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Applegate Trail
The Applegate Trail was an alternative to the arduous Oregon Trail. It diverted from the main trail at Fort Hall, Idaho and headed through Nevada, to California, and on to Oregon. But it actually was just as tough. The trail is named for the Applegate brothers, Charles, Lindsay, and Jesse, who came west along the Oregon Trail in 1843. The family and several friends had reached The Dalles, and had loaded everything and everyone onto rafts for the final leg of their journey through the Columbia river gorge to the Willamette Valley. In the rapids one of the rafts overturned and Jesse and Lindsay each lost a son and a friend. After that the Applegates vowed to find a safer way to go west.
On June 22, 1846, Jesse and Lindsay left Charles at home to care for the land and families. They left Polk County near today's Dallas with 13 men. Each man had a horse, a pack horse and equipment. They rode south with little difficulty from the land or the Indians. They looked for a new route by first riding south from the central Willamette Valley into southern Oregon along what today is the Interstate 5 corridor.along the old California-Oregon Trail, through Douglas County. They crossed the Umpqua River and made their way to present day Ashland, Oregon, and the Klamath Basin by way of the Greensprings to where I66 crosses. Then they went to Surprise Valley and Tulelake, California. They crossed into Nevada and travelled to the Black Rock Desert and sailed up the Hamboldt River about 200 miles where it connected with the California Trail at Fort Hall, Idaho. Jesse rode ahead of the main party to Ft. Hall to tell people of the new overland route and to get a wagon train together. Thus the name of Applegate trail was born. This route avoided the treacherous part of the Columbia that had taken their boys' lives.
On August 9, 1846, a group of nearly 100 wagons headed out of Fort Hall to try the shorter and safer route. In September, that wagon train left the Humboldt River and headed across the Black Rock Desert. The trail crossed by going around small mountains, avoiding impassable marshes, sinks, and barren streches of desert, stoping at widely scattered springs and creeks. Diseases such as cholera struck them. The trip was hard, Indians attacked, the springs were far apart, and some were scalding hot. There was little forage for the livestock. Finally the train came to Surprise Valley, where it went on to Goose Lake. They camped in the Tule area.
The Modoc and Klamath Indians didn't attack the wagons but they ran off the livestock. According to pioneer journals it took 18 to 20 head of oxen to pull a wagon up and over the mountains into Oregon. Now the oxen were dying, weak from a lack of food, stress, and work. The children were hungry and winter was coming. The Umpqua and Calapooya mountains were still ahead. They continued on and the rains came. Wagons bogged down in the mud while they struggled to cross creeks and rivers. They were running out of food. Messengers had been sent ahead so a relief party from Willamette Vlley sent by the Applegates arrived with flour and cattle. They were able to continue on. This first train helped fell trees to clear the route making it easier for the next train. The wagons were worn, and the people were tired, but their spirits were strong. Today their names are on many towns and roads.
By 1849 the Applegate Trail was the main route of hopeful miners going for gold. The same year Barlow made the Barlow Toll Road, which went from The Dalles south around Mt Hood, to Fort Vancouver. This was to give emigrants an alternative to floating down the rapids of the Columbia. Also the same year was the diaster of the Donner Party, who were trapped by snow in the Sierra Nevadas of California. Short of food they had to wait out winter. Some resorted to cannablism before they were saved.
There are a few remants of the trail visible today. One section is at Tubb Springs State Wayside, 18 miles east of Ashland on SR66. Wolf Creek Tavern Inn, 20 miles north of Grants Pass off Interstate 5 is right on the trail. The trail roughly parellels Interstate 5 through much of Douglas County including the route along Canyon Creek. Much of the route can be seen by car today since most follows Interstate 5 in Oregon and State Road 66. The route was so wisely chosen that 20th century highway engineers put the new roads in practically the same place.To drive the entire route start at Fort Hall, Idaho. Continue on Interstate 86 to Wells, Nevada on Interstate 80. From there take Interstate 80 to Winnemucca, Nevada and take Interstate 95 to State Road 140 to Klamath Falls, Oregon. From there go west on State Road 66. Proceed to Ashland from there. From there go north on Interstate 5; Upper and Lower Table Rocks east of Gold Hill were landmarks for the Applegate trail. Canyon Creek crossing near present day Canyonville was a dangerous Umpqua River crossing. Downstream from here at the Myrtle Creek exit from Interstate 5, wagon ruts can still be seen. Near Yoncalla is the Charles Applegate House. The house is still maintained by Applegate descendants. From here on the trail was part of the Old California Trail used by fur trappers from Hudsons Bay Company at Ft. Vancouver. Then the valley was prairie, oak woodland, conifer forest, and brush, rolling hills, wetlands, streams, and rivers. The route leaves Interstate 5 at Eugene and parallels State Road 99 to its end point at The Dalles.
Last updated: 3/15/98