What's Left of the Oregon Trail in Idaho?

Let's look at what's left of the Oregon Trail in Idaho. We'll pick up traces of the trail from the Wyoming border and follow it through Montpelier, Soda Springs, to the Fort Hall Replica in Pocatello.

#history #idaho #oregontrail

[godfreydaniel]

I lived in Ashland, Oregon - the old trail went right past my rural home. One day, walking downhill from where my house stood, I found an old wooden wagon wheel - it was a chore to drag it uphill and home - but I prized it for years...

[jacobambos]

In Wisconsin where I live, I noticed that all the towns (not counting little unincorporateds) were exactly 15 miles apart going east-west on the highways. North-south had no real rhyme or reason, but east-west towns were 15 miles on the dot. I wondered if this was because 15 miles were about how far a wagon train could go in a day.

[FG-bnqq]

Anyone else more interested in history now than when in middle or high school?

[docholliday]

In my younger days (1977) I did a 7 day hike on the Oregon trail. I did also find some artifacts that I still have today. I look forward to more stories about the old west... 🤠🌵🌵🌵🇺🇲

[NicCageForPresident]

You may:

1. Attempt to ford the river
2. Caulk the wagon and float it across
3. Wait to see if conditions improve
4. Get more information

What is your choice?

[TheBigBoyBlue]

Learning about the old west is my favorite era of history to learn about.

[johno]

As a red blooded Aussie male the thought of non alcoholic beer gives me nightmares. 😋🇦🇺

[okitasan]

Lots of history channels doing voice over videos of still images and such but not many with a host giving tours of real places. Looking forward to seeing more videos like this, well done!

[spacecardinal]

Who of us would be willing to make this trip today? I came from Mormon pioneers, so this is all very interesting to me. Life went on. Babies were born, people died, many walked the entire way. No thanks! I respect the people who came out west, glad they were already here when I was born.

[rogerashmore]

Love your video, my 3rd great grandfather is buried outside of Glenn's Ferry Idaho on private property. He died in 1877 and is buried by a 14 year old girl at the front entrance of a landowners property. He died of a fever at a stagecoach station during a Indian attack. I wasn't able to visit his grave in 2017.

[Ang.]

There should be a yearly competition event of people trying to complete the hill with ox pulled covered wagons just like back in the trail day.
That would be a nice family event for the area.

[georgeescaped]

always thought of the HUNDREDS of unmarked graves along this trail and the trail to CA

[dalegray]

I have recorded wagon ruts from the Oregon trail all over southern Idaho as part of my work (Cultural Resource Historian). Indeed, the South Alternate through Owyhee County runs through my back yard. Lots of pristine ruts remain in Owyhee County and elsewhere. I'm not as familiar with the southeastern Idaho ruts, though I did do some work around Soda Springs. Thank you for sharing!

[tbone]

I quite literally live right next to the Oregon trail (it is about 50 feet north of my back yard)....unfortunately though, the wagon wheel ruts here have long since been paved over, and the Oregon Trail is simply known as State Highway 20/26. It is always cool to see the trail's remnants in more untouched locations.

[Blondieandginger]

Really interesting video! It’s cool to see what remains of the Oregon trail. Thanks for sharing!

[ms.annthrope]

I had read Rinker Buck's Oregon Trail where he bought a covered wagon and 3 mules and followed the Oregon Trail to Oregon. I then followed his itinerary in my pick up truck in May of 2021, driving from my home in Southern Idaho to St. Joseph, Missouri. I followed the trail as Rinker described in his book replicating the trail. Most of the trail is now highways. Some parts of the trail have been turned into farm lands and private property, so Rink and I both followed the roads running as close as possible. Rink was able to roll over original parts of the trail that are still on public lands and still had wagon ruts. I stayed on the highways all the way back through Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, South Eastern Idaho, and I stopped at my house as I've been theough I84 all the way to Portland already. We have parts of thr Oregon Trail through Southern Idaho with ruts and wheel scars still in the dirt. Nearby is the Sticker House where the Striker family built their house and established a stop over for the hundreds of thousands of travelers cross west.

Love to relive history and road trips to historic places.

[GenX_-umct]

I didnt realize parts of Idaho had so much desert wilderness fauna and no trees

[GoreTorn]

My Ancestor Albert Kelly and the Kelly Family traveled this same path to the Willamette Valley. He then settled in Portland, OR where he is commemorated forever at a park called "Albert Kelly Park" which still exists today.

[MARILYNANDERSON]

Wonderful presentation, thanks. I like hearing the breeze, great landscape photography. I hope you had fun working on the show.

[larrybrewster]

I went to the old fort when I was a kid in the late 1950, there was still an orchard there then and a vegetable cellar, the tracks in the sage brush were still there, pretty fun back then,