In 1857, Congress authorized funds for wagon-road construction along a southern as well as a central route, a politically acceptable combination that finally broke the deadlock which had stifled the Pacific railroad program. The existing emigrant road was to be improved west only to South Pass. From there to City of Rocks, a new route was to be decided on and engineered. Frederick West Lander was given the job of exploring possible routes west of South Pass. Thirteen thousand emigrants reportedly passed over the Lander Road during its first season in operation. Lander rebuilt and improved sections of the road in 1859, and a California correspondent called the Lander Trail the "model emigrant route of America."



Lander Road ruts, 1999

Julius Merrill, August 20, 1864

"Camped on Blackfoot River. Being in a low state of water, it was only about two rods in width. There is quite a valley beside it, and the soil is good but needs irrigation like all the rest of this side of the Rocky Mountains. Of feed there is an abundance. Wood three miles distant. Here we intersect the Soda Springs and Virginia City road. We met some trains who left South Pass at the same time we did and came by way of Subletts Cutoff, showing the distance to be nearly the same. At the junction of the roads there is a ranch, the first one since leaving South Pass Station. Ranchmen buy lame, worn-out cattle from the emigrants very cheaply. By putting them upon good feed they soon revive, are ready for market, and bring a good price."

Military Fort Hall, erected on Lincoln Creek in 1870, stationed soldiers assigned to the area for protection of stage coach and pioneer travelers. ca. 1890. ISHS #853.

Directions: This stretch of road, between Blackfoot and Soda Springs, passes through the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation. Permission to access the area must be obtained from the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes at P.O. Box 306 Fort Hall, Idaho 83203

Must See: Original site of the Fort Hall military fort.

Current Observations/Journal Entry:

"The pavement ends as we enter the reservation, and the smell of dust from the road is intense. Clouds of dust cover the car. I am beginning to see more juniper, lots of flowers, and many aspen tree stands. There is evidence of a fire on the left side of the road. A stream meanders along the other side. We spy an Oregon Trail marker (white) where Larry did not expect one, so pull off to investigate. The sage is knee high and the ruts are about 8 of my feet across. There are sheep, newly sheared, and a cowboy near a creek with rocky bluffs. The Lander Road runs east to west until it turns south by the City of Rocks. Engineers in 1857, in search of better water and better timber, helped design the Blackfoot Reservoir. The reservoir is used recreationally in addition to providing irrigation water. At Ross Fork Creek (?) the Lander and main Oregon trails meet. Big Southern Butte is back in view as we top the ridge."

Site of original military Fort Hall, 1999. View from the road between Blackfoot and Soda Springs.