The name "Arrowhead Trail" is of doubtful origin. This portion was regularly used between the 1860's and 1924. Earlier it was an alternate wagon route to the Mormon settlement at San Bernardino, California.

Heading south along this trail toward Bishop Mountain, one would turn through El Dorado Pas and continue on to Nelson, Searchlight, Nipton, W heaton Springs, and thence to San Bernardino.

The trail was popular as an early automobile road (1914-1924) when communities along the route volunteered the reconstruction of the historic trail and, local Chambers of Commerce vigorously promoted its use between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.