OT -- Oregon Trail

check out:
Guernsey wagon wheel ruts, half mile south of town on 26 hwy going west.
Independence Rock state memorial park
Icy Slough near Sweetwater Wy

We did the Oregon Trail using information from here.

We've traveled most of the trail. It isn't one trail there are several different paths attempts to find better or safer routes. All of them are fine in our modern-day prairie schooners.

Moved to RV Parks, Campgrounds etc…

Eric (Moderator)

We have visited a number of Oregon Trail sites in Nebraska and Wyoming. The link that enblethen posted is a good reference for planning.

We always get off I80 a Ogalalla, NE and take route 26 all the way to I25 in WY. Windlass Hill where the wagons were lowered down the bluff is on the left and the first site we pass. There is a short paved path to the top of the bluff with good views of the eroded slope where the wagons were lowered. The Ash Hollow visitor center is on the right a few miles further and the Ash Hollow Cemetery is a bit further on the left.

Along route 26 you pass Courthouse and Jailhouse rocks in the distance then Chimney Rock. There is a nice Museum at Chimney Rock. Scott's Bluff is a bit further on. Shortly after entering Wyoming is Fort Laramie, IMO a must stop. Several of the original buildings have been restored or reconstructed and a nice visitor center. A very interesting place.

The absolute best place to see wagon ruts is in Guernsey, WY. The ruts are cut into sandstone and in one place are 3-4 feet deep. There is a paved loop path, but it pays to walk in the ruts to find more ruts not visible from the path. About 2-3 miles away is Register Cliff with emigrant names carved into the cliff face.

After Casper, WY we take route 220 and 287 to Lander. There is a parking area at Independence Rock. The emigrants carved their names into the sides and top of the huge granite rock. Good views of the surrounding area from the top of the rock. Devils Gate is visible in the distance. Before Lander route 28 goes southwest over South Pass.

You can use Google Maps to see pictures of each of these sites that others have taken. Just search Maps for each name. Use satellite view to see each site and the surroundings.

Thanks for the input so far, and thanks to the moderator for moving this thread to a more appropriate forum. I'm generally aware of the major landmarks and the overall trail history, including the many variations and cut-offs, and I already have the National Park service overall map and state-by-state auto tour brochures. What I'm really looking for are more detailed maps at larger scale, showing the myriad of smaller state highways and county roads that can be patched together to more closely follow at least the major Oregon trail tracks. For those that have driven to Alaska, it would be something like a scaled-down "Milepost" or Mike and Terri Church's "Traveler's Guide to Alaskan Camping" with all the camping facilities along the route. I guess I could get the DeLorme Atlas or something similar for each state and trace the routes using the NPS brochures as closely as can be determined, but I only need a fraction of the entire state maps to do that, and the expense starts to add up fast. Surely someone else has done something like that. Any thoughts and Ideas would be appreciated.

Jim

We did about half of it inadvertently...then we died of dysentery.

https://www.visitoregon.com/the-oregon-trail-game-online

Saw this one at one of the trail visitor's center. Did not buy it but did look interesting. Travelers guide to the Oregon Trail

Lots of the trail in on private property. Some is covered by modern highways. I like the area around Ft Laramie and the wagon ruts near Gurnsey. Register Cliff is worth visiting.

I would start with state scenic roads & byways. Official state tourism/attractions website being the place to look.

Planning an Alaskan trip this year which will take us up through NE, SD & ND. Trying to avoid the interstates & use roads less travelled.