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Home , Applegate Trail, Peter Lassen

National Historie Trail

The California Nat ional Historie Trai l spans 2,000 miles across the United States. lt brought em igrants, gold-seekers, merchants, and others west to California in the l 800s. The Bu reau of Land Management in California manages four segments, nearly 140-miles of the trail, the Appl egate, the Lassen, the Nobles, and the Yreka . Set ee n 1841 and 1869, more than 250,000 emigrants traversed the Cal ifornia Trail. Lured by gold, farmland and a promise of paradise in California, mid l 9th century emigrants used the Ca lifornia a 1onal Historie Tra il for a migration route to the west. umerous routes emerged in attempts to create the best available course. Today, this t rail offer s auto ouring, educa ional programs and vi siter centers to present-day gold seekers arid explorers.

ln 1992, Congress designated the Californ ia Trail system as a National Historie Trail. ln 2000, it also became part of the ln April of 1852, William H. Nobles Bureau of Land anagement's system of National Conservation Lands. This is a 36 million-acre collection of treasured landscapes conserved by the Bureau of La nd Management. Find out more at www bl gov/ programs/ national­ Z:6Z:E-LSZ: (OES) placed a notice in the Shasta Courier Changes to the Trail conservation-lands. Of: L96 V'J 'a ll!Auesns announcing a meeting in Shasta +aaJ+S Mopay+eaM S L L The original route runs from Black Roc Springs, wnasnl/\l 1e::> !JO+S! H uasse1 Ala!OOS 1eo!JOlS!H A}uno~ uasse1 City, where he would reveal his newly to Shasta City, California and as used mainly w+y ·xapu1/ 0Ael/Ao5·sdu-MMM discovered wagon route, which later from 1852 to 1869. Ou ring its heyday, po ions of he trail were realigned for a more optimal pa h. The obles 08vv-S6S (OES) :aUOl.jd E9096 V'J 'leJaU!l/\I OO L X08 Od became known as the Nobles Trail. Trail offered a major advantage over o her routes in wnaSnl/\I S!WOOl the area. The new trail offered a more graduai ascent >tJed 1euO!leN ::>!ueo10J\ uasse1 Nobles proposed this deal to into California over the and gentler / Ao5·e::i·aJ!IPl!M"MMM the Shasta City merchants: descent into the Sacramento Va lley. 1 also avoided long vv99-vSZ: (OES) :aUOl.jd if the new route proved to stretches of the dreaded 40-mile desert ha he Truckee eaw êlJ!IPl!M a>1e1 i\auoH be an improvement from the and Carson trails crossed. A}uno~ uasse1 'aJ!IPl!M pue lJS!.:I JO }uawi1edaa e!LIJOJ!fe~ previously established traits, Nobles Trail Today they would pay him $2,000, a The growing infrastructure and settlement of the /sn·pafSfMMM substantial sum at the time. If west led to the need for wagon road improvement. Today you can follow the emigrants' footsteps in LS LZ:-LSZ: (OES) :a UOL.Jd OE L96 V'J 'all!AUesns the route was not satisfactory, landscapes rem iniscent of the 1800s on public lands Established by the federal government in 1857, the ëlA!JO ap!SJêlA!l::l OSSZ: Nobles stated he would take no Pacifie Wagon Road Office oversaw the construction managed by the BL , , and a::i1Jrn s,JOS!AJadns payment. The merchants were and maintenance of nation's wagon roa ds. The survey Lassen Vo lcanic Park. A 38-mile section of the Nobles +sa10.:11euO!leN uasse1 excited about the new route William H. Nobles and improvement of the Fort Kearney-South Pass­ Trail passes through BLM Eagle Lake Field OffJce­ and once the six week round trip Honey Lake Wagon Road Project, including the Nobles administered lands. This section of trail t raverses the was complete, they paid his tee and he returned home Trail, was commissioned. lmprovements to the road and , Smoke Creek Canyon, Rush Creek to Minnesota. development of water sources occurred in 1860. Valley, the southern section of Mud Flat out to Honey Lake, and the Susan River area. Sorne segments of t rait are still used by modern travelers, such as portions of Smoke Creek Road. Other segments of trail can only be traveled on foot and still other sections are lost.

.'..AN CE ,, F E Before the Trail \ \ Although some of the emigrant trails were new, many shadowed earlier lndian routes that followed major river systems and crossed imposing mountain ranges. lnitially, American lndians assisted and guided explorers and emigrants. However, as time progressed and the number of travelers increased, conflict and confrontations escalated.

Thousands of emigrants and their cattle, horses, and sheep, t ravel ed west of the Mississippi River into and across American lndian traditional homelands from 1840 to 1880. Emigrant wagon roads, incoming settlers, Paiute conical burden basket and pine nut gathering tools. Special government policy towards lndians, and the railroad Collections, University of Nevada, Reno Libraries. led to loss of traditional lifestyles and undermined the American lndians' political and economic Long before the first Euro-American explorers and 5 independence. Today, the local lndian peoples use \, settlers made it to Ca lifornia, American lndians lived natural resources near the Nobles Trail to continue in the areas crossed by the Nobles Tra il. Emigrants aspects of t heir traditional culture. t ravel ing the Nobles Trai l encountered several American lndian tribes. Within the eastern half of the trail, this "i:ssus T ADLP.. included the Kammu Tukadu and Wadakhut bands of the l"w r. Population. /ncrcn«,. - -- Jnnunry 1, 1849 (Eotimat.ctl)...... 2G,OOO .< "" !8 Northern Paiute people. 1s50...... J0ï,OG!1 s 1,om1 ,,hN ./ ; .1, 18!i2 ...... •.. 2G 1 ,4 :1 ~ 1 i 1 , ~:l ISGO ...... • .. • ...... :~ï!l,!194 1 l!i,55!J l l Important local resources included pi ne nuts, other 1! .1 1\1 18i0 ...... !'1G0,24 ï 1 80, ~5 :1 ~ large and small seeds, root crops, and berries. Peop le i t'' t 18 (l ...... 8G4 ,S:IG 304,riS!l • 1/-?t hunted large game including deer, bighorn sheep, and • -.::-6é/_ Cen sus showing Ca lifornia population increase, 1849- 1880. pronghorn with bow and arrow, t raps and corrals.

Lassen Historical Museum 11 5 N Weatherlow St, The End of the Line Find Out More Susanville, CA 96130. (530) 257-3292. • Auto Tour Routes for the Callfornla National There are many sources of information for the Nobles By 1869, the Central Pacifie Railroad ran from it continued to be used as a road bet 1een settlements Historie Trail by : Sacramento, over the , and a long the in and in some areas by he loggin g Tra il. Museums, parks, and partners have exhibits and https://www.nps.gov/poex/planyourvisit/upload/ NevadaATR-IG-041612_web.pdf in Nevada. This offered a more efficient industry. Today, some portions of the obi es Trail can staries documenting the emigrant and Native American way for passengers and freight to enter Ca lifornia. White be traveled by vehicles or on foot, while other portions experiences. Sorne of these include: Nobles Trail Photo Tour by Traits West, lnc.: http://emigranttrailswest.org/ virtual-tour/nobles-trail/ the Nobles Trai t was abandoned as an emigrant trail, have disappeared completely. A Guide to the Nobles Trail by Richard K. Brock and Robert S. Black. 2008. Trails West, lnc. Reno, NV. https://emigranttrailswest.org/ BLM/CA/G l/201 7/ Ol 3+8600+8300 Leave No Trace Visit the Trail! Leave 1852 Take only pictures and leave artifacts where you fmd them. No Trails West, lnc. has installed trail markers made of Nobles announces his new wagon route to the merchants The Archaeological Resources Trace·· 1851 of Shasta City. The trail runs from Black Rock Hot Springs. 1861 Protection Act of 1979 makes steel railroad rails inscribed with with brief excerpts CenterforOUtdoorEthics I LNT.org William H. Nobles proposes to route his new Nevada to Shasta Cit y, California. The improved route Gold and silver are discovered in t he Humboldt removal of cultural resources from emigrant journals. Trails West is a non-profit emigrant trail to 's Ranch in Tehama offers a gentler ascent and descent into Ca lifornia and Range, between Lovelock and Winnemucca, punishable by fines and jail time. County for a tee. He involves other entrepreneurs Nevada. A series of wagon roads are built from historical organization dedicated to locating, marking, avoids crossing long stretches of the dreaded 40-mile in the plan in order to create a lucrative trade desert. The merchants in Shasta City pay him $2,00 0 for the Sacramento Va ll ey to the mines. Segments Camp away from sensitive areas such as Smoke Cree k Cave. Nobles Tra il. and other associat ed archaeolog ical sites. and preserving the and its many monopoly a long the new trail. Negotiations break the new route. of the Nobles Tra il are included in these roads. branches. The 61 markers are located along the trail down due t o tensions between Lassen and the Report looting, graffiti, and trail damage t o t he Bureau of Land other entrepreneurs. Nobles decides to look from its beginning where it leaves the Management. Eag le La ke Field Office, Susanville. California. elsewhere for a terminus to his route. (Marker N-1) in Nevada to its end near Shasta City, 1857 1869 Travel Responsibly by staying on designated roads and t rail s. Use of the Nobles Trail Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Thi s California (Marker N-61 ). Most of the information Congress passes the Pacifie Wagon declines upon completion of protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. associated with each trail marker is from the Trails Road Act. This initiates the beginning the Transcontinental Railroad. of national wagon road construction Protect sensitive areas by staying on designated routes, tra ils, West Nobles Tra il website and "A Guide to the Nobles Wagon roads continued t o be and improvements, including the and roads. Cross streams in designated areas, avoid the trail used for local travel but trains when wet and muddy, and camp in previously disturbed areas. Trail." An Avenza PDF Map is available for hiking and 1848 incorporat ion of the Nobles Tra il into travel proved to be faster and driving the trail between the markers within the BLM Gold is discovered near Shasta City, the Fort Kearney- South Pass-Honey Respect the Rights of Others including private property owners, more efficient for long dist ance. California drawing fortune seekers to Lake Wagon Road. recreational trail users, cam pers, hunters and ot hers so t hey Eagle Lake Field Office jurisdiction. the area. can enjoy t heir activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Keep dogs cont rolled or on leashes.

Educate Yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip and know how to operate your equipment safely. Be prepared and check out your vehicle to ensure it is in good operating condition and has a spare tire. Ensure that you have extra water and food in addition to blankets and appropriate clothing for the ail types of weather.

• • • l y, f;.-.rl • r J, t n e 1 • f.hnum• .-nt • •• • • 1-1 Trail Segment of lnterest •• • • • • ••• Nobles Trail • • • • • •••••••••••• • California Emigrant Trail • • •• • • • • Applegate Trail •• • • • • • LassenTrail • ••• • • • •••• • • • • • • • • BI-""'.~ Rorl• • • D· ~rt H >th • Sha t ~ • Il lt"n I • ~~l t:."""n n • For-" t • • --~ •• • • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • •• • • • • • •• • • ••• • • •.. • • • • • Bridge Creek to • ....#.... ~~ ...... ~~ ...... • • • • • Feather Lake 1854 Route •. ••••••••• •• Butte Creek to • • Manzanita Chute ~ • • • 1856 Nobles Trail • Deep Hole Junction to • f 1 tlOll • • Springs to Smoke Granite Creek • ••• • • • Creek Canyon • • •• •• • • • • • • • • • • • N ••• •••• 4-l . . W . E . • s 0 1Q 1 1 20

Butte Creek to Manzanita Chute Bridge Creek to Feather Lake Rush Creek Valley to Viewland Deep Hole Springs to Nobles Trail Junction to Granite Creek Smoke Creek Canyon The route ascends Butte Creek to Butte Lake and passes This heavily-forest ed segment leaves Bridge Creek and climbs Pri stine trail ruts run on alternating si des of a bladed road tram Beginning one mile northwest of Rabbithole Springs, where to the Sierra crest. Passing Summit Springs, the segment ends Rush Creek Valley to present-day Viewland, California. The between Black Butte and Prospect Peak. ln 1854, Lieutenant From Deep Hole Springs, the segment runs southwest. The the Nobles Tra il left the Applegat e Trail. this segment at Feather Lake, where the Nobl es and Lassen trail s merge. route ascends a drainage of Rush Creek for about three miles, E.G. Beckwith recorded his impressions of the lava field the main route stayed on the desert playa, but a side trip cou Id be closely approximates the bladed road bet ween Gerlach and Mary C. Fish painted a vivid picture of th e reg ion in 1850: "The crosses Bull Flat, and arrives at Mud Springs. Continuing west trail crosses: "After leaving the creek [Butte Creek] we passed made to Wall Spring, two miles northwest. ln 1859, J.B. Brown Winnemucca, Nevada. The route heads west across the desert timber here grows to an amazing size . .. There is also plenty of over a road that Mary C. Fish described as, "an awful rough two or three small ponds, and ent ered one of the most recently found this playa, ulevel as floor, not a spea r of livi ng sh rub or t o Trego Springs, t he water source that made t he opening of game in the mountains consisting of Grizzly Bears, Mountain road it being perfectly macadamized with rocks only the rocks formed and strongly marked volcanic fields we have seen in plant:' The route continues southwest, passes Buffalo Springs, this route possible. J.B. Brown described a miserable night's Sheep, Deer, Foxes, &c. 1 saw the track of a Grizzly bear which were about a foot high:' the segment ends northwest of the these mountains .. . . The lava rocks are black, and about 1 OO and ends at the mouth of Smoke Creek Canyon. camp here in 1859: "Such a scene 1 never wish t o see again feet high, occupying the valley in a confused mass, which being measured ... wa s found to be eight inches long and six town of Vi ewland. as be ing enacted here .. . Sorne of t he loose cattle which have would be difflcult to cross on foot:' The segment continues inches in diameter." had no grass for two days nor water for 20 miles travel ... and west past Pine Meadows, crosses Hat Creek and Lost Creek, of course are nearly crazed are running about in ail directions climbs Nobles Pass, and ends at Manzanita Chute. lowi ng and bellowing in search of water and gra ss." The trail continued west across the playa for another 12 miles before good water and grass were found at Granite Creek.