Rugged and unspoiled terrain awaits you as you step back in time along this historically rich section of Trail. South Pass City, is a historical site that offers one of the most authentic and enjoyable experiences in the west. Seventeen of the towns 23 original structures have been restored and exhibited with artifacts from these original buildings.The famous South Pass, which is a few miles south of South Pass City, is the gentle grade of the emigrant trails, rising to an elevation of only 7,526 feet. This feature provided the 19th century emigrants with a relatively “smooth” crossing of the Continental Divide. Without South Pass, wagon travel across the continent would have been very difficult and today, one could wonder if Oregon and California would have become a part of the United States without the existence of this pass or where the 49ers might have crossed in their rush westward to California.. The CDT also intersects with four historic trails at South Pass; California, Oregon, Mormon and Pony Express. Contact: CDTC at 1-720-340-CDTC (2382) or Shoshone National Forest Washakie Ranger District 307-332-5460 and Lander Bureau of Land Management Field Office307-332-8400
Photo by Matt Berger