Idaho's Emigrant Trails

Idaho's Emigrant Trails (HM28MA)

Location: Boise, ID 83716 Ada County
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Country: United States of America
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N 43° 32.544', W 116° 6.582'

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The Oregon Trail

Westward-bound emigrants entered Idaho after crossing Thomas Fork Valley. They soon encountered the climb and descent of Big Hill, witnessed nature's curiosities at Soda Springs, and discovered willing traders at Fort Hall.

In 1843 wagons first rolled past Fort Hall to face the harshness and desolation of the Snake River Plain. Dust, sagebrush, lava rock, mosquitoes, a burning sun, cold nights, and a concerned Native American population made the journey an arduous one. Yet, these pioneers continued on to establish ocean-to-ocean nation.

Prior to the discovery of gold, California-bound emigrants followed the main Oregon Trail to Raft River before turning south on the California Trail. Gold seekers soon opened new routes in an attempt to reach their destinations sooner. Hudspeth's Cutoff (1849) directed traffic west from Soda Springs. The Salt Lake Alternate (Hensley's Cutoff, 1848) enabled travelers to obtain supplies in Salt Lake City before continuing their journey. These routes joined in the City of Rocks area and headed west through Granite Pass.

As the number of emigrants increased, lands along the trail became barren of grass and wood, and water sources often became tainted. Consequently, alternate routes were explored and utilized.

The primary routes of the Oregon and California Trails have been

designated national historic trails throughout southern Idaho. To tour the 1869 Kelton Ramp and Oregon Historic Reserve, cross Highway 21 and head to the rim just west of here.

Details

HM Number	HM28MA
Tags	Roads and Vehicles, Early Settlers
Placed By	Ada County Parks and Recreation, Idaho Department of Transportation
Marker Condition	No reports yet
Date Added	Tuesday, June 19th, 2018 at 4:01pm PDT -07:00

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Locationbig map

UTM (WGS84 Datum)	11T E 571925 N 4821435
Decimal Degrees	43.54240000, -116.10970000
Degrees and Decimal Minutes	N 43° 32.544', W 116° 6.582'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds	43° 32' 32.64" N, 116° 6' 34.92" W
Driving Directions	Google Maps
Area Code(s)	208
Which side of the road?	Marker is on the right when traveling North
Closest Postal Address	At or near Oregon Trail, Boise ID 83716, US
Alternative Maps	Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap