Crossing the Wasatch

For most Americans in the mid-nineteenth century the westward movement meant relocating to the Willamette Valley in Oregon Territory or the Sacramento Valley in California. To cross the obstacle of the Continental Divide, the emigrants followed the valleys of the North Platte and Sweetwater Rivers to South Pass in today's state of Wyoming. This was not the end of their mountain barriers, however. After crossing the Green and Bear Rivers and resting at Fort Bridger they had to find their way through the Wasatch Range.

Fort Bridger National Historic Sight

Not impressive but functional

 For most of these travelers this meant following the Weber River through the mountains then trekking north to Fort Hall and heading west along the Snake River. After a short distance along the Snake the trails diverged with the California Trail cutting southwest through City of Rocks and on to the Humbolt River and with the Oregon Trail continuing along the Snake.

This was a very round about way to get to California and several people sought a shorter route. One of these was a man named Lansford Hastings. In 1846, Hastings led a party down Weber Canyon then across the desert south of the Great Salt Lake, rejoining The California Trail on the Humbolt west of Elko. A second party followed Hastings and on his advice tried to find a way through the Wasatch straight to the Salt Lake Valley. This was the Donner Party.

As most people know, the Donner Party was so delayed by pioneering this new route that they became snowbound in the Sierras that winter where many died and the rest suffered great hardship. The Donner Party's misfortune, however turned out to benefit the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when they began the evacuation of their entire community a year later. They now knew that it was possible to traverse the Wasatch and since they were stopping in the Salt Lake Valley they wouldn't have to face the desert and the Sierras.

Coming into Echo Canyon from Fort Bridger

Echo Canyon reservoir

I picked up the trail near Echo, Utah. At this point the routes followed by those bound for California, Oregon, and the Salt Lake Valley were identical and followed the Weber River through Echo Canyon which today is flooded.

The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) arrived in 1847 and immediately after negotiating the Hastings Cutoff, with their own variation, they began to survey and develop an alternative trail through Parley's Canyon. this variant connects with the Oregon/California Trail at Echo. On the map below, the multicolored line is the jointly used trail coming from Wyoming, the light blue line is the Oregon/California Trail, the green is the Hastings Cutoff and the purple is the Parley's Canyon Trail.

courtesy of d-maps.com

Today the town of Echo is sparsely populated but it was an important sight to the Mormon pioneers of '47. Brigham Young had fallen ill and was unable to travel for several days. His party, it was one of several, stayed in Echo and devoted themselves to praying for their Prophet.

Apparently it worked and Young recovered enough to continue. Members of his party thought these rock formations which they felt were temple-like were auspicious to the occasion.

Echo was not done being important. It became a way station for the Pony Express and Overland Stage, but its heyday was the last 1800's when it was a water and coaling stop for the Union Pacific..

I was surprised to learn that The Lincoln Highway also passed through Echo. Because Salt Lake City and Ogden were in competition for travel and tourism dollars the designated route went in both directions, through Weber Canyon and through Parley's. This split was at Echo.

Traveling north towards Parley's Canyon.

The Union Pacific Railroad sent a spur north from Echo to serve Park City and the silver mines. The tracks are now gone and have been replaced by a bicycle trail. The I 80 freeway also follows this route.

The Rail Trail

                                           This is a steep and rugged section of highway.

Having discovered The Lincoln Highway, I was able to follow it to my next destination, Henefer.

    This was where the Donner Party and the Mormons of 1847 turned away from Weber Canyon.

                    Then they headed up the deceptively scenic and verdant trail to East Canyon.

Looking back toward Henefer

                                                They must have thought it would be easy.

Crossing the Hogback into East Canyon must have been discouraging because all you can see is more mountains in all directions.

Today, East Canyon, like Echo Canyon is flooded but in pioneer days it was thick with brush and                                                                                        trees.

They had to fight their way through terrain like this.

From East Canyon the trail led them over aptly named Big Mountain.

As the sign says, the Pony Express also followed this trail although they also used the Parley's Canyon route.

This is the original trail west from Big Mountain.

This is the view west from the Big Mountain parking lot.

From Big Mountain summit it's a long road down but it's not the end.

Eventually, you reach Mountain Dell, a valley that connects East Canyon to Parley's Canyon now occupied by a golf course.

This route was adopted by the Pony Express. It lead through the mouth of Parley's and on to Camp Floyd. The Donner Party, however was unable to hack through Parley's and were forced back to the alternative of Emigration Canyon which meant climbing Little Mountain.

This is looking across Mountain Dell to Parley's Canyon from Little Mountain summit.

From Little Mountain the trail descends Emigration Canyon into the Salt Lake Valley.

Even today, this is an arduous trip over steep terrain on winding narrow roads. With good reason, the Mormons cleared and developed the alternate route through Parley's Canyon which is followed today by Interstate 80. Dynamite and large equipment have made this an easy way through the Wasatch

The original town at the top of Parley's was Kimble Junction. Park City didn't come along until later.

It's nice that the view area at Kimble Junction enables you to take a picture that does  not include the Outlet Mall and McDonald's.

The Prairie Dog town must have made it hazardous for horses.

Maybe that's why the Pony Express preferred to use East Canyon.

Approaching Parley's Canyon from the west is best done at Tanner Park which includes a dog park and a bike trail. The park is just west of the spot where Interstates 80 enters the canyon.

Approaching the mouth of the canyon the terrain becomes rougher.

A road was completed through the canyon into Salt Lake City in 1850. It was difficult but many travelers preferred  it to the Emigration Canyon route even though they were required to pay a toll of $.75.

Where today's freeway cuts into the mouth of the canyon the way is narrow .

Looking back across the highways you can see Tanner Park.

The road from Kimball Junction through Parley's Canyon opened in 1850 but it was over thirty years later that a narrow gauge railway was built to access the mines in Park City. In 18980 the Rio Grande Railroad replaced this with a standard gauge line. Only a few traces of pilings and rails remain today.

The transcontinental railroad began to end foot and hoof traffic over these trails soon after the end of the Civil War but the routes have continued to carry trains and automobiles to this day. I guess the best ways don't change.

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