SUBLETTE COUNTY – It’s a crisp, breezy autumn afternoon – well past the optimum season for 1860s’ emigrants to cross the “New Fork of the Green River” – but a good day to celebrate the history of their journeys west to California and the Oregon Territory.

Quiet on Sept. 16, 2017, a century and a half ago the historical New Fork crossing site was full of summertime activity, people, animals and sounds as pioneers bartered, repaired, camped and prepared to continue their travels.

The site, on the river’s west bank, is now a 100-acre property called the Lander Trail-New Fork River Crossing Historical Park, owned and managed by the Sublette County Historical Society.

On Saturday, society director Clint Gilchrist entertained an audience, reading tales from old diaries and military reports. At the end of his program, SCHS board member Jeness Saxton presented Gilchrist with the plaque marking the park’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

A highway in the 1850s, the California Trail was a lengthy trek that held dangers along its well-traveled path, not the least of which was distance. Distance between water sources, distance through mountains and deserts, such as those found around what is now Sublette County.

Frederick Lander came west in 1853 on a Pacific Railroad survey and returned in 1858 to build the new 256-mile road from South Pass to Fort Hall, Idaho, cutting off hundreds of travel miles – with wagon trains crossing the New Fork River at this site.

It opened in 1859 and for a decade, emigrants crossed to a large island in the middle of the river, which rerouted itself to now cut through the middle. In July 1859, Lander returned with artist Albert Bierstadt, who made several stereoscopic photographs and later painted grand scenes of the area.

In Sublette County, the Lander Trail left South Pass and turned immediately to face the Wind River Mountains at Buckskin Crossing, which held the last good water on the trail for 18 miles of high desert to the New Fork. Saving 10 miles could mean a day gained, although the New Fork crossing was considered “dangerous” at high water.

“They saved five to seven days and 100 miles,” Gilchrist said.

Gilchrist related scenes of the July 4, 1859, celebration at Buckskin Crossing, where 500 to 800 Indians met with 300 emigrants; lodges were set up, flags flown and oxen were slaughtered for the gathering.

“It’s probably the biggest gathering ever in Sublette County, to this day, at one presentation,” Gilchrist noted.

He read from more diaries about the hardships and daily chores on this leg of the Lander Trail, with livestock, oxen teams and men sometimes drowning in what could be a two-day, two-stage wagon crossing. The island then held a good spring 3 to 4 feet deep, they reported.

Troubles came in the 1860s with the Civil War and travelers reported having horses stolen by Indians and “white renegades from justice” or “jayhawkers,” as they were often called in journals.

After crossing the New Fork from east to west, Gilchrist said the Lander Trail (with as-yet undiscovered gravesites) continued through what are now the Marbleton-Big Piney Airport and Sublette County Fairgrounds, North Piney Creek and the Circle Ranch.

The park is set on the only known crossing that was still private, undeveloped property and being in the Pinedale Anticline Project Area, industry planned further development in that would impact the Lander Trail viewshed.

The “impact” called for mitigation and in 2010 with federal, state, local, industry, nonprofit and corporate partners and once proposed, this historical river crossing on private property was purchased and developed as a natural park.

“Everyone involved started warming up to it,” Gilchrist said. “Ultimately Ultra, Shell and Rocky Mountain Power bought one-third each and gave it to the historical society for the park.

It is open year year-round, with walk-in access for daylight use only such as fishing, wading, picnicking, hiking the interpretive trail and viewing the same landscape of the 1860s.

For more, visit www.newforkpark.org.