Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold
fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the
greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic
Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into
history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and
their overland wagons.

Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and their overland wagons.

Bird's eye view of the park

California National Historic Trail

This area is rich in 19th century mining history. Travel graveled roads to
Atlantic City, South Pass City State Historic Site, the ghost town of Miner's
Delight, or ride along two-track roads through stands of pine and aspen.  
  
The many possible rides in the area include the 11-mile Ft. Stambaugh Loop
Road (BLM 2324), including Miner's Delight, and all day rides taking in
Atlantic City and South Pass City State Historic Site. You can view various
wildlife along the way, including pronghorn, deer, elk, moose and raptors.  
  
HISTORY  
  
During the 1800s, Wyoming became the focus for American expansion into the
trans-Mississippi west. Robert Stuart’s discovery of South Pass in October
1812 gave hope that a practical overland route to the Pacific (the route Lewis
and Clark searched for but failed to find) did exist.  
  
By 1824, South Pass was in annual use by mountain men and trappers engaged in
the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. Soon trappers discovered connections that linked
South Pass with the Snake and Columbia rivers and with the Hudson’s Bay
Company holdings of the Pacific Northwest.  
  
Some 150,000 pioneers went west between the years of 1849 and 1852. By the
mid-1850s, stage coaches and freight wagons were regular users of the
California, Mormon Pioneer and Oregon trails, rolling both east and west
through South Pass. For 19 months in 1860-61, the riders of the Pony Express
transcontinental mail service thundered through the pass on an incredible
schedule covering 2,000 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco,
California, in 10 days or less.  
  
Historians estimate that some 500,000 pioneers “went westering” along the
South Pass trail system before the great overland wagon train migrations
slowed down with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869.
About 80,000 were headed for the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Some 70,000
Mormons had the Great Salt Lake region as their destination. Most of the
remaining 350,000 were bound for California with just a few headed for
intermediate destinations. Of those that started the journey, one in 10 would
not complete it. Thousands would die along the way, mostly from accidents,
cholera and other diseases. Some would simply get to their destination and
turn back.

This area is rich in 19th century mining history. Travel graveled roads to Atlantic City, South Pass City State Historic Site, the ghost town of Miner's Delight, or ride along two-track roads through stands of pine and aspen. The many possible rides in the area include the 11-mile Ft. Stambaugh Loop Road (BLM 2324), including Miner's Delight, and all day rides taking in Atlantic City and South Pass City State Historic Site. You can view various wildlife along the way, including pronghorn, deer, elk, moose and raptors. HISTORY During the 1800s, Wyoming became the focus for American expansion into the trans-Mississippi west. Robert Stuart’s discovery of South Pass in October 1812 gave hope that a practical overland route to the Pacific (the route Lewis and Clark searched for but failed to find) did exist. By 1824, South Pass was in annual use by mountain men and trappers engaged in the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. Soon trappers discovered connections that linked South Pass with the Snake and Columbia rivers and with the Hudson’s Bay Company holdings of the Pacific Northwest. Some 150,000 pioneers went west between the years of 1849 and 1852. By the mid-1850s, stage coaches and freight wagons were regular users of the California, Mormon Pioneer and Oregon trails, rolling both east and west through South Pass. For 19 months in 1860-61, the riders of the Pony Express transcontinental mail service thundered through the pass on an incredible schedule covering 2,000 miles from St. Joseph, Missouri, to San Francisco, California, in 10 days or less. Historians estimate that some 500,000 pioneers “went westering” along the South Pass trail system before the great overland wagon train migrations slowed down with the completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869. About 80,000 were headed for the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Some 70,000 Mormons had the Great Salt Lake region as their destination. Most of the remaining 350,000 were bound for California with just a few headed for intermediate destinations. Of those that started the journey, one in 10 would not complete it. Thousands would die along the way, mostly from accidents, cholera and other diseases. Some would simply get to their destination and turn back.

Atlantic City/South Pass

This 30-square-mile area was a focal point for the discovery of gold in 1842
and the resultant 1867 gold rush that settled this part of Wyoming. By 1868,
about 1,500 people lived in the District towns of South Pass and Atlantic
City, but by 1872 the boom was over and the area was all but abandoned. BLM
maintains 2 campgrounds and the ghost town of Miner's Delight in the area.
Other attractions in the vicinity are the South Pass City State Historic site,
the Wild Iris world-class rock-climbing site, remnants of five National
Historic Trails (the Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California,
and Pony Express Trails), and a Volksmarch Trail.This area is near historic
trails. Please do not collect or damage these resources. There are a few
maintained BLM roads in the area and multiple two-track routes.

This 30-square-mile area was a focal point for the discovery of gold in 1842 and the resultant 1867 gold rush that settled this part of Wyoming. By 1868, about 1,500 people lived in the District towns of South Pass and Atlantic City, but by 1872 the boom was over and the area was all but abandoned. BLM maintains 2 campgrounds and the ghost town of Miner's Delight in the area. Other attractions in the vicinity are the South Pass City State Historic site, the Wild Iris world-class rock-climbing site, remnants of five National Historic Trails (the Continental Divide, Oregon, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Pony Express Trails), and a Volksmarch Trail.This area is near historic trails. Please do not collect or damage these resources.

There are a few maintained BLM roads in the area and multiple two-track routes.

South Pass Historic Mining Area

In a beautiful spot near the Continental Divide in central Wyoming, Miner's
Delight is a silent witness to the heyday of Wyoming's gold mining era. One of
the state's earliest communities--gold was discovered there in 1868--the BLM-
managed ghost town yields important clues about the early history of Wyoming
and the gold mining culture. There is a rugged walking path through the site,
interpretive kiosk at the entrance, and interpretive panels within the site.
It is not ADA accessible.

In a beautiful spot near the Continental Divide in central Wyoming, Miner's Delight is a silent witness to the heyday of Wyoming's gold mining era. One of the state's earliest communities--gold was discovered there in 1868--the BLM-managed ghost town yields important clues about the early history of Wyoming and the gold mining culture. There is a rugged walking path through the site, interpretive kiosk at the entrance, and interpretive panels within the site. It is not ADA accessible.

Abandoned cabins stand on a mountain side as visitors tour the site.

Miner's Delight

Stop at the Red Canyon Overlook 24 miles south of Lander on Highway 28 to
enjoy one of the most scenic vistas in Wyoming. The canyon was formed some 60
million years ago during the uplift of the Wind River range to the west. As
the sedimentary rocks tilted, the more easily erodible rocks were removed by
the action of water, creating the canyon as it is seen today.  
  
The long, grass-covered slopes on the west side of the canyon are part of the
Permian Phosphoria formation, a marine deposit composed of limestone,
sandstone, dolomite, siltstone, bedded chert and phosphorite. The less-
resistant rocks above the chert were eroded.  
  
The bottom of the canyon and the lower 300 feet of the east side are eroded
into the Triassic Chugwater formation. This consists of brick red sandstone,
shale, and siltstone, and being less resistant to erosion, was removed from
the underlying Phosphoria chert. The bright red color of the Chugwater is due
to a great amount of oxidized iron between and on the grains of the rock. It
is this coloration that gives Red Canyon its name.  
  
Red Canyon Rim, which forms the east side of the valley, is comprised of
salmon-colored Jurassic Nugget sandstone. This sandstone was deposited during
regression of ancient seas. It represents tidal flat and beach sedimentation
and was cross-stratified during deposition on ancient back-beach sand dunes.

Stop at the Red Canyon Overlook 24 miles south of Lander on Highway 28 to enjoy one of the most scenic vistas in Wyoming. The canyon was formed some 60 million years ago during the uplift of the Wind River range to the west. As the sedimentary rocks tilted, the more easily erodible rocks were removed by the action of water, creating the canyon as it is seen today. 
The long, grass-covered slopes on the west side of the canyon are part of the Permian Phosphoria formation, a marine deposit composed of limestone, sandstone, dolomite, siltstone, bedded chert and phosphorite. The less-resistant rocks above the chert were eroded. 
The bottom of the canyon and the lower 300 feet of the east side are eroded into the Triassic Chugwater formation. This consists of brick red sandstone, shale, and siltstone, and being less resistant to erosion, was removed from the underlying Phosphoria chert. The bright red color of the Chugwater is due to a great amount of oxidized iron between and on the grains of the rock. It is this coloration that gives Red Canyon its name. 
 
Red Canyon Rim, which forms the east side of the valley, is comprised of salmon-colored Jurassic Nugget sandstone. This sandstone was deposited during regression of ancient seas. It represents tidal flat and beach sedimentation and was cross-stratified during deposition on ancient back-beach sand dunes.

Red Canyon Overlook

The Sweetwater Canyon WSA encompasses 9,056 acres of BLM-administered land
without any split estate or private inholdings. The WSA lies along the
southeastern flank of the Wind River Range in the high plains desert. The
5,538 acres recommended for wilderness include the core area of the Sweetwater
River Canyon, which is roughly 7 miles long and averages 500 feet deep. The
river canyon contains outstanding opportunities for a primitive and unconfined
type of recreation. Of all the opportunities for recreation, the river itself
is by far the most important. Typically, fishing opportunities attract most
visitors to the area. While fishing, visitors usually take advantage of other
benefits such as the outstanding solitude, scenery and camping opportunities
along the river. The river offers high quality brown, rainbow and brook trout
fishing. Mule deer are hunted within the canyon.

The Sweetwater Canyon WSA encompasses 9,056 acres of BLM-administered land without any split estate or private inholdings. The WSA lies along the southeastern flank of the Wind River Range in the high plains desert. The 5,538 acres recommended for wilderness include the core area of the Sweetwater River Canyon, which is roughly 7 miles long and averages 500 feet deep.
The river canyon contains outstanding opportunities for a primitive and unconfined type of recreation. Of all the opportunities for recreation, the river itself is by far the most important. Typically, fishing opportunities attract most visitors to the area. While fishing, visitors usually take advantage of other benefits such as the outstanding solitude, scenery and camping opportunities along the river. The river offers high quality brown, rainbow and brook trout fishing. Mule deer are hunted within the canyon.

California National Historic Trail

Directions

Reviews

Nearby Parks

Atlantic City/South Pass

South Pass Historic Mining Area

Miner's Delight

Red Canyon Overlook

Sweetwater Canyon