The Warren Jeffs trial is grinding through the slow, methodical judicial process in St. George.

For those who might not be familiar with Warren Jeffs, here’s a very, very fast recap of recent events.

Jeffs is the president and reigning prophet of the FLDS Church, the polygamous offshoot of the Mormons. Jeffs was indicted for his (”alleged” … the trial hasn’t been held yet) involvement in the forced marriage of a 16 year old girl. Rather than fight it out in court, Jeffs decided to run. That made it a federal crime. For a while he was on the FBI’s  most wanted list … until they caught him in a traffic stop in Nevada.

This is a big deal to the FLDS. It would be like putting the Pope on trial for Catholics.

One measure of the seriousness of the trial is the fact that a swat team is on duty outside the courtroom when the trial is in session. Are we living in interesting times or what?

But the real show isn’t there. It’s in Hildale / Colorado City fifty miles up the road. Seriously!

If you’re thinking of traveling to Zion Park, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Bryce … the list does go on since this is Color Country … you really ought to take a detour and drive down highway 389 (59 on the Utah side) between Kanab and Hurricane, Utah to take in the sights at the former Short Creek. You’ll find yourself talking more about this part of your vacation to friends and relatives than any other part of your trip.

When you get to Colorado City, take Central Street past the commercial district and stop at the grocery store to buy snacks. It’s a great place to get familiar with the locals. Then continue on up the street to Utah Avenue. As the name suggests, you’re in Utah now.

Take a right on Utah and on up Canyon Street toward the mountains to the park at the end of the road. You’ll pass impressive walled UEP estates with forbidding looking gates (United Effort Plan - the holding company for assets controlled by the FLDS). The park is at the end of Canyon Street in the shadow of the beautiful cliffs looming over the town. It’s actually a beautiful area and a good place relax for a few minutes and eat the snacks.

On the way back through town, stop and admire the impressive stone work and welded steel fence around the UEP field in the center of town. (That’s the picture shown above. The picture is small, but you can just make out the “UEP” in white stonework in the center of the wall at the top.) We’re told that most people in Hildale / Colorado City live significantly below the poverty level. But somebody’s got money and that field shows it.

You might want to stop at the “Merry Wives” cafe before heading on your way. It’s on the highway just south of the road and north of the Central Street exit into town.

I’ve heard a lot of people ask out loud, “Is it safe?” Of course it’s safe. I don’t know if it was ever dangerous. The first time I drove through Colorado City, I actually was followed by the local police for a while. But things have changed. A few months ago, I took my mom and dad on a tour. The local cops have been decertified and the UEP is in receivership.

Today, if you hurry, you just might be in time to see an amazing page out of history before it disappears.