Overland Emigrant Trail Seminar
We held a very successful seminar on Saturday at the Sugar Bowl Academy on the Overland Emigrant Trail. Full notes will be posted in the next few days.
We have an updated presentation from Vance Kimbral along with the full OET map showing the best estimate of the original trail. Note that the trail on this map is NOT the planned route for the new trail, but instead is a best guess of the original trail. The proposed OET is a “memorial” trail that will not follow the exact route of the original historic trail. Note that both of these documents are very large (~8MB). Permanent links to both documents are available with the other document links on the left navbar.
Thanks to the Placer County Planners for making these documents available to the public. We hope to get additional materials from the other presenters as well.
Many thanks to all of our panelists for coming out on the weekend to share their experience on these issues with the Summit community.
GREAT WORK. But I am surprised by the comment: “Note that the trail on this map is NOT the planned route for the new trail, but instead is a best guess of the original trail. The proposed OET is a “memorial” trail that will not follow the exact route of the original historic trail.”
I could not attend the seminar. Why will the memorial trail not follow the exact historic route? What will be taken into consideration in changing the route? The input of the owners of the land under the trail? My understanding is that the California legistature passed laws to protect the trail and prevent it from being tampered with. Am I misinformed?
Bernard Pech
Bernard,
It is my understanding that the OET cannot follow the exact trail for a number of reasons:
1. Some of the trail is now underwater (e.g. in Lake Van Norden)
2. Portions of the trail cross environmentally and culturally sensitive areas (pictographs, wetlands, etc), which must be preserved to follow both state and federal restrictions.
3. The trail may be guided to improve viewing locations or avoid difficult geographic features to improve the trail experience.
4. Individual discussions with private landholders regarding easements for the trail across their land will play a role as well. The county cannot simply take the land, it must negotiate with the land owners.
The trail will also have many signposts that give a history of the trail. Since there is no practical way to follow the exact route, the goal is to provide an enjoyable trail, with historic significance, that can be used for both education and recreation while preserving the land for future generations.
Nobody at the seminar mentioned anything about state legislature protecting the trail. Not to say that such legislation doesn’t exist. The trail planning committee will have to take all legislation into account, of course, including any restrictions that come with the funding sources.
Dan Wexler
DSAA Board Member
I believe the Truckee Trail, as part of the Oregon-California Trail, and as part of the Lincoln Highway, is protected under the National Trails Act. Survey, photos… clearly show the original alignment of the road and its progression from the emigrant trail, to the wagon road, to Hwy 37, Lincoln Hwy…