New Fork Park
The Lander Trail - New Fork River Crossing Historical Park is operated by the Sublette County Historical Society.
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High water crossing
Emigrants had to build boats out of their wagons in order to float across the New Fork River during high water.
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Interpretive signs
Nine historical signs are located along the one-mile rustic walking path.
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Lander Trail Hike Sept. 14 – New Fork Historical Park
In the Footsteps of the Emigrants
September 13, 2019
Everyone is invited to go on a guided hike along the Lander Trail at the New Fork River Crossing Historical Park on Saturday, September 14th. Meet at the New Fork Park parking lot at 10:00AM. This is a guided walking tour of the Lander Trail at the New Fork River crossing and emigrant camp site. The hike along the one-mile interpretive trail will take about an hour and 1/2. The tour is planned for from 10AM to about 1PM.
This is the third and last of a series of outdoor walking experiences along the historic Lander Trail offered by the Sublette County Historical Society in cooperation with Sublette BOCES. The Lander Trial is a cut-off of the main Oregon/California emigrant trail. The tour will be led by local historian Clint Gilchrist, Executive Director of the Museum of the Mountain Man. Bring a water bottle (ice water will be provided), comfortable walking shoes, camera, sunscreen, hat, and appropriate clothes for the weather (forecast is sunny with a high of 71F degrees). Most of the biting bugs are gone now, so it should be quite pleasant.
The 100-acre historical park is located where the Lander Trail crossed the New Fork River. The setting is a pretty cottonwood tree grove tucked along the river between wide stretches of sagebrush desert in the Mesa of the Upper Green River Valley. The area has lots of greenery and wildlife. Nine historical interpretive signs are located along the rustic walking trail that goes through the park and includes a scenic view of the river. There is a group area with ten picnic tables, and several picnic tables along the walking path (bring your lunch and fishing pole for after the walk).
Directions: The Lander Trail-New Fork River Crossing Historical Park is located one mile north of Hwy 351 on Paradise Road. It is about 30 minute drive south of Pinedale. Paradise Road heads south off US 191 just south of the Wind River View RV Campground (north of Boulder). There is a large parking lot with plenty of room and turn around space.
History Background:
From 1859 to 1869, approximately 50,000 emigrants headed for Oregon and California crossed through the Green River Valley on the Lander Trail wagon road. Wagons were for supplies, so most walked or road horse on the 2000 mile journey. Half-way on their trip to the west coast and after crossing and 18 mile desert, the New Fork River was the most difficult river crossing in the valley, but also and oasis in the desert for camping and a much needed break.
Enjoy a beautiful late summer day on this guided 1-mile walking tour of the scenic New Fork River crossing and emigrant camp site. For one-month in the summer, this site would have been a bustling emigrant city with hundreds of people and thousands of livestock every day. Walk in the footsteps of those emigrants headed to Oregon and California and hear of their experiences in their own words from their diary accounts.
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