Why is it named Arrow Canyon? In 1849, Henry W. Bigler visited the canyon, and described the canyon as 500 to 1000 feet high on either side, and 10 yard wide. He also described, about 1/2 way through the canyon, seeing a crevice about 80 feet up the canyon wall that was filled with arrows.

Local legend said that two different tribes, the Moapa Valley Paiutes and the Pahranagat Valley Paiutes, were at war. Waring parties from the two tribes met in the middle of Arrow Canyon unexpectedly. Instead of a battle that would have likely led to mutual destruction in the narrow canyon, they called a truce and shot their arrow up at the canyon wall. This shooting of the arrows in that spot in the canyon was said to have become an annual event for some time.