Place Names
Territories
The following list of place-names was accumulated over many years. Many of the Paiute names for the Indian Peak and Cedar City area were given to me by Carl Jake. Most of the names for Wayne, Sevier, and other central Utah counties were given to me by Jimmy Timmican from Wayne County, Utah. Both of these informants were born in the last century and were well informed on such names.
In reading the following Paiute names it should be remembered that Indian languages have many idioms not found in English. If you remember the meaning of the following words, it will be easier to understand some of the place names. The word kawduhd means sitting and can refer to anything stationary like a mountain, hill or lake. The word awveech means lying and refers to a ridge, long hill or long mountain. The words suhpeech, tsuhpeech and chuhpeech mean coming out and are used to denote a spring. Rivers and creeks are often denoted by the word nookweech, or nookweent, meaning flowing or running.
Southern Paiute Place Names
~ Utah ~
UTAH
BEAVER COUNTY
FRISCO PEAK This peak is located in the San Francisco Mountains west of Milford Utah. The name is Toovu' Kawduhd signifying Pinenuts Sitting or Pinenuts Mountain.
COUNTY
BRYCE CANYON Awvo'uv Cliffs in a Semi-Circular Amphitheater Shape. This name also applies to the area where the town of Tropic, Utah, is located.
ESCALANTE The Indian name is Tuhduvai Desert.
MOUNT DUTTON AND THE SEVIER PLATEAU Wunu Kaiv Arrowhead Mountain?
PANGUITCH From the Paiute word pahguh'uts or the Goshute word pawngweets, both
meaning fish.
GRAND COUNTY
MOAB From the word moouv meaning mosquito.
IRON COUNTY
ANTELOPE PEAK This is the peak jutting out of the Antelope Range west of Cedar City, Utah. It is about five miles south of Table Butte. This hill is called puhyuh kawduhtseech Heart Sitting.
ANTELOPE RANGE This mountain was identified as the one south of Table Mountain (kawduhd). This mountain is called Yoonu Kaiv Lava Mountain also Yoonu Kawduhd Lava Sitting.
BLACK MOUNTAIN This is the mountain south of Wood's Ranch in Cedar Canyon east of Cedar City, Utah. The Paiute name is Seu Kweechoount Aspen Peak.
BLUE KNOLLS SPRING The Paiute name is Tookoo Vaw Tookoov's Water. Tookoov is a supernatural being or spirit. This spring is in the Blue Knolls about ten miles northeast of Lund, Utah. Carl Jake of Indian Peak gives the following information: "Tookoov used to drink water at the warm springs by the blue knoll northeast of Lund, Utah as he was traveling across the valley from east to west and vice-versa. This place is called Tookoo' Yaw."
Carl Jake, Indian Peak said that "The Paiutes used to camp at the west foot of a butte west of Iron Springs on their way to Indian peak to get pinenuts. There is a spring here. It was one days journey from Cedar to this butte." I assume that this campsite was at Blue Knolls Spring. Carl didn't name the butte. He also said that the Paiutes would camp at Sulphur Springs. This is the spring with the lone lombardi popular by it about a mile northwest of Lund.
BLUE MOUNTAIN This is the mountain range about eleven miles north of Lund, Utah. The name is Tawgoo' Kawduhd Thirsty Sitting. This is an appropriate name; the maps show no springs on this mountain.
BRIAN HEAD The Indian name is Too' Kweechoovunt Black Peak.
CEDAR BREAKS The name of Cedar Breaks is Ungkaw Pekonump Red Cove. The name comes from the words ungkaw red and peko'uv circular corner or cove.
CEDAR CANYON The Paiute name for the canyon east of Cedar City is Awvaw'u
Weep Shady Canyon.
CEDAR CITY The area where Cedar City is now situated was called Wawai' Yoowawv
Cedar Flat. The Paiutes pronounced the word Cedar as Suhdu' (English, Cedar).
CEDAR MOUNTAIN The mountain east of Cedar City with the "C" on it, was referred to as Peow Kaiv Big Mountain. However, the entire mountain range east of Cedar City is often locally referred to by the whites as "Cedar Mountain."
COAL CREEK The Paiute name is Too'yoo Weep Black Canyon.
CROSS HOLLOW HILLS The hill on the southwest side of Cedar City is locally known as Leigh Hill. The Paiute name is Wawu' Kawduhd Cedar Tree Sitting.
EIGHT MILE SPRINGS This is the water just north of Quichapa Lake. The only water shown on the map is Eight Mile Springs. I assume this is the location of this name. This water could be located by tasting it as it is supposed to taste rotten. This water is called Pawmpee'ke Pah signifying Rotten Water.
ENOCH The spring at Enoch is called Pavuhts Spring. Carl Jake said there is an old Paiute campsite at Enoch that has now been plowed up.
ESCALANTE DESERT This large expanse of desert north of Beryl, Utah is called Ungwawno Yoowawv Wide Plain.
FIDDLER'S CANYON The Paiute Indian name is Tuhmpee' Awvoouv Rocky
Amphitheater.
GRANITE MOUNTAIN The mountain south of Iron Springs is called Mawko Awveech
Rough Lying.
GREEN LAKE This little lake on the west side of the mountain southeast of Cedar City is
called Paingup'ee Kawneev Water Babies House.
INDIAN PEAK The Indian name is Moohoo'uv Kwee'choovunt meaning Spirit or
Heart Peak. Sometimes it is just referred to as Kwee'choovunt. The old Paiute campsite is about one-quarter of a mile east-southeast of the twentieth century village site that was torn down by the Utah Fish and Game when they took over Indian Peak.
IRON SPRINGS The Paiute name is Pawnaw'oogeep Water Passage Between
Hills.
KANNARAVILLE From the word kanaw'duh or kanaw'duhts willow.
LITTLE CREEK PEAK This peak northeast of Parowan, Utah, is called Kwee'choovunt Peak.
LITTLE CREEK This is the canyon northeast of Paragoonah, Utah. The Paiute name is
Wuhhuhm'pee Ooweeng'w Vagina Canyon. This canyon received its name from a rock at the mouth of the canyon that has many vagina symbols pecked in it (see the story, "Little Creek Canyon," in Lifeways of the Old Ones in this website).
MEADOW SPRING WASH The Paiute name is Tono Weep Greasewood Wash. This wash is between Lund and Indian Peak, Utah.
MEADOW SPRING This spring is located northwest of Polliwog Spring and is called Pawkum Pah Reed Water.
MOUNTAIN HOME This is the mountain north of Indian Peak. The Paiute name is Chongkwaw Kawduhd Rough Sitting.
MOUNTAIN SPRING PEAK This peak is called Wuntsee' Kawduhd Antelope Sitting. This very noticeable peak is located on the north side of the Pine Valley road going west from Lund, Utah.
MOUNTAIN SPRING This spring is located west of Lund and about one-half mile north of Mountain Spring Peak. It is called Pontsee' Pah Quartzite Water. Paiutes from Cedar City used to camp here on their second day from Cedar as they were going to Indian Peak to gather pine nuts.
PARAGOONAH This location was called Pesu Vawduhgoon Small? Water Up and
Paw Doo'kooee meaning Water Coming Up. This name has beenAnglicized to Paragoonah.
PAROWAN Correctly pronounced Paw doo'gwuntuh meaning Water Fighter. This name comes from the words pah, water and too-ookunt fighter. The word fight is the same word as used for Apache (Too-oo'kunt) which can be extended to mean ill tempered. Tony Tillahash, Kaibab explained to Sapir that this water was "So named because it's water rises on the approach of a person to fight him, drag him in, and drown him," (Sapir 1930, p. 597). A different informant states that the original name of the site where Parowan now stands is kawmp' pahdee meaning flint water. Clifford Jake, Indian Peak.
PINE VALLEY This valley east of Indian Peak is called Wawu' Muhuv Cedar Tree Pass.
POLLIWOG SPRING This spring is the first spring northwest of Mountain Spring. It is called Pahdo 'kwaw Vawts Rainbow Water.
POTSUMPAH SPRING The spring south of Mountain Home is called Pontsee' Pah Quartzite Water. It is named after the quartzite outcrop located there.
QUICHAPA Kwee'chu Pah is the Paiute name for this lake. The name comes from the words kweechup dung and pah water. This large muddy, and often dry lake, is situated in the valley just west of Hamilton's Fort, Utah.
RED HILL This hill just east of Cedar City is called Ungkaw' Kaiv Red Hill, also Ungkaw Awveech Red lying. On the USGS map it is shown as The Red Hill.
RUSH LAKE The Indian name is Pahdoo'puts meaning Sinking Water. There is an old Paiute camp in the cove east of the Rush Lake farm. Pottery shards were seen there.
RUSH LAKE FLAT AND CEDAR VALLEY The valley west of Cedar City and around Rush Lake, Utah, was called Wuhsuh'goont or Wuhsuh'goom. The tentative meaning is either an unidentified plant or the fine stickers found on a cactus.
SHEEP SPRINGS This spring is located south of Indian Peak and is called Awvoo'uv Circular Cliffs or Amphitheater.
SHIRK'S CANYON The Indian name for the slope of the mountain just east of Hamilton Fort was called Kai'shuhduhts' Red Birch. The nearby town of Hamilton Fort was also referred to by this name. An area in the mountains near Shirk's Canyon is called Kweyuhuntu Kahn Bear's House. Clifford Jake, Indian Peak.
SQUARE MOUNTAIN This is the mountain that juts out from Cedar Mountain just
southeast of Cedar City. The name is Sechu'hunt (a plant with edible seeds).
STEAMBOAT MOUNTAIN This is the big square mountain south of Indian Peak in the
same range. This mountain is called Awsee' Kawduhd Gray Sitting.
SUMMIT, UTAH The area, where this town now resides, was called Sawngwud'uh
Sagebrush.
TABLE BUTTE This is the butte north of Antelope Springs west of Cedar City. This
butte is called Kawduhd sitting.
THE KNOLL This is the hill directly north of Cedar City, within the city limits, and
shown on the Cedar City Quad map as "The Knoll." It is just south of mile post 4. There is a historical marker on the west side of this hill telling of the first settlement of pioneers camping in the cove here November 11, 1851. The name is O-aw Kawduhtseech Little Yellow Sitting.
THE THREE PEAKS The three peaks north of Iron Springs are called Waw'ugunt Range of Peaks. This is not Three Peaks that lies to the west with a similar name.
UNNAMED CANYON This is a canyon leading north from the old Indian village at Indian Peak. It is probably a side canyon to Indian Creek. Martineau was shown this canyon in the 1950s but since then couldn't identify it accurately. He only include what he wrote in his notes at the time. This canyon is called Eyawkon Ooweeng'w Afraid Canyon.
UNNAMED CREEK This is the first creek south of Indian Creek at Indian Peak, Utah. This creek is called Sawgaw' Ooweep Narrowleaf Cottonwood Canyon.
UNNAMED HILL This hill is the white hill just northeast of The Red Hill east of Cedar City. There is a small ridge behind the larger red hill and a larger gray one further northeast. This name could almost apply to any of them. The Indian name is Awsee'Awveech Gray Lying.
UNNAMED SPRING This spring on the west side of Indian Peak is called O-aw' Vaw
Salt Water. This spring was not located but there are two springs west of Indian Peak that are unnamed on current maps plus a spring by the name of Willow Spring. It would be easy to identify this spring by finding the one with the salty taste.
JUAB COUNTY
IBAPAH From the Goshute words awveem gray and pah water. The Paiute word
would be similar, Oaveem' Pah Whitish Earth Paint Water.
MOUNT NEBO The Indian name is Paaw' Kawduhd Tall Sitting.
KANE COUNTY
DUCK CREEK The Indian name is Chuhgunt'u Kweent Duck Flowing. This is
probably a modern name after the name the anglos have given it.
KAIPAROWITS This name comes from the Paiute words for mountain and son.
KANAB From the word kanuv, or kanaw'duhts willow.
MAMMOTH CREEK The Paiute name is Pa-whay'oomp.
NAVAJO LAKE The present Paiute name is Pu-hawng'way Evu Kawduhd Navajo-
There-Water.
PARIA This name comes from the Paiute word pawtuh'ee elk.
SKUTUMPAH Skutumpah Canyon is a tributary to Johnson Canyon east of Kanab,
Utah. The name means Rabbit Brush Water from the words skoomp rabbit
brush and pah water.
WAHWEEP O-aw Ooweep Yellow Canyon.
MILLARD COUNTY
COVE FORT The Indian name is Nawhoo'kwee Kahn War House.
KANOSH The word Kanosh comes from kawnaw'os willow jug. This is a basket-type water jug made from split willows and covered with pitch.
SAND RIDGE This large sandy area is about 14 miles straight west of Meadow, Utah, and about two miles northwest of the Hole in the Rock Reservoir. It is a favorite habitat for jackrabbits. It is shown as Sand Ridge on the 1968 USGS Sand Ridge Quad Map. This location is called Sewung' Kawm Jackrabbit Sand.
SEVIER LAKE The name is Uhvuh' Pah Bad Water.
UNNAMED HILL This hill is the southernmost small volcanic outcrop south of Black Rock Volcano, 3.7 miles west southwest of Kanosh, Utah. This site consists of three small connected knobs within three quarters of a mile from old highway 91. The Indian name is Unoo'peets Kahn Ghost's House. The name comes from the fact that many Indians who go to this area have strange feelings that suggest the presence of ghosts.
UNNAMED SPRINGS These springs probably have an English name but they don't show on the 1973 Cruz, Utah, USGS Quad. These springs are located on the south line of Section 4 which straddles Townships 24 and 23 S., Range 9 W, of the above-named map. These springs are about one mile east of the Cudahy Mine. The springs are called Wuntsee' Vahts Antelope Water.
WAH WAH From the word wawv'w a tall wild seed bearing grass that grew there. This grass is either wild rye or wheatgrass.
PIUTE COUNTY
ANGLE Sakhwaw Kawduhd Green sitting.
CEDAR GROVE This is the grove of trees on Parker Mountain shown on the USGS map
as Cedar Grove. The Indian name is Pa-waw Topuhneench. The meaning seems to be
Red Cedar Grove.
CIRCLEVILLE VALLEY This valley was called Toogoov'. Jimmy Timmicanm Koosharem gave this name saying it meant, "Some kind of sand." He wasn't too good at English. Years later, his daughter, not knowing the actual name, said the word sounded as if it meant "swampy" to her, referring to the wetlands along the Sevier River.
GREENWICH CREEK This creek is called Toanko'muneench and refers to the chokecherries that grew along the creek.
MOUNT DELANO The Indian name is Tuh'du Kawduhd Barren Sitting referring to
the lack of growth on its top.
MOUNTAINOUS AREA BETWEEN MARYSVALE PEAK AND LANGDON MOUNTAIN This is the area drained by Box Creek and its south fork west of Greenwich, Utah. This mountain is called Kwawsuhmp'oa Nouv Dress Carried Up. This name refers to a time when a woman's dress flew up as she was riding horseback up over this mountain on the trail to the Marysvale area.
PARKER MOUNTAIN The Indian name for the general area is Wuntsee' Kaiv Antelope
Mountain.
PINE PEAKS ON PARKER MOUNTAIN The crests of Pine Peaks, that are covered with trees, are called Pawhon' Tuhkawv.
SPRING IN GREENWICH CREEK This spring is located on the old Koosharem Indian Reservation south of Koosharem, Utah. The spring is called Kweu' Suhpeetch
Gamble Oak Spring.
SPRING ON PINE PEAKS This spring isn't shown on USGS maps. The Paiute name
is Wuntsee' Vaw Antelope Water.
TUSHAR MOUNTAINS The word Tushar comes from the Paiute name Tosaw' Kahduhd White Sitting. This name is derived from the fact that its top is covered with snow for a long time during the year.
UNNAMED HILL This is a small hill at the base of the mountain between the old Koosharem Indian Reservation and Greenwich, Utah. It stands out in color from the rest of the mountain slope. It is called Ungkawseu Kawduh'tseech. Kawduh'tseech means small hill; ungkaw means red, and I was unable to determine the meaning of seu'. This word might mean aspen but from the distance observing this hill, and from its elevation near the base of the mountain, it did not appear that aspens grew there.
SAN PETE COUNTY
MUSINIA PEAK This is the highest peak east of Gunnison, Utah, Township 20 S, Range 3 E, Section 28, Woods Lake USGS Map. It is bald with no trees on top of it. This peak is called Moo-oon' Totseets Owl's Head. Tom Amnisky (Tom Mix), a Paiute from the Escalante Band, said that this peak once had an owl's head on it that broke off and rolled down the mountain.
SAN PETE This name isn't of English or Spanish derivation. It comes from the word Sawmpeets' Tule. This is the name of the Indian band that lived in this area.
SEVIER COUNTY
BOOBE HOLE MOUNTAIN The Indian name for this mountain is Whechuhn'u Moouv'ee Kaiv Wild Potato Pass Mountain.
BOWERY CREEK The Indian name of this creek at Fish Lake is Kawnun' Nungkots Willow Leaves. Paiutes used to hold their Sun Dances here in the Bowery Creek Campground just northwest of the old sawmill.
BRIM HALL SPRING This is the spring on Peterson Creek a little over a mile off highway 24 that leads from Sigurd to Fish Lake, Utah. This spring is on the west side of the graveled road that leads through Bear Valley to Burrville, Utah. It is called Neyoho Pahts Intercourse Water. Indians camped on the mesa above the spring.
BULL CLAIM HILL This is the big volcanic hill northeast of Annabella, Utah. It is called Too' Awveech Black Lying.
CLEAR CREEK CANYON The Indian name of this canyon is Pahhum' Pah Reed Water (Phragmites).
CRATER LAKES These are the dry lakes south of Fish Lake. The Indian name is
Ungko 'kwaw Kawduhd. This name refers to a certain type of grass that grew there.
DANIEL'S PASS Daniel's pass north of Fish Lake was referred to by the Indians as
Whechuhn'u Moouv Wild Potato Pass.
DOCTOR CREEK This is the first creek encountered as one approaches Fish Lake from the south. The Indian name is Nahmuh Nungwu Kawtsoo'uts First-Indian-Edge. In English the name sounds better worded as the Edge of the First Indians, or Boundary of the First Indians. This name comes from the fact that this camp was the first one encountered and somewhat marked the southern boundary, or edge of the camps at Fish Lake. (See map under Fish Lake.)
FISH LAKE HIGHTOP PLATEAU The Paiute name for this mountain is Yungum Pah Kaivu Awveen Woodchuck Water Mountain Lying.
FISH LAKE The Paiute name is Pahkuh'u Vaw Fish Water. There are several old Paiute campgrounds around Fish Lake. One campsite is on the east side of the valley north-northeast of Fish Lake; Paiute pottery was seen there. Jimmy Timmican, Koosharem showed Martineau another old campsite in about 1958. It is in a clearing below the tree line about 1.0 miles north of Jorgenson Creek.
There is a deed in the courthouse at Loa, Utah, dated March 1, 1889, showing that the Paiutes sold all their rights to Fish Lake for "Nine horses, 500 lbs. of flour, 1 good beef stear, and 1 suit of clothes."
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FORD NEAR ANNABELLA BRIDGE This crossing was called Ungkaw' Pahdov Buffalo Berry Ford. There are many red buffalo berries all along the river in this area. These abundant red berries are called ungkawp and are the source of this name. I didn't determine which of the two Annabella bridges the ford was near. Florence Kanosh, Koosharem says that "A long time ago the entire valley near Richfield was very swampy and difficult to cross. The ford near Annabella was one of the only ways across."
FRYING PAN CREEK This creek shows no name on the Fish Lake USGS Quad but it is locally called Frying Pan Creek. It is the creek that flows down off the mountain immediately south of the Frying Pan Campground and flows a short distance into Lake Creek that drains Fish Lake. The Indian name is Kawnu Suhpeech Willow Spring. There is an abundance of willows along the short course of this creek.
GLENWOOD MOUNTAIN This is the large mountain southeast of Richfield. It was called Mo-oo Goovaiu Owl's Face. This name comes from the fact that when there is the right amount of snow on the face of this mountain you can make out the outline of an owl's face on the slope facing Richfield.
JORGENSON CREEK This creek at Fish Lake is called O'tokots Black Bed. The bed of this creek looks very black due to the soil and rocks the water runs over, thus suggesting its name. The name is a Paiute idiom, using the word bed as the nearest explanation in English, to interpret this name. The Paiutes camped by this creek. Pottery shards were seen here. See map under Fish Lake.
KOOSHAREM From the word Koosaw'duhmp which is the name of a wild clover growing in that area.
MOUNT MARVINE The Indian name of this mountain just north of Fish Lake is Pahguh'u Kwawseev. This name means Fish Tail because the mountain is in the shape of a fish's tail.
PARADISE VALLEY LAKE This lake is on the road from Fremont to Emery, Utah. The name of this lake is Moasuhm' Pah Hawduhd. These words mean Glassy Eyed Water Sitting, or Glassy Eyed Lake. See the story "The Arapaho at Paradise Valley Lake" in War-Historical Accounts in this website on how this lake acquired its name.
PASS ON MYTOGE MOUNTAIN EAST OF FISH LAKE This is the pass located in the northeast quarter of Section 29, Township 26 S, Range 2 E. The Indian name is Tawsee'un Toam Poats Early Morning Winter Trail. This is the time of morning when the Morning Star appears. Jimmy Timmican, Koosharem.
This pass might have derived its name because early in the morning in the winter the lake was frozen sufficient to allow the Indians to cross the lake to Rabbit Valley. They couldn't do this in the summer or on milder winter days. It served as a winter shortcut so that the Indians wouldn't have to go around the lake. See map under Fish Lake.
PRAETOR CANYON This is the canyon on the east side of the valley due east of the Koosharem Reservoir dam. This canyon is called Yoo-oo' Skuv'enuts Ooweeng'w Leg Cutoff Canyon. This name was applied at a time when an Indian had his leg cut off in this canyon.
REFLECTION SPRING This spring, on the north end of Fish Lake, is called Pahkwun'aw Vawts Frog Water.
ROCKY FORD This name refers to a narrow place on the Sevier River about two miles north of Sigurd, Utah, and immediately north of the Rocky Ford Dam. This narrow place was called Too' Choogweetch Black Narrow. This name was used in reference to Rocky Ford. This name comes from the words too black and nawchoo'kweech narrow flowing.
SEVEN MILE CREEK The Indian name is Sawngwunts Rushing Water. This creek makes a rushing sound as it plummets down its last mile before going into the Johnson Valley Reservoir. There used to be an Indian camp in a little tree cove just a few hundred yards west of where this Creek enters the Reservoir. It is located on the west side of Section 24, Township 25 S, Range 2 E, Fish Lake Quad. See map under Fish Lake.
SEVIER RIVER Jimmy Timmican, Koosharem says that the name of this river is the name of a large animal once seen at this river near Joseph, Utah. This animal was large with his head hanging down somewhat like a mammoth and had never been seen before. The animal was called "Mooyai sevee'u." Mooyai means to hang down the head and seevee'u was the name of the animal. The name of the river was shortened to Seevee'u, which sounded to the white men like Severo and Sevier.
It is doubtful that this name referred to the buffalo as the Paiutes were acquainted with this animal and called it moahoy' kootch and tuhdu' kootch. Anglo informants claim there were buffalo wallows and bones in the area in the 1870s therefore it is very doubtful that they had seen a wandering buffalo and named the river after it. Place names are often very old, therefore an animal other than the buffalo would be the most likely candidate for this name. There is a petroglyph nearby depicting a mammoth or mastodon that could account for this name.
SPRING IN RICHFIELD This spring is called Yoomeen' Choopeets Warm Springs. This spring is located near 500 North and 600 West in Richfield.
TWIN CREEK This creek at Fish Lake is called Awsee' Vaguhu Gray Fish. Paiutes used to camp by this creek. See map under Fish Lake.
U M VALLEY This valley, north of Fish Lake, Utah, is called Yooveemp Ponderosa Pine.
UNIDENTIFIED CREEK This creek runs from the Daniel's Pass area to Lost Creek It is called Ungkaw Moouts Red Pass.
UNIDENTIFIED VALLEY This valley is at the west foot of the mountain at Daniel's Pass. It is called Wawv'uh Koyo'koytch Wild Rye or Wheatgrass Valley. The word koyokoytch means a bowl-shaped valley or depression, and the word wawv is either wild rye or wheatgrass. This might be Plateau Valley, but was never confirmed.
UNLOCATED SPRING There is a spring on the mountain straight west of Koosharem that is called Seu' Suhpeech Aspen Spring.
UNNAMED HILL There is a big black hill about three miles straight west of Venice, Utah, and about the same distance north northeast of Glenwood, Utah. It has a large white "V" painted on its west side. The Indian name of this hill is Too' Kawduhd Black Sitting or Black Hill.
UNNAMED HILL This is the hill on the west side of highway 24 south of the Koosharem Reservoir. This hill is located between mile posts 33 and 34. There is a gravel pit on this hill. The hill is located in Section 18, Township 29 S, Range 1 E. This site is called Tawvoon' Koochun or Tawvoon' Koochoo'ud Cottontail Droppings.
UNNAMED RIDGE This mahogany-covered ridge on Boobe Hole Mountain is called Toonus'kee Awveech, Toonaw' Awveech Mahogany Lying or Mahogany Ridge.
UNNAMED SPRING This spring is located in the northeast quarter of Section 34, Township 26 S. Range 1 E. It is on the right side of highway 25 going towards Fish Lake. There are several cabins located here and this spring is but a few hundred yards east of the radio facility on top of the knoll south of the highway. The Indian name is Oonun'to Pahts Badger Water.
UNNAMED SPRING This spring is located a very short distance northeast of highway 24, near milepost 25, between Sigurd and Koosharem, Utah. At this place the low wash that the highway passes through, opens up into Plateau Valley. This spring is located in the southwest quarter of Section 31, Township 24 S, Range 1 E, Boobe Hole USGS Quad map. This spring is called Ungkonun Tsuhpeech Ungkonun Spring. Ungkonun refers to an unidentified grass that grows there. This spring has probably dried up. An informant stated that he heard a story where an older lady told a young lady to go to this spring to get a bucket of water but she couldn't find the spring. Douglas Timmican, Koosharem.
UINTAH COUNTY
UINTAH The word Uintah comes From the Paiute/Ute word Yooveen'tuh Ponderosa Pine.
UTAH COUNTY
GREAT SALT LAKE This lake was called O-aw' Vaw Salt Water.
SANTAQUIN In the 1905 Allotment Records of the Uintah Band at Fort Duchesne, Utah, there is to be found the name of an Indian by the name of Santaquin. The same record shows his Indian name to be Saguanookweent which sounds very much like the word Santaquin. It is therefore very likely that Santaquin is a corruption of this name The book on Utah place-names says that this town was named after an Indian by the name of Santaquin. The name Sawwhaw Nookweent means Green or Blue Running referring to the stream there. The same word is used for green and blue among the Utes and Paiutes as well as among many other tribes.
TIM PANOGOS According to Jimmy Timmican, Koosharem this word comes from the Indian Name Tuhmpah Nookweent Rock Water Running.
UTAH This name comes from the word yootaw which could be of Ute or Hopi origin. Yootaw is the Hopi name for the Utes.
WASATCH PLATEAU The range of mountains from Manti to Salt Lake City is called Awvaw Awveets Shady Lying. Shady is Martineau's interpretation. It could have another meaning.
WASATCH This name comes from Paiute and Ute Indian phrase pronounced Wuh’uh Seeai meaning Frozen Penis. Archie Rogers of Shivwits tells the following story about the origin of this name: "The Utes told me what the word "Wasatch" means. They said that one time many Indians lived there between Heber and Provo. One day the men were out hunting when a big blizzard came up and they lost one of the hunters. When they found him he was dead and his penis was frozen stiff. They therefore called the place Wuh’uh Seeai Frozen Penis." Francis McKinley, a Ute, tells the same story.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
ASH CREEK It was called Too'yoonuv Lava Flow. It has the same name as Black Ridge.
BLACK RIDGE The black ridge north of Pintura, Utah, was called Kaw'uwhaim Awvee Ankle Lying. This area is also called Too' Yoonuv Lava Flow, referring to the black lava flows to be found there. The area in general was also called Chuhngkawweep Rough Land due to the roughness of the area caused by the large lava field.
CANE SPRINGS This is a spring near the town of Central, Utah. It is called Pawhum' Pah Reed Water.
CASTLE CLIFF This site is near the Arizona border on old highway 91 going toward Beaver Dam, Arizona. The Paiutes called the caves there Moou Tuhngkawn Owl's Cave. See the legend Owl and the Skunk In Tookwee'nup Winter Tales in this website.
FIVE MILE This is an area on the Santa Clara River on the east end of the Shivwits Reservation. It is called Toho'u Opawk'eev Rattlesnake Hole.
HURRICANE The name of this town doesn't come from the English word "hurricane" as commonly thought. This name comes from the Paiute word Awdduh' Kawn Hot House referring to the cave there with the hot springs in it on the Virgin River between Hurricane and LaVerkin. Awdduh' is a Paiute expression made when one gets burnt. This cave was a special place to the Paiutes. It was a cave where Indian travelers were welcome. They often left offerings there. Archie Rogers, Shivwits says that "The Paiutes used to drop money in the Hurricane Hot Springs and pray and it would heal them."
JACKSON PEAK This is the pointed peak west of Gunlock, Utah. The Paiutes called it Tseeoo'kwuts Sticking Out.
KOLOB This name comes from the Paiute word Koduv' Neck. According to Carl Jake, Indian Peak there is a geographical feature in the area with this name.
MOTOQUA This name is pronounced Mutoo'kwu Disappearing Under. This name comes from the rolling hills that are crossed over for several miles while traveling northwest to Motoqua. Charley Greyman of Shivwits says that, "The names comes from watching someone traveling ahead of you. He will disappear from sight and come back into view several times as he drops down into the numerous low places on this route."
PINE VALLEY MOUNTAIN This mountain is called Mu-haw Kaiv Forested Mountain also Mu-haw Kawduhd Forested Sitting.
SANTA CLARA RIVER The Paiute name is Too Nookweent Black Flowing. The white man Anglicized this to Tonaquint.
SHINOB KAIB This is a hill just southeast of Washington, Utah. The words are correctly pronounced Soonungwuh Kaiv Coyote Hill. The name Soonung'wuv applied to anyplace, refers to mysterious things happening there.
SINAWAVA This name used for a geographical feature in Zion National Park comes from the Paiute word Soonungwuv. He is Coyote, the younger brother to the deity Wolf.
SOUTH BLACK ROCKS The lava flow crossing highway 91 between Santa Clara and St. George, Utah, is called Toch'okwup Crushed Rocks. The same flow just above this is shown as South Black Rocks on the USGS map.
SQUARE TOP MOUNTAIN This mountain is southwest of Jackson Peak. It appears to be just to the left of it looking north. It was called Kai'oowheef Mountain Lying This Way.
ST. GEORGE The area below the temple where the Indians used to live was called Seeveem' Pah Sour Water. Marilyn Jake, Shivwits.
TAYLOR CREEK The creek by the Kolob exit south of Kannarraville (sometimes called
Bear Creek) was called Awntawmooun Nookwee'tseech Brother-in-law Flowing.
THREE CREEKS These are the creeks leading off Cedar Mountain into Zion National Park. The Indian name is Muow Ooweep Forested Canyon.
TOQUERVILLE The first part of the name Toquerville comes from the word Too'kwawd black. Named after the leader Too’kwawd who live in that area.
UNNAMED HILL This hill between the entrance to the Virgin Narrows near Littlefield, Arizona, and Castle cliffs, Utah, is called Aiyu' Kodu Kaiv Turtleneck Hill. This name comes from the fact that this large hill resembles the shape of a turtle when viewed from old highway 91. It has a turtle-back hump and long curving neck with the head pointing southward. The tip of the head is almost due east of the Utah-Arizona border signs. This large hill is the westernmost extension of the mountainous area east of the old highway.
UNNAMED HILL The large red mountain point that juts southward straight north of Ivans Utah is called No'whunt. This word is similar to the word for pregnant, nou'hunt, but Archie Rogers from Shivwits says it doesn't have the same meaning. However, the hill does look like a pregnant lady when viewing it from the Shivwits Reservation.
UNNAMED HILL This hill is located on old highway 91, 1.2 miles west of the main turn-off into the present Indian village (1990). At this place the highway goes up over a little rise just south of the Santa Clara River. This hill is called Mook' which is short for Mookweech. This is the Paiute word for Hopi. This hill was given this name because there is an old Hopi village situated there that the Shivwits discovered when they helped put the road though. Archie Rogers, Shivwits.
UNNAMED HILL This hill is the only hill on the west side of old highway 91, 0.7 miles south of Castle Cliff, Utah, between mileposts 4 and 5, and 0.2 miles north of milepost 4. It is called Tsaw Kwetoots Skinny Buttocks.
VIRGIN RIVER It is called Pawdoos' by both the Kaibab and Shivwits which can have two meanings. One is Water Going Under (Morris Jake) from the words Pah udook, and the other is White Water from Pah Tosaw'kawd. The word white is often slurred to doos within a sentence structure. White Water would then refer to the white foaming water as caused by the many small rapids as this river traverses Zion Canyon.
ZION CANYON The Paiute name for this canyon was Ai Oogoon or Oo Koon'uv Quiver. The name comes from the word arrow oo and koonuv sack. The name is probably derived from the narrowness of this canyon.
ZION NARROWS The Indian name is Tuhmpeow Ooweep Big Rock Canyon.
ZION The Paiute name for this whole are is called Mookoon tooh weap (Moonkoontu Weap) Earth Coming Up. It is best described as the earth rising up into towering cliffs and rock domes when the earth was new.
WAYNE COUNTY
BIG HOLLOW This wash drains into Rabbit Valley near Dab Keele Spring a little over one mile west of Bicknell, Utah. Indians camped here to be protected from the wind. This wash is called Sawkhwaw' Ooweep Green Canyon.
BIG ROCKS The outcrop southeast of Loa known as Big Rocks is called Mokov by the Paiutes. This place was Jimmy Timmican's birthplace. He said the word means the type of rock found there which appears to be granite.
BLACK RIDGE This is the long ridge running east and west for around three miles about one mile north of highway 24. It is five to six miles east of Loa, Utah. The USGS map for Loa, Utah, gives the name of this ridge as Black Ridge. This ridge is called Wawu Awveetch Cedar Ridge. The cedar trees on this hill give it a black appearance from the highway therefore the Anglo name for it.
BLACK RIDGE This is the mountain on the east side of the road leading to the fish hatchery just as you leave highway 24 a few miles southeast of Bicknell, Utah. This mountain is called O-aw' Kaiv Yellow Mountain. From a distance this mountain appears black due to the thick growth of trees covering its upper section. However, the base of this mountain on the west side is basically a shade of yellow with some red. This red and yellow section near its base is locally called "The Petrified Forest."
BOULDER MOUNTAIN This mountain was called Oahon' Tuhkaw Pine Top.
COCKSCOMB This is the prominent rock several miles east southeast of Teasdale that can be seen as far away as Bicknell. This rock is called ai'suhpuneench Rock-Flat. Ai denotes the type of rock and suhpuneench means "flat" referring to the rock's narrowness as it rises above the landscape.
GEYSER PEAK This is the peak northwest of Thousand Lake Mountain. The Indian name is Sewung Kwechoowunt Sand Peak.
HENRY MOUNTAINS Untaw'dee. The meaning of this name is unknown. Florence Kanosh says, "The Indians from the Fish Lake area used to go out there and gather Indian rice grass."
PINE CREEK SPRING This is the large spring about one-half mile southwest of the fish
hatchery south of Bicknell, Utah. The Indian name is Awtawn'eogots Comes Up.
PINE CREEK This is the creek west of Boulder Mountain that runs past the fish hatchery
south of Bicknell, Utah. It is called Po-aw' Tawkawveeuts Bug Thigh.
POTTER SPRING This spring is located on the north side of Dry Valley about 2 miles northwest of Loa, Utah. It is called Kumoo' Vaw Jackrabbit Water.
RABBIT BRUSH SPRING This spring is located on the northwest side of Boulder Mountain. The Indian name is Kwe'kee Kawneevuhts Magpies House.
RILEY CANYON SPRING This spring is in Riley Canyon a few miles east of Loa, Utah. This spring is called Soaveetoots or Soavee' Pahts Cottonwood Water.
RILEY CANYON This is the canyon south of highway 24 just a few miles east of Loa, Utah. This wash is called Sawwhaw' Tuhmpe Ooweep Green Rock Canyon.
ROCK POINT This point is located on Pine Creek near Torrey, Utah. The Indian name is Pawchaw Tuhngkun'eevuhts, Bat Cave. No cave is presently visible from the road in this area. There is a possibility that this cave was destroyed when the road went through that destroyed the base of the hill. The Indians used to camp in the cove on the north side of Rock Point and gather duck eggs in the large area of water that backed up at the base of this point. It was here that the battle with Paiutes and the white men took place. See the story of the "Battle with the White Men in Wayne County" in War and Historical Accounts in this website.
TERSEY'S NIPPLE The Indian name is Weeoo' Koonu'vuhts Awl Sack. This site is near Loa, Utah. Locally it is called "The Nipple" and "Elsie's Nipple." It is the nipple several miles straight south of Loa beyond the dump.
THOUSAND LAKE MOUNTAIN The Indian name is Sohod'uh Kaiv'u Damp Earth Mountain.
UNIDENTIFIED PAINT SOURCE This paint site is located on the south side of Thousand Lake Mountain. This place is called Awveemp' the name of a white gypsum type paint obtained there. The informant heard of this site and only knew the general location.
UNNAMED PEAK This is a small peak that resembles an ant hill when viewed from a distance as you approach Loa from the west. It is a small peak in a large pass as you look northeast. It is about one-half mile south of the crest of Geyser Peak and a little over one-eighth of a mile north northwest of Riley Spring. This little peak is situated on the south line of Section 28 Township 26 S. Range 4 E, Geyser Peak USGS Quad. This small peak is called Tawsee'u Kawnee'vuhts Ant House.
UNNAMED POINT This is the long red point that protrudes the furthest south from Thousand Lake Mountain. It is best viewed looking east on highway 24 from Bicknell, Utah. The Indian name is Ungkaw Mookwun'eench Red Point.
UNNAMED RIDGE This is the long gray ridge south of highway 24 at milepost 50 about one and one-half miles northwest of Loa, Utah. This ridge is called Awsee Awveech Gray Lying.
UNNAMED SPRING OR WATER TANK This source of water is located next to the road just south of highway 24 between the junction to Fish Lake and Loa, Utah. There is a rocky section here surrounded by some trees that creates a short waterfall in the dry wash. It is a very noticeable and pretty location standing out amidst the sagebrush flats. This spring is called Peku' Vawts Rotten Water. Indians would camp here on their way back and forth from Rabbit Valley and Koosharem. This site is located near the center of Section 21, Township 27 S. Range 1 E.
Southern Paiute Place Names
~ Arizona ~
COCONINO COUNTY
CEDAR RIDGE This area is called Tono Weep Greasewood Canyon.
COLORADO RIVER The Kaibab and Shivwits bands called this river Pahhaw Big water. The Moapa band called it Chuhcheep or Pahgah.
KAIBAB Kai Awvahv Mountain Lying Down, from the words kaiv mountain and awvee lying down.
KWAGUNT Kwagunt Rapids on the Colorado River was named after a Paiute who once lived there. His name was Kwawgunt Quiet.
MAGUNTUWEEP This name means Mawgin's Land. Mawgin was an Indian who lived in this area. He was a grandfather to Tony Tillahash.
NANKOWEAP This name comes from the words Nengwoo' koahoyp Indians Killed and probably refers to the time a group of Kaibab Indians were killed by Apache’s referred to in War-Historical Accounts.
NAVAJO MOUNTAIN An informant from the area said it was called Nengwoo Kaiv Paiute Mountain. Later upon being re-questioned he just called it Kaiv Mountain.
PARIA PLATEAU This plateau is called Paduh'eu Kaiv Elk Mountain.
SAN FRANCISCO PEAKS These peaks are called Noovu' Hawduhd Snow Sitting.
TOROWEEP This name means Cattail Canyon and is pronounced Toyo' Weep.
MOJAVE COUNTY
MOUNT TRUMBULL This mountain is called Yooveen Kawduhd Ponderosa Sitting.
PAHCOON Fire water, from the words pah water and koonaw' meaning fire.
PARASHONT This word comes from the Paiute name Pahtuh'ee oasoant Elk Hide Softening.
RIGGS SPRING This spring is located on the Kaibab Paiute Reservation near Fredonia, Arizona, and is called Skoom Pahts Rabbit Brush Water. It is southwest of Six Mile Village.
SIX MILE SPRING This spring is located on the Kaibab Paiute Reservation at the Six Mile Village. It is called Suhuh' Vawts Sumac Bush Water.
TASSAI This place-name in the Grand Wash on the Arizona Strip comes from the Paiute word Taws, the Corky-seed Pincushion Cactus.
UINKARET This word comes from the word Yooveen Kawduhd Ponderosa Sitting.
WOLF SPRING This spring is located on the Kaibab Paiute Reservation near Fredonia, Arizona, and is called Tono' Vawts Greasewood Water.
NEVADA
BAKER MOUNTAIN This mountain is in White Pine County. The Paiute name is Tuhngkunt.
EAGLE VALLEY This Valley is located in Lincoln County. The Paiute Indian name for
this valley is Nopaw' Sawkwayuv Egg Belly. The valley is called Nopuv for short.
FURNACE CREEK This creek in Death Valley was called Tuhmpees' by the Paiutes.
The meaning refers to a type of rock.
MOAPA This is the name of a town and Paiute Band in Clark County. This name is correctly pronounced Moou' Pah Mosquito Water.
MOUNT CHARLESTON This mountain in Clark County is called Noovu'uhunt, or Navahganti, Navahgantu signifying to Have Snow. This mountain was a sacred mountain to all the Paiutes and the location where those who survived the flood were saved, and where their creation really begun.
PAHRANAGAT From the word Pawdun'uhguhts Sticking Your Feet in the Water. This name undoubtedly comes from the abundance of water in this area of Lincoln County.
PAHRUMP This name comes from the word pah’hump common reed Phragmite, or from the words pah and tuhmp rock and water.
PANACA From the word Punu'kawd meaning anything that shines, including metal, gold, and silver. This name was probably given to this town in Lincoln County due to the mining activities there in the early days.
TONOPAH This is the name of a town in Nye County. The word comes from the words tonup' chokecherry and pah water.
Ute Tribe Place Names
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UTAH
BOTEN SPRINGS This spring on the Ute Reservation in Uintah County is called Oodoom' Ma-hawpuhts Lodge Pole Sanding Place. There are some grooves on top of bedrock sandstone there that Ouray McCook says were used in smoothing and shaping tipi poles.
DUCHESNE RIVER The Duchesne River in Duchesne County, Utah, is called Sawkhwaw' Nookweech Blue Running. George Stewart, Anglo.
GREEN RIVER Awvaw' Pah Big Water. George Stewart, Anglo.
HILL CREEK Tonee'ooweep Greasewood Creek. Glen Jenks, Northern Ute.
WILLOW CREEK This river in Uintah County, Utah, is called Peku Pahts Rotten Water because of the slew-like swamp there. Glen Jenks, Northern Ute.
COLORADO
ANIMAS RIVER This river running though the Southern Ute Reservation is called
Sawkhwaw Nookweetch Blue Running. Eddie Box Sr. Southern Ute.
BLUE MOUNTAIN This mountain in Moffat County, Colorado, is called Sawkhwaw
Kawduhd Blue Sitting.
COLORADO RIVER Peuvaw Nookweetch Mother Water Running. Eddie Box Sr.
Southern Ute.
DENVER The city is called Teu'puhts.
DOLORES RIVER The river in Southwestern Colorado is presently called Todoos. This is the Ute way of pronouncing the word Dolores. Molly Deer a Ute from Towoac, Colorado, says that the original Indian name referred to some settlements by the river burnt by the Utes long ago. Allen Neskahai, a Navajo, says that the Navajo translation of their word for this river is "Place Where People Burned" after the Ute name.
FLORIDA RIVER This river in La Plata County is called Tuhduh'dongweetch Running Through a Meadow. Eddie Box Sr. Southern Ute.
SAN JUAN RIVER Supah White Water. Guy Pinnecoose, Southern Ute.
UTE MOUNTAIN The highest peak on Ute Mountain in Montezuma County is called We'sevee Kawduhd (an unidentified plant Sitting).
WHITE RIVER This is the river that runs through Rio Blanco County in Colorado and Uintah County within the state of Utah. It is called Kwou'pah Smoke Water due to the swirling silt in it that makes it look like smoke. George Stewart, Anglo.
KANSAS
TOPEKA The word Topeka is a Ute word given to that place one time when the Utes raided that far east. It was here that they ran out of arrows and so they named this place Toopeek All Gone. Vincent Sireech.