Wyoming Chapter

Covering the Emigrant Trails of Wyoming


Wyoming OCTA’s 175 or so members are dedicated to preserving and enjoying the most pristine of all the trails in the Oregon-California-Mormon-Pony Express trails system.

Overview

Across most of Wyoming, from Fort Laramie past the North Platte Crossing, Red Buttes, Independence Rock, Devil’s Gate and Martin’s Cove to South Pass, the Oregon, California, Mormon and Pony Express trails were essentially a single route. West of South Pass, the road divided into several branches and cutoffs. Wyoming’s sagebrush plains, wide horizons and endless skies leave long stretches of these trails looking much like they did 170 years ago.

The Cherokee Trail across Southern Wyoming was blazed in 1849 and 1850 by California-bound goldseekers from Arkansas and present Oklahoma. By the 1860s, the parallel Overland Trail had become the main stage route, followed by emigrants and freighters alike. Half a million people came west on these trails between 1842 and 1869. Wyoming OCTA does its best to preserve, protect and enjoy all these routes. We hope to see you on the trails!

For much more on the historic trails of Wyoming, visit the Travel the Oregon Trail page at WyoHistory.org, where you’ll find links to the history, locations and photos of more than 50 trails sites statewide. WyoHistory.org is a project of the Wyoming State Historical Society.

Leadership

President: Tom Rea
Vice President: Julia Stuble
Secretary: JoAnn Ryan
Treasurer: Fern Linton
Preservation Officer: Randy Brown