FIRST OREGON TRAIL ~ BEAR LAKE

FIRST OREGON TRAIL BEAR LAKE

Located North of Garden City, US 89.

GPS: 41.975170, -111.402775

FIRST OREGON TRAIL

 

"The First covered wagons came into the Rocky MTs in 1830, they made their way as far west as Fort Washakie in Wyoming.

Efforts were made to find passable wagon trails through the mountains to the Pacific coast, which goal was finally reached.  At that time the entire northwest MT area was known as Oregon Country, and western travel was either to the Oregon or the Califonia regions.

While early maps give the probable location of the First Oregon Trail north of here, well marked wagon ruts and stories of Indians and settlers indicated the first wagon migration to Oregon followed the southwestern shores of Bear Lake, leaving this valley through a canyon to the northwest, then to the upper reaches of the Bear River.  

Additional color is given this belief, because this was the site of an important trappers rendezvous as early as 1827, and well marked trails were followed for many years in and out of this valley."