THE APPLEGATE TRAIL,
A VIRTUAL TOUR, CONTINUED

A TRAIL SWALE
THE TRAIL
You can make out a swale left by wagons heading northwest beginning in 1846 from the vicinity of Goose Lake toward present-day McGinity Reservoir.  That is Marker SR-2 in the foreground.  It was originally placed by Trails West, Inc., but has since been turned over to the Northwest Chapter of OCTA the organization that finished marking the Applegate Trail from Goose Lake to the Landrum Wayside in southern Oregon where Marker KC-1 is located.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

DEVIL'S GARDEN
DEVIL'S GARDEN
The marker shown in this photo is located in what became known as the Devil's Garden because of the very rocky (lava) terrain the emigrants had to travel over.  Emigrant diaries often included comments on how difficult it was to travel this portion of the trail. This is where the 1846 route and the 1853 route of the Applegate Trail joined.   Photo by Bob Black.

The two "black blobs" to the left of the marker are 3-plus foot diameter, rock-filled columns used to anchor the ends of the fence that encloses the area in back of the marker. Such anchors are used because it is almost impossible to dig a post hole in the lava that covers the area.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

POTHOLE SPRING
POTHOLE SPRING
Marker SR-8 is located next to Pothole Spring which Levi Scott named "Goff' Spring.  When the emigrants passed by this spring, it was, according to Levi Scott, a "magnificent spring of fresh cold water."  It may still be, but given the cattle in the area the water may not be fit to drink today. Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

AFTER POTHOLE SPRING
AFTER POTHOLE SPRING
From Pothole Spring, the Applegate Trail headed northwest toward Steele Swamp as it is called today.  The swamp was created by the numerous springs located in the area. Notice how rocky the ground is.  The "rock" you see is actually volcanic debris thrown up by the volcanos located in northern California.  Some of this debris is large and very rough.  After passing by Steele Swamp, the Applegate Trail headed west to pass present-day Clear Lake on its north side.  The brown Carsonite "post" shown in the right foreground is a marker placed by the Oregon-California Trails Association to mark the location of the Applegate Trail.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

STONE BRIDGE TODAY
THE STONE BRIDGE TODAY
When the Scott-Levi 1846 exploring party came to the Lost River in southern Oregon, they had to find a place to cross it.  Information from local Indians led them to the "Stone Bridge" sometimes today called the "Natural Bridge" or "Rock Bridge."  This was an important location on the Applegate Trail since there was no other ford of the Lost River up stream for a considerable distance or down-stream at all.

Today, the "bridge" is not visible since it was made part of a dam used to divert water for farming purposes.  Photo by Bob Black.

See the Applegate Trail Guide for further information about this natural geological feature.  A photo that shows the bridge as it was before the dam was constructed is included in the Trail Guide.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

THE JUNCTION OF THE APPLEGATE AND YREKA TRAILS
JUNCTION
Somewhere in the foreground is where the Yreka Trail branched off of the Applegate Trail in 1852.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

THE TRAIL AT MARKER KC-1
IN OREGON
After making a big swing south to miss the Tule Lake/Klamath Lake marshy area, the Applegate Trail swung northeast to continue on to its crossing of the Klamath River near present-day Keno, Oregon.  On the other side of Highway 97 from Marker KC-1, shown in the photograph, is the Landrum Historic Wayside.  The wayside contains a number of very interesting plaques that outline the history of the Applegate Trail and how the boundary between California and Oregon was determined.  Unfortunately, the wayside is closed to the public at this time.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

SPENCER CREEK CROSSING
SPENCER CREEK CROSSING
During 1846 the Applegate Trail forded Spencer Creek, shown in the center background, after having forded the Klamath River.  This route and its ford was bypassed by the route opened in 1847.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

ASCENT
ON THE WAY UP HAYDEN MOUNTAIN
The combined 1846 - 1847 routes now headed west up Hayden Mountain.  In about 4 miles, the route gained about 900 feet elevation.  Most of the gain was in the last mile. Due to logging, no remains of the trail are visible today. Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

DOWN TO JENNY CREEK
THE JENNY CREEK WAGON SLIDE
One of the more spectacular locations on the Applegate Trail in Oregon is the "Jenny creek Wagon Slide" shown in the photo above.  In less than 0.2 mile, the trail dropped about 640 feet to where it crossed Jenny Creek.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

KEENE CREEK WAGON SLIDE
KEENE CREEK WAGON SLIDE
The Applegate Trail crossed over many creeks and climbed many mountains as it traversed southern Oregon from east to west.  One of the many creeks that had to be crossed was Keene Creek.  The approach to the crossing was steep but it was not long.  It is now hidden by the Keene Creek Reservoir.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

DESCENT TO TYLER CREEK
DESCENT TO TYLER CREEK
In a little over 2 miles, the Applegate Trail dropped almost 1600 feet down to Tyler Creek.  Along the way, the trail passed by an area where the emigrants rested near grass and water before descending to the creek.  That area is now occupied by the School House Ranch.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

NEAR THE END
NEAR THE END
The Applegate Trail is almost to where it joins the Oregon-California Pack Trail near present-day Ashland, Oregon.  A marker installed by the Southern Oregon Historical Society, shown in the photograph above, is located just off Highway 66 on the west side of the Emigrant Lake County Recreation Area.  Photo by Bob Black.

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

We hope you have enjoyed this virtual tour of some of the Applegate Trail.   If you are interested in driving this trail, be sure to get a copy of the Trails West Guide, A Guide To The Applegate Trail, The Southern Road To Oregon.

To order a copy of any of the Trails West Guides, go to the Trail Guides Order Form page.  Print out the form, complete it, and mail it with a check to Trails West at the address given on the form.

Site Map