Greetings All,
Can the Oregon Trail be hiked?
Or is there really no established routes allowing passage over private lands?
Thanks!
Greetings All,
Can the Oregon Trail be hiked?
Or is there really no established routes allowing passage over private lands?
Thanks!
I grew up along the path of the Oregon Trail ... however, it wasn't a single path like you might be envisioning. It was MILES wide, and if you know where to look you can find old ruts that haven't been plowed under in a variety of places. In addition, parts of I-80 and I-84 follow parts of the original paths. Hence, unless someone chooses to correct me (I haven't lived in the area in 40 years) ... while you could walk the Oregon Trail ... much of it has no semblance of "wilderness", much of it is farmland and roads. I hope that helps.
Ron
aka Turtyl
I think Nimblewill Nomad hiked it a few years ago. I'm almost certain it is entirely road walk. But contact him and find out [email protected].
Lonehiker (MRT '22)
Nimblewill Nomad did some trail. There was road walking involved, plenty of it. The Oregon Trail historically had different routes or variations. There was no one route all Oregon Trail travelers followed. However, most often there was generally one main route. I find it somewhat similar in many aspects to the American Discovery Tr.
There's also the Oregon Desert Trail and Oregon Coastal Trail, and of course the OR PCT. Possibly Colter, here on WB did the Oregon Desert Trail. If not you might try contacting Sage Clegg as I know she's done it. The Oregon Coastal Trail I've done.
This gentleman did not hike it (he took a covered wagon!), but does give much deep background about the history and what the modern areas of where the Oregon Trail passes through is currently like. https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Trail-.../dp/1451659172
I enjoyed it. Others find the author's blunt assessments and sardonic humor off-putting.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau