Oregon Trail in Wyoming (Casper: home, school, live)

[Najran]

This is the BEST site I have found of the Oregon/Mormon trail.It has a follow along map,and you can click on each spot to get info and pictures about that specific area.The photo's are phenomonal,and yes,there are ruts everywhere.
Photos and History of the Oregon / California / Mormon Trail in Central Wyoming
And this is an interesting book I found.It is the Latter day Saints guidebook to the trail.It is VERY interesting.
The Latter-Day Saints' emig... -- Digitized books from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

[HighlandLady]

Originally Posted by Kimmeastar

This is the BEST site I have found of the Oregon/Mormon trail.It has a follow along map,and you can click on each spot to get info and pictures about that specific area.The photo's are phenomonal,and yes,there are ruts everywhere.
Photos and History of the Oregon / California / Mormon Trail in Central Wyoming
And this is an interesting book I found.It is the Latter day Saints guidebook to the trail.It is VERY interesting.
The Latter-Day Saints' emig... -- Digitized books from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Kudos to you Kimmeastar for that link...another bookmark I couldn't find. I love that site.

Here are some books I recommend highly for reading...

The Great Platte River Road:
Amazon.com: The Great Platte River Road: The Covered Wagon Mainline via Fort Kearny to Fort Laramie (Great Plains Photography): Merrill J. Mattes: Books

The Oregon Trail: Yesterday and Today:
Amazon.com: The Oregon Trail: Yesterday and Today: William E. Hill: Books

Aubrey Haines' Historic Sites along the Oregon Trail:
Amazon.com: Historic Sites Along the Oregon Trail: Aubrey L. Haines: Books

Then there is a book that touches on seven well-known Trails to the west:
Amazon.com: Seven Trails West: Arthur King Peters: Books

As I have mentioned before...Gregory M. Franzwa's Maps of the Oregon Trail and the Oregon Trail Revisited. He really has done a fine job of tracing the route from its beginning to the end. He has done much for preserving the Trails. (I mention him enough, but I am not advertising for him...LOL)

[Wyomiles]

Here are some ideas to ponder as to why the trails may still be seen today.
Cattle, most of this land has been used for grazing since the time of the trails. Cattle use these trails.
Travelers, once a road is established through this sagebrush country it is used by everyone who comes after. Try making your own road acoss the sagebrush, it is bumpy and slow, lots easier to stay on an established trail.
Wildlife, including the horses, use these at times too.

[HighlandLady]

Originally Posted by Wyomiles

Here are some ideas to ponder as to why the trails may still be seen today.
Cattle, most of this land has been used for grazing since the time of the trails. Cattle use these trails.
Travelers, once a road is established through this sagebrush country it is used by everyone who comes after. Try making your own road acoss the sagebrush, it is bumpy and slow, lots easier to stay on an established trail.
Wildlife, including the horses, use these at times too.

Very good ideas to ponder. It does make sense.

[Kristynwy]

This is a very interesting thread! I have always wondered how the ruts stayed in tact and no vegetation has grown over them....
I am definitely going to check out everyone's links too!

[WyattE]

My theory on why the tracks are still present is that those who died along the way are using the trail to find their loved one's, and to find their way home.

Ok, so I have a big imagination. It was too cool not to say it.
HighlandLady's info on the Oregon trail is priceless.
I was showing my daughter some pictures of the Oregon Trail and I was also trying to explain it to her. She's in 4th Grade and has NO CLUE on the history of it. Isn't that sad? I'm sure History is taught later on in schools but this is AMERICAN HISTORY and should be learned by all, whether you appreciate it or not, one should know where we came from and what happened before our time and how places received their names.
And I wanted to be a History Teacher at one point but would the children even care these days?

[Clay Lady]

Great posts - very interesting. Elkhunter, leave it to me to make a first!! Thanks.

Wyomiles, it does make sense that a creature (and a spirit) would choose to walk where they wouldn't have to step over something. That would add to the continued compaction of the trails. Continued compaction is the only thing that really makes sense. It didn't dawn on me about the animals.

WyattE, children have a really hard time understanding the history of the western movement. They are too surrounded by modern life. I have some pictures I have them (4th grade) draw that shows wagons trying to cross a river. They always want to know why they got off the bridge and where were the tractors. Next time your fourth grader gets in trouble take away their electricity. Don't allow them to do anything that requires electricity. This will really mess with their little minds!!! Include batteries - just for fun since some batteries are rechargeable and require electricity to do that task.

I am so looking forward to getting this art piece I've been working on installed so I can get moved and walk the trail for at least a short distance!!

[HighlandLady]

WyattE...thank you for the compliment...it does mean much and justifies my obsession a wee bit

Clay Lady...I do hope you are able to walk the trail soon. It is a humbling experience, IMO.

I drove out to Waltman (a spot on the road 49 miles west of Casper. There the Bridger Road-Waltman Crossing ran. This was a trail designed by Jim Bridger as an alternate route to Montana from the Bozeman Trail. The Bridger Road was a little longer than the Bozeman, but far safer.
And there is a rest area built right on it. Progress. But, in the distance across Highway 20/26, I could see faint ruts cutting through the sage. Unfortunately, it was too far to capture an image and the gate was locked.

[WyattE]

HighlandLady, do you have your own website? I'd love to see a site(if there is one already, let me know) that takes you on a visual Oregon Trail through the use of pictures and captions to explain the area each step of the way. A site like this would help those who do not have access to the Oregon Trail but could see it through a website of pictures. That would be awesome to me. I love the pictures you have posted. They are priceless too! I have a magazine that my Dad picked up for me in Kearney Neb. which is a picture book and it explains the stories at certain points along the trail but your pictures capture the Oregon Trail far better than my magazine does. The pics of trails in wide open areas, unmarked graves, helps me visualize what went on there, the terrain, their hope, their sorrows, their hardships, etc. I just want to say Well Done!

[WyattE]

Whoops, sorry, I didn't check the previous links of websites in this thread, but I am now. It's exactly what I was looking for. Forgive my request in the previous message.