Gold fever hit the Cherokee Indians as hard as it did the rest of the country. In 1849 and 1850, many Cherokees left their reservation in Oklahoma and headed west to seek their fortunes in the California gold fields. The trail began in Tahlequah, Oklahoma and traveled though Colorado before joining the California/Oregon Trail at Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
In Wyoming, the trail crossed the southernmost portion of the state. Cherokees that left in 1850 followed a slightly different route than those who had departed the year before. Much of the route taken by the 1849 excursion overlapped with the Overland Trail while the route through Wyoming taken a year later was further south.
I'm a fan of any and every type of camping, be it car camping with plush sleeping pads and down pillows or in a forest service cabin with a wood-burning stove. But, for me, the undisputed king of camping is backpacking: hiking into the wilderness with all the necessities for surviving the next night, or two, or three, on my back. Little else in life feels as good as finding the perfect spot for the night and settling in. read more
Laramie Peak, at 10,272 feet, the highest point in the Laramie Mountains, looms on the horizon and became an important landmark to westward emigrants on the Oregon Trail. A 5.5-mile trail up Laramie Peak is a steep climb, rewarded by a panoramic view at the top. read more
