Oregon

https://www.nps.gov/oreg/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon_Trail The Oregon Trail was a 2,170-mile (3,490 km) east–west, large-wheeled wagon route and emigrant trail in the United States that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon. The eastern part of the Oregon Trail spanned part of what is now the state of Kansas and nearly all of what are now the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. The western half of the trail spanned most of the current states of Idaho and Oregon. Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states and serve as reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers. More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states- reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers. Visitor Centers vary from state to state The Oregon National Historic Trail passes through seven states. A variety of visitor facilities are available along the trail. See our Things to Do page for recommendations. Guernsey Ruts, Wyoming A wagon swale is cut deep into limestone rock with trees in background. The Guernsey Ruts in Wyoming feature deeply eroded rock from wagon traffic. Devil's Gate, Wyoming A rock buttress with a notch in it surrounded by sagebrush flats. Devil's Gate was an important emigrant landmark in Wyoming. Alcove Spring Park Wayside An exhibit with an illustration in front of green trees and a rock ledge. Alcove Spring Park is located in Kansas near Blue Rapids and Marysville. Split Rock, Wyoming A large yellow flowering desert shrub in front of sagebrush and a large rock buttress. Split Rock was an important emigrant landmark in Wyoming. Fort Laramie, Wyoming Two people walk on a green lawn in front of historic fort buildings. Fort Laramie National Historic Site features a replica fort with exhibits, located in eastern Wyoming. Circle of Life for an Apple Tree Vancouver’s Old Apple Tree, nearly 200 years old and historically associated with Hudson Bay Company’s Fort Vancouver, died in late June 2020 from natural causes. It was the oldest apple tree in the State of Washington—maybe the oldest in the Pacific Northwest—maybe the oldest on the West Coast. A large, twisted apple tree behind a steel fence. The Lands of the Overland Trails: Protests against the Mexican American War Almost every movement in American history has a corresponding counter movement. The Mexican American War (1846-48), which resulted in Mexico ceding much of the modern-day American Southwest to the United States, is a good example. With the stroke of a pen, parts of the Santa Fe, California, Oregon, Pony Express, Mormon Pioneer, and Old Spanish trails, as well as El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, suddenly became American territory. A dirt road snakes down a steep cliff face in the desert. Fourth of July on the Overland Trails For many travelers on the overland trails, the Fourth of July was just another day of trekking through sand and sagebrush. For some it was a day of melancholy, thinking of how their loved ones at home might be celebrating. For others, especially the Fortyniners, it was fun a day of celebration, usually involving the firing of “salutes” with their handguns and rifles, energetic flag-waving, and a feast. A covered wagon sits in front of a vast rocky landscape Cholera: A Trail Epidemic In the early years of the California gold rush, cholera struck each spring at the thronging jumping-off towns along the Missouri River where thousands of gold seekers and Oregon-bound emigrants gathered to outfit. The deadly disease claimed many lives before the victims even had a chance to start across the prairies of Kansas or Nebraska. It claimed many more along the trail corridor to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, and in American Indian encampments and villages, as well. A stone grave monument, stands in a field of tall grass. Oregon and California Trails Fall 2020 Newsletter Read the latest news from the National Trails Office - Regions 6,7 and 8. Topics include: welcome new staff, Oregon Auto Tour Route Guide in review, updates on Historic Research Associates project, signing updates, and more! A picture of a newsletter containing text and photos. What Happened to the Bison? Crossing the Southern Plains in 1806, Zebulon Pike described herds of bison that “exceeded imagination.” Yet by the 1850s, many of the Native nations that relied on bison for sustenance—such as the Kiowas, Comanches, Cheyennes, and Arapahoes—were seeing fewer bison than ever before. What happened? A bison stands and eats grass. The Platte Experience Otoe Indians called this region “Nebrathka,” meaning “flat water,” and the French word “Platte” means the same. The defining flatness of the broad Platte River Valley, which averages five to seven miles wide, made it ideal for animal-powered travel on both sides of the stream. The long Platte River also provided plenty of water and native grasses for game and livestock. Many emigrants later recalled it as the easiest, most pleasant part of their westering journey. A statue of a bison in front of a large museum. Gateway to the West: National Historic Trails Across the Continental Divide The Rocky Mountains stretch like a jagged spine between Alaska and Mexico, splitting North America into East and West. The Continental Divide is not a simple line of peaks, easily threaded by tracks and roads, but a complex of overlapping mountain ranges and treeless sagebrush steppe, hundreds of miles wide. In the days of covered wagon travel, the Rockies were an imposing barrier to the movement of people, commerce, and communications. South Pass was the gateway to the West. Historic image a covered wagon train meeting tall mountains. War on the Oregon & California Trails Once-friendly Western tribes watched with mounting anger as emigrants helped themselves, often wastefully, to their game, grass, water, and wood. Indian agents warned of bloody conflicts ahead if the issues between native peoples and emigrants were not soon resolved. In response, the U.S. government called for a treaty conference to be held near Fort Laramie, Wyoming, in September 1851. Some 12,000 members of 11 different Northern Plains tribes answered the call. A green lawn stretches back to a distant historic fort. A Gathering Storm: American Indians and Emigrants in the 1830s As American settlers surged westward across the eastern woodlands and prairies in the early 19th century, they pushed American Indians out of their ancestral homes. The U.S. government resettled many of those displaced Eastern tribes —the Kickapoo, Delaware, Potawatomi, and others— in congressionally designated Indian Territory west of the Missouri River and south of the Platte. The resettled Eastern tribes were among the first Indians encountered by emigrants through Kansas. Hike on a National Historic Trail Hiking a National Historic Trail isn't always what people expect. Like the National Scenic Trails, the historic trails pass through multiple states and travel across a variety of land ownership. Unlike the National Scenic Trails, the historic trails can't be traversed on one long walking trail. You can plan a weekend adventure or an afternoon outing on a National Historic Trail. The following trips will give you the opportunity to hike pieces of the historic trail routes. A brown trail sign stands next to a trail that leads through the forest. “Thicker than Stars in the Firmament”: Bison along the Platte River Corridor Emigrants heading west along the Platte River in the early years of the overland emigration wrote excitedly in diaries and journals about their first sightings of buffalo and the wild hunts that typically followed. Some wagon trains got caught in buffalo stampedes, and some lost cattle that ran off to join the unimaginably enormous herds of wild bison. But as commercial hunters and sport-slaughter thinned those herds that part of the overland experience changed. An illustration of a group of covered wagons and American Indians on horseback. Traveling the Emigrant Trails Learn a little bit about what life was like for the emigrants traveling west by covered wagon. Wagons on the Emigrant Trails Emigrants along the western trails had several options when it came to wagons. Three covered wagons are seen in front of a distinctive rock formation. Places to See Oregon Trail Ruts Over the years, thousands of wagon wheels and hooves churned the earth as they traveled west. Their traces are often referred to as wagon ruts and they can appear a variety of ways depending on the type of soil and the continued effects of water erosion. One of the best ways to experience the Oregon Trail is by taking a step back in time while visiting a trail rut. Luckily, there are still places where you can have that experience today. Take a look and plan your visit today! A highly eroded channel through thick, light colored rock. Overlanders in the Columbia River Gorge, 1840-1870: A Narrative History Most who followed the Oregon Trail did not traverse the Columbia River Gorge, if they could help it, because the gorge posed numerous dangers for travelers unfamiliar with the rugged terrain and raging river. When Samuel Barlow opened a road around the southern side of Mount Hood in 1846, overlanders going to Oregon City more often chose that route, rather than braving the Columbia River. Looking into a deep, steep-walled rocky canyon with a large river below. Death and Danger on the Emigrant Trails There were many life-threatening challenges for the emigrants who traveled the emigrant trails to California, Oregon, or Utah. A watercolor painting of wagon trains approaching Chimney Rock. Bloomers on the Trail Amelia Jenks Bloomer, a suffragist and women's magazine editor from New York, kicked off a dress-reform movement in 1851 by appearing in public wearing puffy pantaloons under a short skirt. Although she was ridiculed for her attire, some young women happily adopted the practical and comfortable "bloomers" outfit for their trip west across the overland trails. An illustration of a woman in period dress, showcasing her long short pants. Women Traveling West The Oregon and California trails traverse lands where women challenged traditional gender roles. In the early 1840s Americans began heading west in large numbers, many traveling in family groups. Women in the nation’s more settled areas were supposed to excel at domestic work, like cooking, cleaning, and raising children; however, as part of a wagon train, women got to showcase a wider range of skills. An illustration of a string of covered wagons, with an encampment scene in the foreground. African Americans on the Oregon Trail African Americans were among the pioneers who crossed the trail to Oregon, some coming willingly as free men and women but others forced to travel as the property of slaveholders. Those who reached Oregon between the 1840s and 1860s probably numbered in the hundreds. Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guides: Oregon Trail Download one of these booklets and begin your state by state trail adventure! The Auto Tour Route (ATR) guides provide an overview of local trail history while giving driving directions to suggested points of interest along the trail. There are auto tour route guides available for the trail across MO, KS, NE, CO, ID, WY, WA, & OR. The cover of a travel guide that has an illustration of a covered wagon train in the plains. Become a Junior Ranger for National Historic Trails Learn about the National Historic Trails and earn junior ranger badges! These activities can be completed virtually or after visiting a site along the National Historic Trails. Booklets can be submitted either electronically or by mail. Take a look and start exploring the trails today! small photos of different trail sites with junior ranger badges. Historic Valentine's Day Cards Valentines day cards rose to popularity in the United States in the mid-1800s. Victorian cards were elaborate, decorative, often-lace trimmed, and mass-produced. Not everyone could afford such cards, so handmade cards were very popular with pioneers and others who couldn't buy an expensive card. You can take your Valentine back in time by making a historic card! Use the provided template, or make a handmade card, and return to the 1800s with your love. A historic valentines day card with a rose illustration. Oregon and California National Historic Trails Spring 2021 Newsletter Read the latest news from the National Trails Office - Regions 6,7 and 8. Topics include: welcome new staff, Oregon Auto Tour Route Guide in review, updates on Historic Research Associates project, signing updates, and more! A picture of a newsletter containing text and photos. Series: National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guides Interested in planning a trip along a national historic trail? Use these guides to follow the historic routes while learning more about local and trail history. The cover of a travel guide that has an illustration of a covered wagon train in the plains. Series: The Emigrant Experience Have you ever wondered what the experience was like for the emigrants who traveled west on the Great Platte River Road? A man dressed in period clothing leans on a covered wagon. Transportation: Cars on the Oregon Trail The historic Oregon Trail was not abandoned with the advent of the transcontinental railroad and automobiles. Some travelers continued to take wagons over the old trail as late as the 1920s. Why? Usually because they didn’t have the money to buy train tickets to take their families west, or they had livestock that needed herding along, but sometimes just because they loved the old-timey adventure of it. A man stands next to a historic car with a covered wagon top. George Washington Bush, the Oregon Trail George Washington Bush, a free Black Missourian who had become wealthy in the region’s cattle trade, loaded his white wife and their five children onto a wagon at Savannah Landing in the spring of 1844; they joined a train of eighty-four wagons headed towards Oregon Country and the Columbia River Valley led by Michael T. Simmons, an Irish immigrant. Historic portrait of an African American man. Robin and Polly Holmes, the Oregon Trail Robin and Polly Holmes (along with their three-year-old daughter Mary Jane) arrived to Oregon Country after a long journey on the emigrant trail from Missouri in 1844. Brought there by their owner, Nathaniel Ford, the Holmes family had landed on “free soil”—meaning slavery was not legal there. Yet this law was not enforced, and the Holmes’ long journey was only the beginning of their ordeal. Historical portrait of a woman. Amanda Gardener Johnson, the Oregon Trail Amanda Gardener was born in Liberty, Missouri, in 1833 and became a wedding present to her owner’s daughter, Nancy Wilhite. When she was seven years old, she was given to Wilhite’s daughter, Lydia, who had recently married Anderson Deckard. Gardener left for Oregon with the Deckard Family in March 1853 and arrived there six months later. She married a blacksmith and lived in Albany, where she remained close to the Deckards throughout her life. National Historic Trails: Historical Routes of National Significance Wondering about National Historic Trails? Check out this infographic with basic information about the trails, their purpose, and where you can go for more information! Infographic about National Historic Trails featuring a map. Full description available at link. Child’s Play: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Laudanum is a tincture made from powdered opium, morphine, and codeine. Today it is available in the US only by prescription, but in the 19th century it was an inexpensive patent medicine used to quiet agitated minds, ease fever and pain, and relieve diarrhea. An overdose causes the victim to stop breathing, lapse into coma, and die. That’s what happened to six-year-old Salida Jane Henderson, called “Lettie,” while she camped with her family in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert. A small green glass bottle with a cork topper. Can I Eat This: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails In 1849, many companies of gold seekers decided to follow the Applegate Trail to a new cutoff, said to be a quicker way to the goldfields. Lassen’s Cutoff turned out to be 200 miles longer than the established routes, extending the trip by weeks. Long before reaching the mines, most companies ran out of food. Starving men desperately filled their empty bellies with anything they could chew- rotting livestock lying trailside, boiled bits of leather, and plants, some poisonous. Clusters of small white flowers. Trust Me, I’m a Doctor: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Edwin Bryant, traveling overland to California in 1846, had only briefly studied medicine, and he never claimed to be a physician. But somewhere along Nebraska’s Platte River, a little boy from another party had gotten his leg crushed under wagon wheels. The child, eight or nine years old, survived but desperately needed medical attention. There being no doctor nearby, Bryant reluctantly agreed to examine him. A wooden wagon wheel with spokes radiating out from the center. Mother’s Mortal Mistake: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Joel Hills Johnson started along the trail in April 1857, on his way to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Big Mountain, less than 20 miles from the city, his group overtook a party of “apostates” – former Mormon converts who had abandoned their church and were leaving the Mormon realm. As was common practice, a mother of that party had stirred together a pan of bread dough in the morning and set it to rise in the wagon during the day... A risen bread loaf in a tin pan. Fatal missteps, Part 2: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Emigrants on the Truckee Route to California typically started across Nevada’s Fortymile Desert in the evening in order to avoid the heat of the midday sun. The one reliable place to find water along the desert trek was a place called Boiling Springs, where travelers could dip out and cool the precious water for their livestock to drink. Steam rises from a small pond that sits in a desert setting void of much vegetation Thunder Road: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails First comes a sudden stillness, then an unexpected cool breeze. Sunshine dims to darkness as growling, green-black clouds pile overhead, flickering with lightning. The wind rises. A brilliant bolt splits the air with a deafening crr-ACK, followed by momentary silence and then a violent, crashing boom that makes the living earth tremble... Lightning bolt in a dark sky. Fatal missteps, Part 1: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Devil’s Gate, near Independence Rock in south-central Wyoming, is a deep, V-shaped cleft cut through a granite ridge by the Sweetwater River. Curious emigrants, including the younger brother of pioneer Ezra Meeker, made side-trips to explore the scenic feature. A river squeezes through a narrow passage between two sheer rock walls National Historic Trails Scrapbooks Imagine if early travelers on the National Historic Trails had a polaroid camera... what would their scrapbooks look like? Though we have many journals describing their experiences, there are obviously very few or no photos at all from these journeys. Cameras didn't exist! Well, we took a crack at it and created scrapbook pages for them! Take a look at what we imagine a trail traveler's scrapbook would like! A scrapbook page depicting multiple scenes from the trail, and relevant icon images. Mill Creek Exhibits Audio Description Listen to the audio descriptions for the exhibits at Mill Creek in Independence, Missouri. Wayside exhibit audio descriptions for Mill Creek. Oregon and California National Historic Trails Fall 2021 Newsletter Read the latest project updates and completions for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS). National Historic Trails Fashion Inspiration During NPS Fashion Week, we are exploring some ways fashion inspiration may be found on National Historic Trails (NHTs). On NHTs you’ll find intriguing colors, shapes, textures, histories, and stories. From golden sunsets to feathered hats, NHTs have diverse natural and cultural environments that can inspire the fashionista in us all! A red rock cliff with a path winding through it First Year in Oregon, 1840-1869: A Narrative History The Oregon National Historic Trail commemorates the arduous overland journey—across rivers, through forests, and over mountains—made by thousands of emigrants in the middle of the nineteenth century. While we know a lot about the trip itself, we know considerably less about what greeted emigrants upon arrival. Where did they live? How did they earn money? What did they do for fun? Perhaps most importantly, did their new home meet their expectations? Oregon and California National Historic Trails Spring 2022 Newsletter Read the latest project updates and completions for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS). Tabitha Brown, the Oregon Trail Not wanting to be left behind, Tabitha—by then sixty-five years old—concluded that family ties were stronger than her own fear of the long journey; assisted by her nephew Charles Fullerton, she packed all her belongings into a wagon and prepared to head west toward the Oregon Territory. Matilda and Elizabeth Sager, the Oregon Trail Elizabeth and Matilda Sager experienced a harrowing journey on the Oregon Trail that fractured their family; afterward, they faced unimaginable trauma at Waiilatpu. Their recorded memories provide a unique insight into the journey of a single emigrant family from the perspectives of two children. Historical portrait of three women. Things to Do in Nebraska Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Nebraska. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Things to Do in Missouri Find things to do, trip ideas, and more in Missouri. Purple flowers bloom on a grass-covered landscape under a partly cloudy sky. Things to Do in Kansas Find things to do in Kansas. Single story square building in the distance partially obstructed by a field of golden grass. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Introduction - Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869 Introduction to Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869. This study examines African American participation in the great overland trails emigrations that occurred in the nineteenth century. It focuses on the history of African Americans on the California, Oregon and Mormon Trails from 1841 to 1869, when the transcontinental railroad was completed. Preface - Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869 Preface to Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869. This study examines African American participation in the great overland trails emigrations that occurred in the nineteenth century. It focuses on the history of African Americans on the California, Oregon and Mormon Trails from 1841 to 1869, when the transcontinental railroad was completed. Captivity and Independence: Race and Enslavement in the Trailhead Towns Along the Missouri Trailhead towns like Westport were particularly inhospitable to Black Americans, even those that were not enslaved. Yes, jumping-off places were diverse communities that offered economic opportunities for people of color, such as Hiram Young and Emily Fisher. However, trailhead towns along the Missouri River carried the same anti-Black attitudes as much of the United States. Learn more... Methodology - Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869 Methodology to Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841-1869. This study examines African American participation in the great overland trails emigrations that occurred in the nineteenth century. It focuses on the history of African Americans on the California, Oregon and Mormon Trails from 1841 to 1869, when the transcontinental railroad was completed. Sweet Freedom's Plains, Chapter 1: Race, Slavery, and Freedom Race, Slavery, and Freedom: Chapter 1 Sections, Sweet Freedom's Plains, African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841 - 1869, Sweet Freedom's Plains, Chapter 2: The Jumping-Off Places Chapter 2 Sections, The Jumping-Off Places, Sweet Freedoms Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails 1841 - 1869. Trip Itinerary: Topeka, Kansas Visiting Topeka, Kansas and interested in learning more about the national historic trails and other historically significant sites? Check out this trip itinerary for ideas on where to stop and learn more! Trip Itinerary: Gering, Nebraska As they followed the North Platte River across western Nebraska, covered wagon emigrants gradually left the prairie behind and entered an area of monumental geological formations: Courthouse and Jail Rocks, Chimney Rock, and Scotts Bluff. These served as milestones to the emigration, but also piqued travelers’ curiosity and served as artistic subjects for many a trailside “Rembrandt.” Check out these places near Gering, and one more not-to-be-missed site about an hour’s drive Trip Itinerary: Independence Courthouse Square The location of frenzied outfitting activity throughout the mid-1800s, Independence was the jumping-off point for the Santa Fe and Oregon trails and one of the starting points of the California Trail. Looking to visit other sites near Independence Courthouse Square? Use this trip itinerary to find other historic trail sites! Stories of the Trail: ASC 2022 Interesting in the American Solar Challenge on the Oregon Trail? Would you like to know more about the history of the trail or technology and innovation? Take a deeper dive into some fascinating stories and history! Plan Like a Park Ranger on the Oregon National Historic Trail Plan like a Park Ranger on the Oregon National Historic Trail. Tips for having a safe journey visiting the Oregon Trail. Trip Itinerary: Grand Island to Kearney The treeless Nebraska plain made some emigrants feel exposed and vulnerable—especially when black thunderclouds threatened. Other travelers found the flower-freckled prairie a place of beauty and wonder. Travelers also began encountering that great icon of the Plains, the American buffalo. Many later recalled this as the easiest, most pleasant stretch along the combined Oregon-California Trail. Learn more at these stops between Grand Island and Kearney. Trip Ideas for the American Solar Challenge 2022 Following along with the American Solar Challenge 2022 along the Oregon National Historic Trail? Are you interested in visiting other parts of trail history? Use this trip ideas to visit other historic trail sites as you follow the solar cars. Travel Itinerary: Casper, Wyoming By the time their covered wagon caravans reached this area, emigrants had traveled the Oregon Trail for about two months. From here the Great Plains stretch back to the east. To the west loom the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide. Now the Oregon Trail leaves its North Platte River lifeline to start up toward South Pass, where it crosses the Continental Divide. Explore the combined Oregon-California-Mormon Pioneer-Pony Express national historic trails corridor. Trip Itinerary: Lander, Wyoming The town of Lander is about 42 miles north of South Pass, a mountain crossing so gentle that most emigrants did not even realize they had entered the Pacific watershed — the gateway to Oregon Country! The trek to the Willamette Valley was not yet half over, and the most dangerous miles lay ahead. At this point, many emigrants began to worry whether their provisions would hold out until they reached their destination. Visit these sites and cross the Continental Divide. Travel Itinerary: Montpelier, Idaho Are you visiting Montpelier, Idaho and are interested in learn more about the national historic trails? Use this travel itinerary to find places to visit and learn more! Trip Itinerary: Pocatello, Idaho Visiting Pocatello, Idaho? Are you interested in learning more about the national historic trails? Use this trip itinerary to find places to visit to learn more! Oregon and California National Historic Trails Fall 2022 Newsletter Read the latest project updates and completions for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS). Series: Death Came A-Knockin’: Freak Accidents on the Westering Trails Everyone who’s ever played the Oregon Trail game know that emigrants stood a good chance of dying from disease or drowning at a river crossing before ever reaching the Willamette Valley. Of course, there were other common ways to die on the way to Oregon, Utah, or California. These were the possibilities people knew and worried about as they loaded up their wagons and started their oxen westward. But there were other ways to end one’s trip early. Unexpected ways. Freak accidents. Steam rises from a small pond in a desert setting. Birdwatching on the Oregon Trail Emigrants on the Oregon Trail were introduced to many new plants and animals as they made their journey west. With over 2,000 miles of trail, through countless habitats, there are a number of places where you can have a similar experience! The following places along the trail are noted for their birdwatching opportunities. When planning a visit, please make sure to check with the individual location about visitation hours and other details. Black bird with orange and yellow stripes on its visible wing tips. Significant Figures of the Pony Express, California, Oregon, and Mormon Pioneer Trails Stories collected as part of a 2016–2018 collaborative project of the National Trails- National Park Service and the University of New Mexico’s Department of History, “Student Experience in National Trails Historic Research: Vignettes Project.” This project was formulated to provide trail partners and the general public with useful biographies of less-studied trail figures—particularly African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, women, and children. Four images of historic portrait from the mid-19th century. Oregon and California National Historic Trails Spring 2023 Newsletter Read the latest project updates and completions for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS). Image of an online newsletter with text and pictures. Series: People of the Oregon Trail Learn more about significant figures of the Oregon National Historic Trail. Landscape with a trail running through. Alcove Spring Exhibits Audio Description Interested in the Oregon and California Trails at Alcove Spring? Take a look at these interpretive exhibits and listen to their audio descriptions. Wayside interpretive exhibit, full audio description is available. National Trails Coloring Pages Stretching for 28,000 miles over 26 states, the national historic trails are home to many different animals. Learn more about the trails and the animals that people encountered with these great coloring pages. This is fun for all ages, just download, print, and color! Coloring page with outline of a deer fawn. Oregon and California National Historic Trails Summer 2023 Newsletter Read the latest project updates and completions for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails from the National Trails Office of the National Park Service (NPS). Oregon and California Trails Newsletter Summer 2023 Reconstructed Fort Laramie Emigrant Register, 1850 Nineteenth-century overland migration is one of the best documented processes in American history. Journals, letters, sketches, and guidebooks paint vivid pictures of the varied landscapes and emotions that migrants experienced on their way west. Yet despite this rich body of evidence, there is no official count of how many people undertook the journey. Some of the best data we have comes courtesy of officers at Fort Laramie, who counted passing travelers in the year of 1850. Line graph showing the number of westbound men and wagons passing Fort Laramie. Reflecting on 55 years of the National Trails System Act: A Journey Through the Establishment of National Scenic and Historic Trails In celebration of the 55th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, learn more about these significant trails and their history.

nti ne nt at te IN ve Ri r r ve Ri er Riv n B O 25 287 W al COLORADO MING WYO RADO COLO 85 FORT COLLINS P South GREELEY Rocky Mountain National Park te lat te Plat KA RAS NEB SAS KAN Black Vermillion Crossing 16 24 81 Ri ve R r ive 70 KANSAS K s an St. MarysRed Vermillion Crossing Segment Hill S 70 Hays Sm y ok osh River INDEPENDENCE KANSAS CITY 70 Blue Mound C ygn es Ri 71 69 ve r 35 ar ai s 169 o Rive r Emporia 35 Lone Elm Campground Parting of the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails des 335 as Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve 135 River Upper Independence Landing ri Ottawa SALINA er See map above LAWRENCE Upper Wakarusa Crossing M Saline 76 Pellant Ruts TOPEKA Ne 83 Kansas River Crossing/ Pappin’s Ferry Vieux Cemetery/ Red Vermillion Crossing 63 St. Marys Mission Junction City r sou er 75 99 Manhattan Mis Riv Leavenworth Tuttle Creek Lake Riv 29 73 Coon Creek/Marshall Grave Scott Spring er N WY UTAH ca Riv Hiawatha 36 Atchison 77 Harlan County Lake ST. JOSEPH KA RAS NEB SAS KAN 36 Sterling E Beatrice Alcove Spring 80 IC Blue Solomon SAS G OMIN Little 6 34 McCook r r k ve OU NT A M BLU E Sna Ri IN S River E G N der v r A Pow N YO Rive CAN LLS ke HE Sna N lheur C S Co 6 KAN A 283 r Fairbury Rock Creek Station Rive Junction of St. Joe and r Independence Roads Hollenberg Station Marysville The Narrows Holdrege 23 Julesburg DO C de Thirty-two Mile Station Plum Creek Rep ubli ve A A O Fort Kearny Susan Hail Grave and Ruts Hastings Lowell 36 35 RI SOU MIS SAS KAN C Ri nde Ro Ma R Deschutes E S D T IDAHO r Rive Willamette OREGO er Riv S E G Grande r ve Ri N A R OCEAN PA C I F I C Upper Crossing of the South Platte River 83 25 80 73 ve Homestead NM of America Ayr Ruts Heart Grove Campground P l a tt e Ogallala Dan Smith’s West Ranch RI SOU MIS SAS KAN er Rock Springs i Brule ORA 80 Fort Bridger Flaming Gorge Reservoir ur vi ED S Name Rock so Di h M Pl FORT BRIDGER was a major supply point on the trail. Here the Mormon Trail veered off to the southwest and into Utah. Church Butte 80 30 Fort O’Fallon’s McPherson Bluff Ri 30 Eighty-fifth Street Ruts e tal rt IN West End of the Sublette Cutoff Segment Sidney California Hill Platte Lexington 6 KA r Ash Hollow Windlass Hill 385 75 COL ve Courthouse/ Jail Rock Lake McConaughy Kearney 81 80 470 Blu Ri is nen 30 189 Brigham City nti No TA Golden Spike NHS 30 Oshkosh North North Platte r Rive Grand Island RAS Kemmerer Co en 372 26 ASH HOLLOW was the entry to the North Platte River Valley. Ample supplies of wood, water, and grass made this a soughtafter camping area. FORT KEARNY: the U.S. Army established the fort in 1848 to provide protection for emigrants. All trails from jumping off points along the Missouri River met here, at the “Gateway to the Great Plains.” 435 INDEPENDENCE was the pre­ ferred jumping off point for the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails in the 1840s and early 1850s. Big 77 National Frontier Trails Center MISSOURI LINCOLN York CHEYENNE N 50 Miles Segments of the trail offering the best visitor experiences GREAT SALT LAKE Lombard Ferry 191 Crossing Laramie 80 River 0 50 Kilometers N E VA D A Big Sandy to Green River Segment re Gering Chimney Rock NHS Amanda Lamin Grave A IOW RI SOU MIS 29 er 85 e 0 Trail interpretive center U TA H 28 G Bayard Riv 69 35 70 Minor Park/Red Bridge Crossing New Santa Fe 10 Km. 0 71 0 10 Mi. 34 75 Loup le 76 Divid Oregon Trail route Logan 372 Farson 70 435 I West End of the Sublette Cutoff Fossil Butte NM ING WYOM UTAH IDAHO UTAH NEVADA 97 Upper Klamath Lake 84 30 287 Rawlins BASIN Scotts Bluff NM (Mitchell Pass) Scottsbluff FORT LARAMIE: this early Indian 71 trading post quickly developed into the major resupply point for emigrants and a major military post. Old Bedlam, on the fort Kimball grounds, is the oldest structure in Wyoming. U 93 89 L 85 ie ar am M 287 G R E AT D I V I D E SCOTTS BLUFF was one of the major landmarks on the trail, and, with Chimney Rock 35 miles east, it signaled that almost one-third of the trail had been traversed. dd A Big Hill Bear Lake 15 INDEPENDENCE ROCK: fur trap­ pers named this formation on July 4, 1824. Many emigrants later carved or painted their names on the rock. KANSAS CITY 80 COUNCIL BLUFFS INDEPENDENCE Santa Fe Trail Park Ruts 10 L 30 Cokeville City of Rocks National Reserve Fontenelle Reservoir Thomas Fork Crossing Parting of the Ways Little Sandy Crossing 189 H I L L S 385 Torrington Henry Guernsey Ruts Fort Laramie R iver NHS Horse Creek Treaty Grounds Wheatland Robidoux Pass O 95 ide Mi P California Trail Junction/ Raft River Crossing Div a T 89 Big Sandy Crossing Montpelier The National Oregon/ California Trail

National Trails System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide The Mormon Pioneer Trail Across Iowa in 1846 Leaving Nauvoo and “Crossing the Mississippi on the Ice,” by C. A. Christensen Reconstructed Latter-day Saints Temple at Nauvoo, Illinois. NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE The Mormon Pioneer Trail Across Iowa in 1846 Prepared by National Park Service National Trails Intermountain Region 324 South State Street, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Telephone: 801-741-1012 www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/poex www.nps.gov/mopi NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR April 2007 Second Printing September 2010 contents Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 A New Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Clash of Cultures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Exodus From Nauvoo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Winter Retreat Across Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Places to Pause, To Rest…To Die. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 A Far Reaching Impact. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Sites and Points of Interest Nauvoo, Illinois to Council Bluffs, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 For More Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Regional Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Iowa - Nebraska Introduction T he Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail follows the route Auto Tour established by Brigham Young Route to bring his followers from Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake, where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been based for more than 160 years. That first migration of Latter-day Saints to the Great Basin occurred in two stages: in 1846, from western Illinois to the Missouri River in the area of today’s Council Bluffs, Iowa; and in 1847, from the Missouri River to Salt Lake City. This Auto Tour Route interpretive guide covers the 1846 segment of Mormon Trail from Illinois through Iowa. Because they have not been designated by Congress Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Iowa - Nebraska as part of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail, routes and sites used by later Mormon wagon trains and handcart companies are not included in this guide. Individual Auto Tour Route interpretive guides such as this one are in preparation for each state through which the trail passes. As you follow the guide, watch for Auto Tour Route highway logos marking the general route of the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail. In addition, a National Park Service brochure with a map of the entire Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail is available at many trail-related venues, and also can be requested from the trail’s administrative office at 324 South State Street, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah. Historic Nauvoo, pioneer wagon ruts, emigrant camps, and other places of interest along or near the trail corridor are listed within this guide. Driving directions are also provided. Entrance and parking fees may be charged at some locations; hours may vary at the discretion of the managers —you may want to call ahead. Large groups are encouraged to make prior arrangements for tours, where available. 2 Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Iowa - Nebraska A New Faith M ormons, as Latter-day Saints are popularly called, practice a unique religion that arose in 1830 from the teachings of church founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Early converts to the new faith followed their prophet from New York to Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois through the 1830s and ’40s. They were driven from each state by threats and violence. The reasons for the Latter-day Saints’ early troubles still are debated, but religious, political, economic, and social practices all were at issue. Because Mormon beliefs about God and family differed in important ways from mainstream Christianity, they drew criticism and scorn. Because the Latter-day Saints created their own separate towns, religion-based governments, and security forces, their neighbors became uneasy and fearful. Resentment grew as the church became involved in local, state, and eventually, national politics. Disagreements led to legal battles and, in cases, violence

National Trails System Office Intermountain Region National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Interpretive Auto Tour Western Missouri Through Northeastern Kansas “Westport Landing” — by William Henry Jackson Courtesy—William Henry Jackson Collection at Scotts Bluff National Monument . R Driving directions to the sites are provided from major highways and nearby towns. To follow overland trail routes between sites, follow the Auto Tour Route highway signs. Generally, local brochures and guides are also available. Entrance and parking fees may be charged at some locations, and hours may vary at the discretion of site administrators. Large groups are encouraged to make prior arrangements for tours, where tours are available. Please respect private property by staying in public areas, and help protect our national heritage by leaving trail resources undisturbed. National Trails System Office 324 South State Street, Suite 200 P.O. Box 45155 Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0155 Auto Tour Route oadside Auto Tour Route signs mark the general routes of the Oregon, California, and Pony Express national historic trails through western Missouri and northeast Kansas. Actual wagon wheel ruts, emigrant camps, Pony Express stations, and other places of interest can be visited at the sites listed in this guide. Interpretive Auto Tour Western Missouri - Northeast Kansas ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI ON THEIR OWN T N he story of the American West is not simply a tale of pioneer courage and vision—of prairie schooners swaying westward to the strains of heroic music. Rather, it is a complex weave of plots and subplots, of romance and religion, of politics and money, and of personal and national tragedy. Traces of the people, livestock, and wooden wheels that were part of those stories can still be found on the landscape. There are traces, too, of native peoples whose lives were changed by emigration. This guide will provide descriptions of the historic places where wagon wheels cut into soft stream banks and over rolling prairie, where lonely trailside graves lie, where missionary outposts were established for Native Americans, and where Pony Express stations were, and more. Pioneers gathered to prepare for their journey at Independence and St. Joseph, Missouri. From there, they would embark across the wide and muddy Missouri River into a strange, windswept land of unfamiliar wonders—and dangers. ot fit for farming, too windswept and exposed to attract homesteaders, the “Great American Desert” that unrolled west of the Missouri River was seen as landscape to be crossed on the way to a better place. That crossing, travelers of the mid-19th century knew, was, by turn, exhausting and exhilarating, and tedious and terrifying. Emigrants’ excitement and anxiety mounted as they prepared to launch their ox-drawn prairie schooners from St. Joseph and Independence, Missouri, bustling river ports at the frontier’s edge. To them, the great, gray ribbon of the Missouri was the western shore of civilized society. Once their wagons rolled off the ferry onto the Kansas side, emigrants embarked into unfamiliar country—trespassers on Indian lands, and beyond the protection of the government. On the trail, there were no markets, no hospitals, no laws, and no second chances. From there until they reached trail’s end some 2,000 miles later, the pioneer emigrants were on their own. Here we were, without law, without order, and without restraint; in a state of nature, amid the confused, revolving fragments of elementary society! Some were sad, while others were merry; and while the brave doubted, the timid trembled! —Lansford W. Hastings, . . . . I, like every other pioneer, love to live over again, in memory those romantic months, and revisit, in fancy, the scenes of the journey. —Catherine Haun, —California emigration of 1849 In the winter of 18 and 46 our neighbor got hold of Fremont’s History of California and . . . . brought the book to my husband to read, & he was carried away with the idea [of emigrating] too. I said O let us not go! —Mary Jones, —California emigration of 1846 Interpretive Auto Tour Western Missouri - Northeast Kansas DANGER, DEATH, AND DISAPPOINTMENT M ost emigrants lived in fear of Indian attack. Rumors of—even hoaxes about—trailside massacres drifted back to Eastern newspapers, and many travelers packed a virtual arsenal to protect themselves on the road. For the most part, though, their fears were unfounded. Historians conclude that more Indian people than emigrants were killed in clashes along the Oregon and California trails. A more serious threat to those gathering at the congested jumping-off places along the Missouri River was a mysterious killer that could neither be seen nor fought: cholera. In the mid-19th century, no one realized that this virulent and painful intestinal infection was caused by bacteria. Spread unknowingly from waterhole to waterhole by sick travel

National Trails System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Nebraska and Northeastern Colorado “Approaching Chimney Rock” By William Henry Jackson Chimney Rock, in western Nebraska, was one of the most notable landmarks recorded in emigrant diaries and journals. Photograph is courtesy of The Wagner Perspective. NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE Nebraska and Northeastern Colorado Prepared by National Park Service National Trails System—Intermountain Region 324 South State Street, Suite 200 Box 30 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Telephone: 801-741-1012 www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/mopi www.nps.gov/poex NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR August 2006 Contents Introduction • • • • • • • 1 The Great Platte River Road • • • • • • • From Path to Highway • • • • • • • “A Whiz and a Hail” — The Pony Express • • • • • A “Frayed Rope” • • • • • • • The Platte Experience • • • • • • • Natives and Newcomers: A Gathering Storm • • • • • • • War on the Oregon & California Trails • • • • • • • Corridor to Destiny • • • • • • • 2 4 8 11 15 18 21 24 SITES AND POINTS OF INTEREST • • • • • • • Auto Tour Segment A: Odell to Kearney • • • • • • • Auto Tour Segment B: Omaha-Central City-Kearney • • • • • • Auto Tour Segment C: Nebraska City-Central City-Kearney • • • • • • • Auto Tour Segment D: Kearney to Wyoming Border • • • • • • • 25 For More Information • • • • • • • 61 Regional Map • • • • • • • 26 35 41 43 inside the back cover Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Nebraska Introduction M any of the pioneer trails and other historic routes that are important in our nation’s past have been designated by Congress as National Historic Trails. While Auto Tour most of those old roads and routes are Route not open to motorized traffic, people can drive along modern highways that lie close to the original trails. Those modern roads are designated as Auto Tour Routes, and they are marked with highway signs and trail logos to help today’s travelers follow the trails used by the pioneers who helped to open a new nation. This interpretive publication guides visitors along the Auto Tour Routes for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails as they approach and parallel the Platte River across Nebraska and cut across the northeastern corner of Colorado. Siteby-site driving directions are included, and an overview map is located inside the back cover. To make the tour more meaningful, this guide also provides an historical overview of the four trails, shares the thoughts and experiences of emigrants who followed those routes, and describes how the westward expansion impacted native peoples of the Great Plains. Individual Auto Tour Route interpretive guides such as this one are in preparation for each state through which the trails pass. In addition, individual National Park Service interpretive brochures for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails are available at many trail-related venues, and can be requested from the National Trails System Office at 324 South State, Suite 200, Box 30, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. These brochures provide more detailed information about each of the trails. Additional information on each trail also can be found on individual trail web sites. Links are listed on the title page of this guide. 1 Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Nebraska The Great Platte River Road “Too thick to drink, too thin to plow, too pale to paint.” “A mile wide and an inch deep.” “A stream flowing upside down.” C overed wagon pioneers of the 19th century liked to joke about Nebraska’s Platte River, a stream unlike any they had known back East. But the Platte, strange as it looked, was no joke. A summer shower could send it raging over-bank and through camp; its soft quicksand bottom could swallow up an ox team. River crossings were ordeals to dread. The river’s setting, too, seemed strange. Surrounding prairie, frequently cleansed by wildfire, was burned bare of trees right up to the water’s edge, and a line of low sand hills, looking like a storm-wracked beach, rimmed much of the river valley. Yet the yellow Platte, that treeless “Coast of Nebraska,” was an emigrant’s lifeline—a water source that snaked 800 dusty miles between the Missouri River and the uplands of central Wyoming. Though a choked and sandy disappointment of a stream, the Platte always was and still is a natural east-west corridor across the central plains. Migrating game and moccasin-clad feet wore paths through the “Fort Kearny & the South Platte River” by William Henry Jackson. 2 Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Nebraska valley thousands of years before any white man ventured there. Like those first travelers, covered wagon emigrants and their slow, plodding oxen found water, grass, and fuel

National Trails System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Along the Snake River Plain Through Idaho “Three Island Crossing” by William Henry Jackson “Great Falls” on the Snake River. Courtesy of Library of Congress. NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE The Tangle of Trails Through Idaho Prepared by National Park Service National Trails System—Intermountain Region 324 South State Street, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Telephone: 801-741-1012 www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/poex www.nps.gov/mopi NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR October 2008 Contents Introduction• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 THE DESERT WEST• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 THE SNAKE COUNTRY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 FINDING THE WAY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 WYOMING TO FORT HALL• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 THE RAFT RIVER PARTING OF THE WAYS• • • • • • • • • • 20 ON TO OREGON• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 22 ‘O FOR MORE PATIENCE’: A SNAKE RIVER SOJOURN • • 29 ‘DEATH OR THE DIGGINS’• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 32 ‘OUTRAGES HAVE BEEN COMMITTED’• • • • • • • • • • • 35 YESTERDAY AND TODAY• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 41 SITES AND POINTS OF INTEREST• • • • • • • • • • • • • 42 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT A: WYOMING TO OREGON ON THE SNAKE RIVER ROUTE OF THE OREGON TRAIL • • • • 45 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT B: THE SOUTH ALTERNATE OREGON TRAIL ROUTE, GLENNS FERRY TO OREGON STATE LINE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 78 FOR MORE INFORMATION: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 82 Credits: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 82 Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Idaho Introduction M any of the pioneer trails and other historic routes that are important in our nation’s past have been designated by Congress as National Auto Tour Historic Trails. While most of the old roads and routes still in existance are not open to motorized Route traffic, people can drive along modern highways that closely parallel the original trails. Those modern roads are designated as Auto Tour Routes, and they are marked with highway signs and trail logos to help today’s travelers follow the trails used by the pioneers who helped to open the American West. This interpretive publication guides visitors along the Auto Tour Routes for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails across Idaho. Site-by-site driving directions are included, and an overview map is located inside the back cover. To make the tour more meaningful, this guide also provides a historical overview of the two trails, shares the thoughts and experiences of emigrants who followed these routes, and discusses how the westward expansion impacted native peoples of Idaho. Individual Auto Tour Route interpretive guides such as this one are in preparation for each state through which the trails pass. In addition, individual National Park Service brochures for the Oregon and California National Historic Trails are available at many trail-related venues, and also can be requested from the National Trails System administrative office at 324 South State Street, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Each brochure includes a map of the entire trail and an overview of trail history. Additional information about each trail also can be found on individual trail web sites. Links are listed on the “For More Information” page of this guide. Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Idaho THE DESERT WEST A s covered-wagon emigrants crossed today’s Idaho, they found the romance of the road wearing as thin as the soles of their trailtorn shoes. The pioneers’ initial energy and excitement curdled into fatigue and crankiness after three or more months on the road. Nightly fireside dances got left behind back down the trail, next to Grandpa’s clock, Mother’s good china, and heaps of souring bacon. Highjinks and horse races grew rare, quarrels more frequent. Journal-keepers, when they “Freighters Grub Pile,” by William mustered the energy to write at all, Henry Jackson. Courtesy of Library of generally jotted terse complaints Congress. about fellow travelers, Indians, heat, exhaustion, dust, mosquitoes, aches and pains, and the “stink” of the never-ending sagebrush. It seems the nearer we approach Oregon the worse roads we have, and a worse more rough looking country. —Amelia Hadley, 1851 Oregon emigration Felt today like giving up in despair, the intolerable heat and dust, together with fatigue makes me almost sick at heart. —Esther Belle Hanna, 1852 California emigration [Men] are by turns, or all together, cross, peevish, sullen, boisterous, giddy, profane, dirty, vulgar, ragged, mustachioed, bewhiskered, idle, petulant, quarrelsome, unfaithful, disobedient, refractory, careless,

National Trails System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Across Wyoming “Rendezvous,” by William Henry Jackson NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE Across Wyoming Prepared by National Park Service National Trails Intermountain Region www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/mopi www.nps.gov/poex NATIONAL PARK SERVICE US DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Third Printing December 2016 Historical marker on South Pass recognizing the first “white” women to make the trek to Oregon in 1836. CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Gateway to the West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Blazing the Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Approaching the Rockies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Sweetwater to South Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Beyond the Great Divide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Leapfrogging Across Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Ho for California! Oregon or Bust! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Fire on the Plains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 God Speed to the Boy & the Pony! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The End of the Trail Era . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Sites and Points of Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Auto Tour Segment A —Nebraska State Line to Casper . . . . . . . Auto Tour Segment B —Casper to Seedskadee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Tour Segment C —The Lander Road. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Auto Tour Segment D —Seedskadee to Idaho State Line. . . . . . . Auto Tour Segment E —Seedskadee to Utah State Line. . . . . . . . 38 50 68 70 71 For More Information/Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Regional Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Eastern view of the Sweetwater River Valley from atop Independence Rock, by William Henry Jackson. Image is courtesy of the Brigham Young University Online Collection. Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Wyoming INTRODUCTION Auto Tour Route any of the pioneer trails and other M historic routes that are important in our nation’s past have been designated by Congress as national historic trails. While most of those old roads and routes are not open to motorized traffic, people can drive along modern highways that lie close to the original trails. Those modern roads are designated as Auto Tour Routes, and are marked with highway signs and trail logos to help today’s travelers follow the trails used by the pioneers who helped to open a new nation. This interpretive publication guides visitors along the Auto Tour Routes for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express national historic trails as they as they cross the state of Wyoming from east to west. Site-by-site driving directions are included, and an overview map is located inside the back cover. To make the tour more meaningful, this guide also provides a historical overview of the four trails, shares the thoughts and experiences of emigrants who followed those routes, and describes how westward expansion impacted native peoples of the Intermountain West. National Park Service interpretive brochures for the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express national historic trails are available at many trail-related venues, or can be requested via email to ntir_information@nps.gov. Additional information on each trail also can be found on individual trail websites. Links are listed on the title page of this guide. Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Wyoming GATEWAY TO THE WEST History is geography set into motion. —Johann Gottfried Herder, 18th century philosopher of history T he Rocky Mountains stretch like a jagged spine between Alaska and Mexico, splitting North America into East and West. The Continental Divide is not a simple line of peaks, easily threaded by tracks and roads, but a complex of overlapping mountain ranges and treeless sagebrush steppe, hundreds of miles wide. In the days of covered wagon travel, the Rockies were an imposing barrier to the movement of people, commerce, and communications. Early explorers probed the Northern Rockies looking for the fabled “Northwest Passage” that would open an easy route for transcontinental traffic. The men of Lewis and Clark’s Cor

National Trails System National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Utah — Crossroads of the West “Wagons Through Echo Canyon,” by William Henry Jackson Pony Express Bible photograph is courtesy of Joe Nardone, — Pony Express History Association. Every Pony Express rider working for Russell, Majors, and Waddell, was issued a personal Bible to carry with them and obliged to pledge this oath: “I, [name of rider] - do hereby swear before the great and living God that during my engagement and while I am an employee of Russell, Majors, and Waddell, I will under no circumstances use profane language, I will drink no intoxicating liquors; that I will not quarrel or fight with any other employee of the firm and that in every respect I will I conduct myself honestly, faithful to my duties, and so direct my acts, as to win the confidence of my employers, So help me God.” NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE Utah — Crossroads of the West Prepared by National Park Service National Trails—Intermountain Region 324 South State Street, Suite 200 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 Telephone: 801-741-1012 www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/poex www.nps.gov/mopi NATIONAL PARK SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR September 2010 Contents INTRODUCTION • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1 A NOTE ON STATE BOUNDARIES • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 2 THE BIG EMPTY • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 3 SAGEBRUSH AND SALT FLATS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4 FIRST WAGONS INTO UTAH • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 7 ‘A NIGHER ROUTE’: The Hastings Cutoff • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 ‘THIS IS THE PLACE’: The Mormon Pioneers • • • • • • • • • • • • •18 A HALF-WAY HOUSE ON THE CALIFORNIA TRAIL • • • • • • • • • 28 THE UTAH WAR • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 34 ‘THE FORLORNEST SPOT’: The Pony Express Trail in Utah • • • 36 THE WARPATH • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 43 CROSSROADS OF THE WEST• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 47 SITES AND POINTS OF INTEREST • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 49 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT A: Wyoming Border To Salt Lake City, Utah — (Hastings Cutoff Of The California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express Trails) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 49 OPTIONAL BACKCOUNTRY ROUTE: East Canyon/Little Emigration Canyon • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 65 SALT LAKE CITY PIONEER TOUR • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 77 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT B: Salt Lake City To West Wendover, NV • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 90 OPTIONAL BACKCOUNTRY ROUTE: Skull Valley and Hastings Pass • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 95 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT C: Salt Lake City To City Of Rocks NR, ID (Salt Lake Cutoff of the California Trail) • • • • • • • • • • 105 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT D: Pony Express Trail National Back Country Byway • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 110 For More Information • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 122 Credits • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 122 Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Utah INTRODUCTION M any of the pioneer trails and other historic routes that are important in our nation’s past have been designated by Congress as National Historic Trails. While most of the trail ruts still in existence are not open to motorized traffic, people can drive along modern highways that either overlie the original route or closely parallel it. Those modern roads are designated as Auto Tour Routes, and they are marked with highway signs and trail logos to help today’s travelers follow the routes used by the pioneers who helped to open the American West. This interpretive publication guides visitors along the Auto Tour Routes for the California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails across Utah. Site-by-site driving directions are included, and an overview map is located inside the back cover. To make the tour more meaningful, this guide also provides a historical overview of the three trails, shares the thoughts and experiences of emigrants who followed these routes, and discusses how the westward expansion impacted the native peoples of what is now Utah. Individual Auto Tour Route interpretive guides such as this one are in preparation for each state through which the trails pass. In addition, individual National Park Service brochures for the California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails are available at many trail-related venues, and also can be requested from the National Trails System administrative office at 324 South State Street, Suite 200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Each brochure includes a map of the entire trail and a general overview of

National Trails Intermountain Region National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior National Historic Trails Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Across Nevada California National Historic Trail Pony Express National Historic Trail By the time they reached the Humboldt Sink, or Forty-mile Desert, many emigrant pioneers had little food, exhausted livestock, and broken wagons. [Cover photo] Forty-mile Desert NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAILS AUTO TOUR ROUTE INTERPRETIVE GUIDE Across Nevada on the Humboldt Route and The Central Route of the Pony Express Prepared by National Park Service National Trails Intermountain Region www.nps.gov/cali www.nps.gov/oreg www.nps.gov/poex www.nps.gov/mopi NATIONAL PARK SERVICE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR April 2012 Table of Contents ‘MOST CORDIALLY I HATE YOU’: THE HUMBOLDT RIVER •••••••••••••••••••• 2 THE GREAT BASIN •••••••••••••••••••• 4 SEEKING MARY’S RIVER •••••••••••••••••••• 5 APPROACHING THE HUMBOLDT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 11 PRELUDE TO MURDER • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 15 THE HUMBOLDT EXPERIENCE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 18 WEST TO STONY POINT • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 21 THE POLITICS OF HUNGER • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 24 A FLASH OF THE BLADE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 27 ‘HEARTILY TIRED OF THE JOURNEY’ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 29 THE HUMBOLDT SINK • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 33 THE Forty-mile DESERT; or, HOW TO KILL AN OX • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 35 INTO THE SIERRA NEVADA • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 42 THE PONY BOYS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 44 CHANGE IN THE GREAT BASIN • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 51 Sites & Points of Interest: Setting Out • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 53 Navigating the California Trail Across Nevada • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 54 Tips for Trailing Across Nevada • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 56 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT A: WEST WENDOVER AND JACKPOT, NEVADA, TO CALIFORNIA (California Trail) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 58 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT B: BLACK ROCK DESERT, RYE PATCH RESERVOIR TO GERLACH, NEVADA (Applegate and Nobles Trails) • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 77 AUTO TOUR SEGMENT C: WEST WENDOVER, NEVADA TO CALIFORNIA BORDER (Pony Express Trail and Carson and Walker River-Sonora Routes of the California Trail) FOR MORE INFORMATION: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 86 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 102 Introduction M any of the pioneer trails and other historic routes that are important in our nation’s past have been designated by Congress as national historic trails. While most of those old wagon roads and routes are not open to motorized traffic, visitors can drive along modern highways that either retrace the original route or closely parallel it. Those modern roads are designated as Auto Tour Routes. They are marked with “National Historic Trails” highway signs to help today’s travelers follow the routes used by the pioneers who helped to open the American West. This interpretive publication guides visitors along the Auto Tour Routes for the California and Pony Express national historic trails as they cross the state of Nevada from east to west. Site-by-site driving directions are included, and an overview map is located inside the back cover. To make the tour more meaningful, this guide also provides a historical overview of the two trails, shares the thoughts and experiences of emigrants who trekked to California, and discusses how the westward expansion impacted native peoples of what is now Nevada. Individual Auto Tour Route interpretive guides such as this one are in preparation for each state that the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express trails pass through. In addition, individual National Park Service brochures for the four national historic trails are available at many trail-related venues and can be requested from the National Trails Intermountain Region Salt Lake City Branch Office at ntsl_interpretation@nps.gov. Each brochure includes a color map of the entire trail and provides an overview of information about each of the trails. Additional information can also can be found on individual trail websites. For links see page 102. Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Nevada ‘MOST CORDIALLY I HATE YOU’: THE HUMBOLDT RIVER T he four great rivers that led covered wagon pioneers into the far West each had a personality all its own. There was the gritty prairie Platte, cantankerous but dependable; the brooding, basalt-shrouded Snake, menacing as a stranger with a hostile stare; and the broad-shouldered Columbia, the Big River of the West, confident and athletic, striding purposefully toward the Pacific Ocean. But the Humboldt. The Humboldt was sullen and spiteful, a mocking mean joker that lured emigrants deep into the desert, swindle