Entering the Great Basin: Explore the California Trail Through Wells, Nevada

By Larry Hyslop

History Traveler Series #1
 Walk in the footsteps of California-bound emigrants as they begin their struggle across the Great Basin.
 Imagine weary oxen pulling wagons past the Twin Sisters rock formation as they marveled at the cathedrals and cottages created in stone around them.
 Read inscriptions carved and painted in the soft rock beside Goose Creek, above a meadow once crowded with wagons, animals, and people.
 Listen to the sound of running water and singing meadowlarks at the headwaters of the Humboldt River. Wagon trains were once strung out along this river’s entire length.
From the “Parting of the Ways”, where the Oregon and California Trails separated, this book follows the California-bound wagon trains. It describes sites such as the City of Rocks, Record Bluff, Goose Creek, Thousand Springs Valley, Humboldt Wells, and the Humboldt River.
Historian Charles Greenhaw conveys the history of the trail, describes the landscape seen by early travelers, and depicts their travails as they began their trek across the Great Basin. Diary excerpts use the original travelers’ voices to describe the scenery and the trail through Northeastern Nevada.

Maps and route descriptions help historical time travelers to visit historic sites along the California Trail.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Larry Hyslop
• Release date: Dec 28, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301621620

Larry Hyslop

Larry Hyslop lives in Elko, Nevada, where he contributes the “Nature Notes” weekly column to the Elko Daily Free Press. He travels extensively around the West, visiting national Parks.Larry has written nature descriptions covering the landscapes of national parks, along with guides to the Ruby Mountains and Elko area. He worked with Charles Greenhaw to develop guides to the California Trail through Northeastern Nevada.Grayjaypress.com

Book preview

Entering the Great Basin

Explore the California Trail

Through Wells, Nevada

Charles Greenhaw

Larry Hyslop

Gray Jay Press

Elko, NV

Copyright 2003 C&L Publishing

Second Edition

Copyright 2007 Gray Jay Press

All Rights Reserved

This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by any means without the written permission of the publisher, with the exception of brief passages embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For ordering information, contact:

Gray Jay Press

109 Chris Ave.

Elko, NV 89801

[e-mail]

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All photos and maps are by Larry Hyslop

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Front Cover Photo: The beginning of the Humboldt River near Deeth.

Back Cover Photo: Rock formation in the City of Rocks National Reserve

Thanks

Janet and Cindy for putting up with our ideas and projects. Paul Sawyer, Bob Pierce, Eric Bedke, Gene Kaplan, Great Basin College Media Services (cover design), and BLM personnel for looking over our manuscript. Lee Hyslop for accompanying his brother over miles of dirt roads.

Authors’ Notes

History Traveler Series

Mountains, Grass and Water: Explore the Hastings Cutoff and Overland Trail through Ruby Valley, Nevada, C&L Publishing, 2003.

Entering the Great Basin: Explore the California Trail through Wells, Nevada, C&L Publishing, 2003.

Canyon, Cutoffs and Hot Springs: Explore the California Trail near Elko, Nevada, C&L Publishing, 2004.

Bloodshed, Crosses and Graves; Explore the California Trail through Battle Mountain, Nevada, Gray Jay Press, 2006.

This book is the first in a series. Each book uses a Nevada town as a starting point. The series is designed and written to help people appreciate the California Emigrant Trail, which follows along side and sometimes beneath Interstate 80 across Nevada.

We have one goal in mind, to get people to visit the Nevada countryside. There, they can appreciate both its wild nature and its historical depth. Hopefully, readers will use this guide to visit trail sites, gaining an understanding of the rich heritage of Nevada.

The tours in this book are meant to guide readers to important, specific sites along the trail. It is not meant as a guide to follow the trail across the vastness of Nevada. With this in mind, the easiest route has been used to access each historical site. There may be other ways of getting there, perhaps by using a more historic route, or one approaching the site from the same direction as most emigrants did. Again, our system is to get people there using the easiest possible route.

While this book can serve as a guide to these historical sites, it should not be the only source of information. The resource section of this book contains other sources for maps and trail guides.

Always remember to use caution when traveling off the pavement in rural Nevada. Follow common sense suggestions such as telling some one where you are going and when you will return. Carry water and means to extradite your vehicle should it become stuck.

Emigrant Trails West is a useful guide to the trail markers paced by Trails West, Inc. over the last 30 years. Some of these markers are clearly visible but the guide is helpful in finding all the markers. Each marker has a site-specific quotation from an emigrant diary. Emigrant Trails West can be purchased at the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko.

Typical Trails West Marker placed by Trails West, Inc. The horizontal rails have site specific emigrant comments from diaries of the 1840s-1860s.

Carsonite