The wagons pulled out of Winter Quarters (present-day North Omaha) and ascended the broad valley of the Platte River, traveling across Nebraska to Fort Laramie. Waiting at the fort to join the vanguard company were “Mississippi Saints,” who had wintered over in Pueblo, Colorado, with Mormon Battalion members from the “Sick Detachments.”

The pioneers followed the North Platte and Sweetwater Rivers across Wyoming to the crest of the continent at South Pass and descended to the Green River, where they were joined by a small group of Mormon Battalion members. This enlarged party traveled on to Fort Bridger, on Blacks Fork, arriving on July 7, 1847. They tarried at this “shabby” fort only long enough to do some trading and repair wagons.

The articles generally at Bridger’s fort were at least one-third or one-half higher than at any other post in America that I ever saw.
-Wilford Woodruff

They now left the well-traveled Oregon-California Trail, which swung sharply northwest, following the faint, year-old track of the Donner-Reed party west-southwest along the Hastings Cutoff and into Echo Canyon.

There is a very singular echo in this ravine, the rattling of the wagons resembles carpenters hammering on boards inside the highest rocks.
-William Clayton

The final 116 miles from Fort Bridger, across the Wasatch Mountains, were the most difficult of the entire trip. Travel through the narrow willow-choked canyons and over the rocky crest of the Wasatch was so difficult that it took the pioneer company 14 days to complete this part of the journey.

Counselled the company not to go any further until they had spent several hours labour on the road over which we passed yesterday afternoon: all who were able to work laboured about two thirds of the day on the same.
-Orson Pratt

Crossed Canyon Creek 8 times—the road sideling, stumpy, bushy, etc.
-Eliza R. Snow

Orson Pratt led an advance party over Big Mountain and down Emigration Canyon, entering the valley on July 22, 1847. By the time Brigham Young, delayed by illness, entered the valley on July 24, the first crops were already in the ground.

On arriving there was much cheered by a handsome view of the Great Salt Lake.
-William Clayton

This forenoon commenced planing our potatoes, after which we turned the water upon them and gave them quite a soaking.
-Orson Pratt, July 24, 1847

In later years, this route from Fort Bridger to the Valley of the Great Salt Lake became a fundamental part of the wagon road to the Utah settlements and California. Emigrants headed to Oregon, by way of the Salt Lake Cutoff, argonauts seeking their fortunes in the California gold fields, and Pony Express riders galloping through on their way to Sacramento, California, or St. Joseph, Missouri, all passed along this route.

In Their Own Words

I rigged up my trout rod that I had brought with me from Liverpool, fixed my reel, & artificial fly & went to one of the brooks close by Camp to try my luck at catching trout …
-Wilford Woodruff, 8 July, 1847

The power of the air rules and the dust is worse than intollerable.
-Eliza R. Snow, 24 September 1847

The day has been hot and sultery, and mosquitos are very troublesom…
-William Clayton, 13 July 1847

Very, very dirty thro brush & timber - up the Mt. where we met J.T who asked me if I had lately seen my face, his own being behind a black mask - we then went slash mash down over stumps, trees, etc, etc.
-Eliza R. Snow, 1 October 1847

The grass on this creek grows from six to twelve feet high… many signs of deer, antelope, and bears.
-William Clayton, 22 July 1847

…and beholding in a moment such as extensive scenery open before us, we could not refrain from a shout of joy which almost involuntarily escaped from our lips the moment this grand and lovely scenery was within our view.
-Orson Pratt, July 21, 1847

Hurra, hurra, hurra, there’s my home at last!
-Thomas Bullock, 24 July 1847

Excerpted from brochure produced by Utah Historic Trails Consortium