South Pass Historical Area
Personal Notes
This page contains our personal notes on our visit to the South Pass Historical Area in Wyoming.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
11:23 a.m.
This is one of those areas that is not usually a destination in itself, but if fun to visit on the way to somewhere else. For anyone interested in the westward migration of Americans in the 1800s, or who has read stories about the Oregon, California, or Mormon Trails, this area can be quite interesting. Though there are no spectacular features enhancing the landscape, it is fun to view the fabled South Pass, where the various wagon trains crossed over the Rocky Mountains and the Continental Divide and moved into the Pacific drainage. This was a significant milestone in the emigrants' journey across the continent, even though it is really only a slight rise in the otherwise flat plains.
When driving Highway through Wyoming, watch for road side monuments noting historic events along the Emigrant Trail. Most are signed and provide ample parking to get off of the road. If nothing else, these locations are a good place to get out of your vehicle and stretch. The largest and best kept site is the South Pass Overlook, which has a path with several descriptive signs about the passage of the wagons and what you can see from this location.
11:52 a.m.
Shortly after we left the South Pass Overlook we spotted what we believe is a California Condor. We've seen them around the Grand Canyon and the Vermillion Cliffs area, so we know what they look like. And over the years we've seen hundred of vultures and golden eagles. This was much too large for either of those, and it had the very obvious white markings under the wings, and the squarish tips to its wings.
From the South Pass Overlook we continued on to visit nearby South Pass City, a preserved ghost town.
