a cruel habit of making jokes at Boynton’s expense. Eventually, Boynton’s patience wore thin and the friendship began to sour. The growing tensions prompted them to move about a mile apart to create some space.
Unfortunately, the separation didn’t save the friendship, and the two men became full-fledged foes. According to some accounts, they fought over a woman. Other reports say things went downhill after they argued about Boynton’s cattle continuously wandering onto Phipps’ property.
The situation deteriorated, and Boynton claimed that Phipps threatened to beat him with a club. Boynton warned him that if he didn’t back off, he would shoot him. But Phipps kept it up, and Boynton was a man of his word. On November 30, 1878, he perched himself on the edge of a cave high in the canyon and shot the unsuspecting Phipps dead.
Did Boynton Pay for His Crime?
History often has many different “versions,” and this tale is no different. Most accounts agree that after he killed Phipps, Boynton promptly went and turned himself in to the Sheriff of Parowan (the county seat). But what happened afterwards is where the stories diverge. Some reports say that on December 9, a hearing was held at Parowan (about 115 miles from Escalante). The judge ordered Boynton to be taken into custody until the next session of the Grand Jury, which would take place in March.
Other accounts say that after Boynton turned himself in, the authorities gave him $10 to make the trip to Parowan by horseback to see the judge there. Boynton did indeed leave on horseback, but he never showed up in Parowan to face the judge.
Yet another version of the story says that Boynton did actually have a trial in Parowan in March, and the court discharged him and allowed him to go free. Regardless of which version is the truth, Boynton was never heard from again. Records show that he died in New York City about 30 years later, possibly never having faced a jury.
Both men now live on in infamy in the Escalante Canyons. The Boynton Overlook commemorates John Boynton, and a wash, an arch, and a pasture all bear the Phipps name. Phipps Arch is a popular trail near Escalante, so now you’ll know where the name came from.
Escalante Natural Bridge Trail
If you want to experience the scene of the crime firsthand, take the two-mile hike to Escalante Natural Bridge. At 130 feet high, it’s quite an impressive chunk of sandstone and well worth the hike. The first half mile or so of the trail traverses part of the pasture area where Boynton and Phipps ran their cattle. Take a moment to look up into the alcoves high in the canyon walls. Somewhere up there, almost 150 years ago, John Boynton got the last word.
Directions: From Escalante, head north on Scenic Byway 12 for about 14 miles. Immediately after crossing the bridge over the Escalante River, turn left into a small parking area. Next to the trail register, a short path leads to the river, where you’ll need to ford the stream. The bottom can be rocky and slippery, so a hiking pole or a stick is a good idea for balance. The other four river crossings on the way to the bridge are easier, with a mostly sandy bottom. (Note that during spring runoff, water levels may make crossing the river unsafe.)
On your way to the trailhead, stop at the Boynton Overlook, which will give you a panoramic view of the Escalante Canyons and the area where the shooting occurred. Because Scenic Byway 12 obviously did not exist back then, the place where the trailhead and parking area are now located was part of one big continuous pasture.
Note: My main source for the historic information in this story was the book The Escalante Story by Nethella Woolsey.
All Images and text ©Laurie J. Schmidt, All Rights Reserved
