Squaw Peak Overlook

Things to do in Provo Utah

Squaw Peak has a name change.

In 2017, ​Provo Mayor John Curtis announced at the Provo Women’s Day Lecture Series in March that his department is in the beginning stages of changing the name of the Provo peak because “squaw” is a derogatory term for Native American women. BYU Universe

​The Federal Government determined in 2022 that “Squaw” is offensive to Native Women and ordered all federal sites using the name to immediately change the names. Over 50 Sites in Utah were renamed. KSL News

Squaw Peak Overlook

Kyhv is a Ute word meaning “mountain”

​Exit from Provo Canyon shortly after the mouth of the canyon.

The first men­tion of Rock Canyon in local his­tory is related to the dif­fi­cult time the early set­tlers of Fort Utah had with the Ute Indi­ans. The Utes were under­stand­ably dis­turbed by the pio­neers tak­ing over their val­ley. The dis­putes peaked in 1850 when a bat­tle broke out along the Provo River between approx­i­mately 70 Indi­ans, led by Big Elk, and a mili­tia of Mor­mon men. For sev­eral days the bat­tle con­tin­ued until one evening the Indi­ans, many of whom were wounded, took flight. In their escape they split into two groups; one headed south toward Span­ish Fork, and the other smaller group went toward Rock Canyon. Big ElkUte Indi­ans headed the Rock Canyon group; how­ever, he was severely wounded and died near the mouth of the canyon. As a por­tion of the mili­tia approached Rock Canyon in pur­suit of the Indi­ans, it is rumored that Big Elk’s squaw attempted to climb the cliffs, but fell and was killed. Squaw Peak, near the mouth of the canyon, was named for the incident. rockcanyonutah.com

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