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A Look Back
On Horse Creek Road about 13 miles south of State Highway 220.
At Ryan Hill Interpretive Site.
Looking east from this point, the emigrants could see most of the route back to the North Platte River and Casper Mountain. From the point where they left the North Platte River, they could travel to Willow Springs, at the base of Ryan (Prospect) Hill, in two or three days if they were not delayed by sickness or accients. Willow Springs, with its good water, was the customary campsite after they had passed through Emigrant Gap and Rock Avenue a day or two earlier.

There would be no reliable source of good water again until they reached Horse Creek, 10 miles beyond Willow Springs, on their way to the Sweetwater River near Independence Rock. Upon leaving Willow Springs they faced a 400-foot climb to this point at the top of what they called Prospect Hill, a trying task for draft animals pulling the belongings of emigrants.

From this vantage you can see the remains of the wagon ruts immediately to the north and east. Please stay on the posted foot trail—remember to enjoy and not destroy.
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