The Oregon Trail follows the North Platte River into southeastern Wyoming, where it heads northwest along the river’s southern bank. After crossing the river at Casper, the emigrants headed southwest following the Sweetwater, a tributary of the North Platte. They crossed the continental divide at famed South Pass and continued in a southwestern direction to Fort Bridger before turning northwest into present-day Idaho.

This was rugged country, where the high desert played havoc on wagon wheels and food for oxen and mules was often scarce. For present-day travelers, following the trail through Wyoming offers some of the country’s most magnificent vistas.

After a day exploring the Scottsbluff, Nebraska, area it was on to a pleasant night at a ranch in southeastern Wyoming. Fort Laramie Bed & Breakfast offers a variety of lodging options including a teepee and sheep wagon on a ranch north of the small town of Fort Laramie. Eating hamburgers by a campfire with hosts Kathy and Arnold made for a perfect first night in the Cowboy State.

Departing the following morning, we headed to nearby Fort Laramie National Historic Site. Once an important fur trading post, the fort was acquired in 1849 by the U.S. Army to offer protection for the emigrants while bringing a measure of peace to the Native Americans.

Most of the morning was spent strolling around the fort and inspecting the different building’s rooms furnished in mid-1800’s style. Then we headed west for the town of Guernsey to visit Register Cliff, where many pioneers inscribed their names along a sandstone cliff. A few miles away we walked along the famed Guernsey Ruts, deep depressions in sandstone made by oxen, mules and wagon wheels. These are two of our favorite sites along the Oregon Trail.

From Guernsey, the trail heads northwest to present-day Casper, where we spent most of a morning in the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center, a facility second only to the interpretive center in Baker City, Oregon. During the afternoon, we visited two sites where the emigrants crossed to the north side of the North Platte River. East of Casper was Richard’s or Resahw’s Bridge, and on the west side, the bridge location was near Fort Casper, where there is now a replica of the 1862 fort.

Emigrants departed the North Platte at Casper and headed southwest to the Sweetwater River that would lead to the continental divide. After a night of rain in Casper, we followed their trail with stops at three important immigrant landmarks. Independence Rock, a large granite dome, was climbed by many pioneers who inscribed their names. We planned to follow their lead, but climbing the wet granite didn’t seem prudent, so we had to be satisfied with a walk around the dome. We also stopped at Devils Gate, a large cleft carved in granite by the Sweetwater, and Split Rock, a notch in granite that was visible to emigrants for two days before and after reaching it.

A short jag to the north led to Lander, where we toured the Fremont County Pioneer Museum with Randy Wise, who told us about the historic trails in this section of Wyoming. While Lander is off the Oregon Trail, pioneers sometimes detoured here to gather oil for use on their wagon axles.

We spent the night in Lander at Outlaw Cabins, on a ranch 5 miles outside town. We arrived in the rain, but the following morning with sunny skies we enjoyed the beautiful landscape and had an opportunity to talk with our charming host, Beverly Wunder. Nothing beats staying in a rural cabin with rain pounding the roof.

Driving south from Lander, we headed for famed South Pass, over which emigrants on the Oregon, Mormon and California trails crossed the continental divide. The pass is a 25-mile wide saddle with a slope so gradual the pioneers didn’t realize when it had been crossed. The pass is accessible via gravel and then a rough dirt trail. It is worth the effort to stand where the pioneers crossed on their journey west.

Then it was southwest to the location where the wagon trains crossed the Green River. The river was running strong by the time the pioneers arrived and ferries were there to carry them across – at a price, of course. A replica ferry and several informative signs are at the crossing.

Our last stop in Wyoming was Fort Bridger, where the state has constructed a replica fort operated by Jim Bridger and a partner. The site also includes buildings that were constructed later after the U.S. Army had acquired the property. All the major emigrant trails, plus the Pony Express, passed by Fort Bridger.

Next, we move on to Idaho, where it appears we may encounter some snow.