Comment:   The only reason the above photo is included here is to provide a place to warn you that if you drive this trail, your driving experience will change beyond this point.  That is because the Lassen Trail goes through over 30 miles of heavily forested land. Today, this area is crossed by many logging roads going in many directions.  Most of the roads are good, but because there are so many of them, and because they are not adequately portrayed on publicly available maps, it would be easy to get lost. When driving the next 30 plus miles, think of the experience the emigrants following the Lassen Trail must have had trying to make their way through the thick forest.

MUD SPRINGS Marker L-22.  Photo by Bob Black.

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HOMESTEAD The trail went through the meadow that extends out of view in the photo to the right.  Good grass and water. In later years, the Eldridge family homesteaded the area.  The buildings shown in the photo are what is left of this homestead.  At this point, the two branches have rejoined and this now only one route being followed.  Photo by Bob Black.

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LONGS CABIN Marker L-26 is shown next to what is left of another homestead.  Photo by Bob Black.

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Comment:   Have you noticed in the last three photos how thick the forest in this area is?

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HARVEY VALLEY The trail followed this valley after leaving the Aspen Well.  The route through the valley was from upper left to middle right and then past Marker L-29 to the middle left.  Cone Spring is nearby.  Photo by Bob Black.

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JUNCTION The Nobles Cutoff heading northwest met the Lassen Trail heading southwest at this point.  The two trails essentially followed the same route for about 3.5 miles north from this location. The blue truck is on the Lassen Trail while the SUV is on the Nobles Cutoff.   Marker L-32 is located between the two vehicles.  Photo by Bob Black.

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SUSAN RIVER JUNCTION The Lassen Trail again spit into two branches at this point.  The trail branched at this point because in 1849 some unknown emigrant found better grass to the west of Norvell Flat in Clover Valley.  In addition, a relief party was camped at Swain Meadows (L-36) located south of Clover Valley.  For these two reasons, many emigrants were drawn to what we now call the West Side Trail.  Marker L-33 is shown in the photo.  Photo by Bob Black.

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