National Park Service National Trails Intermountain Region News U.S. Department of the Interior March 2013

Oregon and California National Historic Trails

Four Trails Feasibility Study Update

The planning team, along with retired NTIR employee Kay Threlkeld, drafted additional route descriptions and historical summaries, updated the GIS database, and prepared regional maps. Route descriptions and summaries have undergone preliminary review by trails subject matter experts and have been revised.

NTIR is preparing route description Partners and NTIR staff attended a dedication on August 11, 2012 for five new waysides packages for SHPOs, tribes, installed at McCoy Park in Independence, Missouri. and other federal agencies for preliminary review before release of Project Updates the public review draft. Exhibits: The team developed two alternatives • A dedication was held on August 11, 2012 for five new waysides installed and a no action alternative for the at McCoy Park in Independence, Missouri. Over 100 people celebrated feasibility study/environmental the three trails that passed through Independence in the 1800s. assessment. A preferred alternative • Site and interpretive planning continue for the New Fork River Crossing has not been identified. For more Historical Park. The park is scheduled for opening in September 2013. • Four wayside exhibits on Red Bridge in Kansas City, Missouri have been information, please ask a planning installed and were dedicated on July 27, 2012. team member or go to: Design/Development: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/FourtrailFS • Sign plan standards and tools are available online for the Oregon and California national historic trails (NHTs). Go to: www.nps.gov/cali/ parkmgmt/how-to-create-your-sign-plan.htm and www.nps.gov/oreg/ parkmgmt/how-to-create-your-sign-plan.htm Project Highlight • We reached a verbal agreement with CALTRANS regarding methodology to start planning for signing NHT routes in California. We are still working to transfer funds from CALTRANS to the NPS. Once the funding is in place, we will schedule a project scoping meeting and then a sign planning workshop.

Tribal Liaison: • NTIR hosted a trail association Leadership and Tribal Outreach workshop in December 2012 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. • NTIR in partnership with OCTA and the Shoshone-Bannock tribes presented a tribal listening session at Fort Hall, Idaho on March 5-6, 2013. Members of OCTA’s Mapping and Marking Committee, National Trails Intermountain GIS/Mapping: Region, the Bureau of Land Management, • Thirty-eight mapping enthusiasts participated in a three-day workshop led and University of Utah met for a workshop in by Dave Welch (OCTA), Dr. Phoebe McNeally (U. of Utah, DIGIT Lab) and Salt Lake City, Utah. John Cannella (NPS); held at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City from October 30-November 1, 2012. Trail Exhibit Highlights Projects Near You

California National Oregon-California Trails Association Snowshoe Thompson Cave Historic Trail Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest National Park Service Snowshoe Thompson New Projects NTIR has partnered with the Lander Explore Carson Canyon Cave Orientation Wayside Carson Canyon, California Trail Foundation to create one three- “The mountains were [Snowshoe You are standing in what some gold traveled into California over this Thompson’s] sanctuary, and storms were just another part seekers referred to as “Pass Creek trail than on any other. Between of its raw beauty. On his skis, he panel exhibit at the Fort Hall Museum could freely move across the snow Canyon” or “Carson Canyon.” 1856 and 1876, John “Snowshoe” covered landscape. . . . At times like that, he must have felt like a The project includes six wayside “Forty-niners” used this canyon as Thompson carried the mail soaring eagle.” with the Shoshone-Bannock tribes, a main route into California during along this route twice a month —Dan DeQuille, writer for the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise exhibits located at five stops along

the Gold Rush. In fact, more people throughout the winter season. John “Snowshoe” Thompson Nevada Historical Society and one exhibit on the Salt River the Carson Route. Five exhibits have Walk to Snowshoe Thompson Cave been installed to date. Crossing of the Lander Trail.

Emigrant Trail to Snowshoe Thompson Cave Walk the trail to see the Snowshoe Thompson Cave. John “Snowshoe” Know Before You Go Thompson took five days to ski 180 n Dogs are permitted, please do not allow

Hill 6832’ miles round trip between Placerville pets to harrass wildlife. The final exhibit in the series has We are currently working on a mobile Legend and Genoa on his hand-made skis. In Rock with n Trail Fishing is permitted; California state fishing inscription “Rogers Feature extreme weather, Thompson would Aug. 28,th 49” licenses are required for individuals aged 16

Aspen Grove Corduroy seek shelter under the overhanging and older. Snowshoe Walkway been fabricated and delivered. Thompson Cave You Are smartphone application version of the Trails West Here rocks of this cave. “T” Rail Marker n Rust Rock Protect archeological resources: leave them 6668’ Rust Rock as you found them for others to enjoy. Rock with Parking Parking Drill Hole Distance: 1/2 mile round-trip 6787’ n OCTA member Frank Tortorich will 88 Elevation Gain: 164 feet Off-highway vehicles (OHVs) are not Utah interpretive guide to be available permitted. Be prepared to walk on uneven terrain; n For emergencies call 911. coordinate installation of the panel trail conditions may be wet. via a web address, phone number, in late spring 2013. Visit More Carson Route Interpretive Sites and quick response (QR) code.

You Are Here Travelers took the Carson NTIR partnered with the California- 1 Snowshoe ThompsonEnjoy this trail Cave and 1 then continue west to Route as an alternative to National Register learn more about the Donner Pass Nevada Chapter of OCTA, and the gold rush emigration in this area. 2 Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest. Kansas State Historic Preservation 38° 46’ 40.8” N, 119° 53’ 06.4” W (NAD 83) California State Route 88 GPS 2 Big Tree Road Office (KSHPO) submitted15 draft In 1856, local merchants had this road built to profit 5 from selling supplies to emigrants and gold site and segment nominations to NPS prospectors. 38° 44’ 52.7” N, 119° 56’ 21.8” W (NAD 83) Blue Lakes Road 3 GPS 3 Devil’s Ladder 4 for the Oregon and California trails

The name Devil’s Ladder refers to the steepness and extreme across Kansas. NPS has reviewed difficulty that pioneers experienced reaching 38° 41’ 33.1” N, 119° 59’ 9” W (NAD 83) 5 West Pass & Caples Lake GPS California State Route 88 the First Summit. 4 Carson Pass West Pass, also known these nominations, now in revision, In 1844, John C. as “Second Summit,” final destination in California Fremont led a group, signaled to travelers The Caples family came to . including Kit Carson, that they had but a California seeking gold an over this pass—a major week or so of travel made Caples Lake their summerd and KSHPO continues to work with route during the Gold 38° 42’ 18.3 before reaching their ” N, 120° 3’ 37.2” W home for 30 years. They Rush. California State D 83) GPS Route 88, near Kirkw(NAD 83) established a way station here. ood 38° 41’ 37.3” N 119° 59’ 18.2” W (NA California State Route 88 GPS landowners for permission to list.

Oregon State Historic Preservation Westport Landing Santa Fe National Historic Trail National Park Service Oregon National Historic Trail Kansas City Area Historic Trails Association California National Historic Trail Westport Landing Office submitted a draft Multiple We presume not less than 300 wagons have left Three Trails Kansas this spring for the Plains, most of which have Kansas City, Missouri gone to Santa Fe...The trade between this point and N.M. is rapidly increasing. Already not less than Property Documentation Form (MPDF) 1,500,000 lbs. of freight for that country has been from Westport Landing landed here and shipped for its destination, and there is much yet to arrive from St. Louis. for the Oregon Trail in Oregon and Kansas Public Ledger, May 1851 Nine wayside exhibits were installed at Westport Landing, is in the process of developing three also known as Town of Kansas, site and segment nominations. The in Kansas City, Missouri. A MPDF has been reviewed by NPS and dedication ceremony was held is currently in revision. Painting by William Jackson NPS/Scotts Bluff National Monument in September 2012. Since 1821, traders on the Santa Fe Trail had Thousands of Oregon-bound emigrants and Westport Landing remained the primary brought their goods by steamboat as far up the California gold seekers also disembarked here jumping-off point for trade and emigration until NTIR funded these nominations Missouri River as possible before departing before going west. Leaving Westport, travelers the outbreak of the Civil War, when trail traffic on foot and wagon for Santa Fe. Landings heading to Santa Fe, Oregon, and California moved north to Leavenworth. Before long, the continued to move farther and farther west followed the same trail until they crossed the landing, which had borne the weight of freight along the river and by the late 1830s Santa Fe state line and split off at the trail junction west and emigrant dreams, became obsolete. through cooperative agreements. traders disembarked here at Westport Landing of present-day Gardner, Kansas. All three trails have been designated as National Historic Trails – just before the river’s northward bend. by Congress. Learn more about the National Trails System and these three trails at www.nps.gov/nts

36 X 24 INCHES | 40% OF ACTUAL SIZE | AUGUST 2011 | PARK NAME | Wayside Exhibit 00

Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide Series

Through congressional funding obtained by the Partnership for the National Trails National Trails Intermountain Region System, seven of the nine interpretive guide series have been developed for the The National Park Service cares for the four northern national historic trails. These include guides for: special places saved by the American people National Trails Intermountain Region National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior so that all may experience our heritage. 1. Northwestern Missouri and Northeastern Kansas National Historic Trails Comments? Contact: 2. Iowa Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guide

Across Nevada 3. Nebraska and Northeastern Colorado National Trails Intermountain Region 4. Wyoming Branch Office 5. Idaho 324 South State Street, Suite 200 6. Utah Salt Lake City, UT 84111 [email protected] 7. Nevada California National Historic Trail Pony Express National Historic Trail The Nevada interpretive guide is now available. NPS 03/2013 Planning for the Oregon/Washington guide is underway.