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California Trail

Osino and Ryndon,

Elko County, Nevada

On July 7, 2002, my dad, my son Harry, and I took a 'Sunday drive' 10-15 miles east of Elko - on the I-80 Freeway - to the small towns of Osino and Ryndon.  The purpose of this trip was to see the ruts made by the wagon trains on the California Trail.  These tracks were first shown to me by Mr. Bob Pearce, Elko, Nevada, when we were out looking at the China Ditch at Osino.  The California Trail follows the Humboldt River through Elko.  However, there has been so much disturbance due to man's recent activities the tracks cannot be identified as well.  But here at Osino and Ryndon they are easy to see.  If you visit them, make sure you sit beside the trail and listen carefully for the squeaks and groans of the wagons, the snorts of the oxen and the conversations of the pioneers headed west as they were crawling up these hills at less than 1 mile per hour.   Then look at the trucks on the adjacent I-80 freeway traveling 75 miles per hour in the comfort of an air-conditioned cab.  We have come a long way in 150 years - I think.  I would love to come back here in they year 2152 and see what it looks like then - I think.

USGS Topographic Map of Osino Tracks (1982)

at elevation of about 5,200 feet

(location of trail not shown)

USGS Topographic Map of Ryndon Tracks (1982)

(location of trail not shown)

Click on photos to enlarge

Osino Area

Oregon California Trails Association/Bureau of Land Management Sign showing location of California Trail ruts.

Looking east toward Ryndon - wagon trail is between the two white signs.  Humboldt River is at the base of the distant hill.  In the flats the darker green shrub line that crosses across the photo is an abandoned grade of the Central Pacific Railroad.  There are actually two or three sets of roughly parallel wagon tracks in this immediate area.  This is the most distinctive set.

Wagon ruts are left of the sign.

Wagon ruts are marked by the white signs.  I-80 freeway is in distance.  Homes in Ryndon area are scattered in the distance.

Excellent view of wagon ruts.

Wildflower in ruts of California Trail

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Ryndon

Trails West Trail Marker of California Trail.  Ryndon RV park is in background.

Trail ruts are just right of the white post.

Further up the hill from the above photo, the trail is extremely vivid - my guess is it has had more recent use.  The RV park is in the distance.

Trail headed toward Humboldt River Ranch.  It goes just left of the trees.

Trail is in foreground just before it is disturbed by the recent road into the Humboldt River Ranch.  The trail goes just left of the trees.

Further east - the Humboldt River Ranch is on the left in the distant valley.  The California Trail is in the center of the photo headed toward the ranch.

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Additional Information:  Northeastern Nevada Museum

 If you know or would like to add anything about this page, please let me know. 

© 2002 - Elko Rose Garden Association

Recent Photos by Dan Turner, 7/7/02