Wagon Ruts

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ArdraF

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Yes, and you can still see where wagons rutted the Oregon Trail and our other famous trails going across the frontier.

ArdraF
 
Ardra,

Some of those ruts will never disappear. :) George Akers took us to some in Wyoming that were about a foot deep in solid rock!!! Just imagine all the wagons that had to pass in order to carve out ruts that deep!
 
Jim Dick said:
Ardra,

Some of those ruts will never disappear. :) George Akers took us to some in Wyoming that were about a foot deep in solid rock!!! Just imagine all the wagons that had to pass in order to carve out ruts that deep!

A lot of wagons but remember those wagon wheels were rimmed with steel, not rubber.

 
Carl L said:
A lot of wagons but remember those wagon wheels were rimmed with steel, not rubber.

True but it still must have taken a lot of them! :)

George really gave us a great tour of the history around his ranch. He showed us a cliff where people would carve their names, as they did at Signature Rock. He pointed out one name and said the fellow died shortly after they left. I was watching two shows on the Mormon trail and Oregon trail after we had returned home. I forgot which one it was but they were showing the grave of the guy that George had mentioned. Ironically, in the background was the Glen Rock power plant where George used to work!
 
Jim Dick said:
Ardra,

Some of those ruts will never disappear. :) George Akers took us to some in Wyoming that were about a foot deep in solid rock!!! Just imagine all the wagons that had to pass in order to carve out ruts that deep!

There are a lot of places in Wyoming where the wagon tracks are still visable.
 
Ron,

I'm sure there are lots of tracks left all along that trail. I really enjoyed watching those two programs on both trails.
 
Jim Dick said:
Ron,

I'm sure there are lots of tracks left all along that trail. I really enjoyed watching those two programs on both trails.
Yes there are and I have seen several of them even in Nebraska.  One thing a lot of folks are not aware of is that when those early travelers reached Fort Laraimie, Wyo is when they got their first look of the rockies in the distance which were known to be very challanging to cross.  They called the rockies the Black Hills.  Now I suspect the guy that named the Black Hills of SD may have been lost. ;D  Sam has a copy of one of her relatives diary written when he crossed to CA with the 49ers and even in that diary he mentions seeing the black hills to the west from Fort Laramie.  Oh BTW you can't see the black Hills of SD from old Fort Laramie.
 
Jim Dick said:
Ron,

I'm sure there are lots of tracks left all along that trail. I really enjoyed watching those two programs on both trails.

Traveling east of Reno one year, we ran across the trace of the old Pony Express Trail still visible and so labeled by a marker.

 
Carl L said:
Traveling east of Reno one year, we ran across the trace of the old Pony Express Trail still visible and so labeled by a marker.

Wow, I wouldn't have expected that trail to still be visible! So many things still to see!!
 
Mention of the stagecoach trail reminds me that Jerry's parents had 80 acres near Fayetteville AR.  They learned after buying it that the Butterfield Stage went across their property (obviously long before they owned it!) and there probably was a stagecoach stop there at a wonderful sweet water spring.

ArdraF
 
ArdraF said:
Mention of the stagecoach trail reminds me that Jerry's parents had 80 acres near Fayetteville AR.  They learned after buying it that the Butterfield Stage went across their property (obviously long before they owned it!) and there probably was a stagecoach stop there at a wonderful sweet water spring.

ArdraF

Ardra,

That reminds me of Ft. Bowie just outside Bowie and Wilcox, AZ. When we drove to the trail head for Ft. Bowie we passed the Butterfield Stage trail where the Indians massacred all the passengers during one of their raids. Can't see the actual ruts but they have a couple of markers where it crossed the current road. It really was puzzling as to why they took that route since they could have gone around the mountains. Turns out that Apache Spring is along that route and it was the only water for miles. Ft. Bowie was built near there to protect the spring so all could have access.
 
Just to add to the discussion.  Last February, California celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Butterfield Stage Route.  One of the links of the stage route ran from Texas through So. California then on up to LA and San Francisco.  That loop was called the "Jackass Trail".  Our horse group (Backcountry horseman of California) participated in a reenactment ride by riding in period clothing/costume and horse equipment from that era.  Tim and I took pictures and celebrated with the group.  It was a lot of fun.

Marsha~
 
Picture of wagon ruts in rock on Oregon Trail near Ft. Laramie, WY. (son and granddaughter)
 

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Wagon ruts are also visible from the Oregon Trails Museum in Baker City, Oregon.  Wonderful museum well worth the time spent to see it.

Margi
 
Isn't this a great country!  So many neat things to see and do and learn about.  :)

Jim, I had forgotten about the trail near Ft. Bowie.  That whole area is neat, including the Cochise Stronghold.

ArdraF
 
Ardra,

It certainly is a "must see" in my book! The first time we hiked the trail to Ft. Bowie I could see in my mind the Indians hiding in the rocks just waiting to attack. It was really too real! I also love the drive through the Chiricahua National Forest. We've done the Magic Circle of Cochise several times. When at the Stronghold you can see how the Apaches were able to hold off any attack from the Cavalry. They had no chance at all.
 
Lowell said:
Picture of wagon ruts in rock on Oregon Trail near Ft. Laramie, WY. (son and granddaughter)

If I recall correctly there are some more visible tracks not too far west from theose in the photo.
 

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