Oregon Trail Ruts -- Trail Rut Hill, Guernsey WY
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Benchmark Blasterz
N 42° 15.363 W 104° 44.908
13T E 520747 N 4678236
The best OT ruts Blasterz have ever seen are here on Trail Rut Hill near Guernsey WYO. That's why they are both a National Landmark and a state historic site.
Waymark Code: WMK1QE
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 01/30/2014
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member cosninocanines
Views: 7

Blasterz admit to being captivated by all aspects of the Oregon Trail. It is truly mythic. These are the best OT ruts we have ever seen, and we have seen a bunch of OT ruts :)

From the Wyoming Tourism website: (visit link)

"The Oregon Trail story has left its mark, carved into the stony hills just outside of Guernsey. The Oregon Trail was one of the primary routes used by emigrants heading westward across the American continent in the 1840s. Although many remnants of the trail can be seen in Wyoming, the Oregon Trail tracks here are notable because they were cut into solid rock. A short trail leads uphill to four-foot deep gouges cut by the wheels of thousands of wagons."

More detail comes from the National Parks Oregon Trail website: (visit link)

"Guernsey Ruts (Deep Rut Hill) - Guernsey, Wyoming

At this site, where the trail was forced away from the river and crossed a ridge of soft sandstone, the track is worn to a depth of five feet, creating some of the most spectacular ruts remaining along the entire length of the Oregon-California Trail. The geography of the area dictated that practically every wagon that went west crossed the ridge in exactly the same place, with impressive results.

Located about three miles south of Guernsey."
Road of Trail Name: Oregon Trail

State: WY

County: Platte

Historical Significance:
The Oregon Trail was one of the major emigrant trails of the 1840s.


Years in use: 1849-1869

How you discovered it:
US History classes


Book on Wagon Road or Trial:
Best of Covered Wagon Women Paperback by Kenneth L. Holmes -- vols 1 and 2 Blasterz have these books - they are AWESOME


Website Explination:
http://www.nps.gov/oreg/historyculture/index.htm


Why?:
To come west to Oregon and California to seek new lives or gold


Directions:
South of Guernsey on WY State Hwy 26, in Oregon Trail Rut State Historic Site


Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.

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Recent Visits/Logs:
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siff visited Oregon Trail Ruts -- Trail Rut Hill, Guernsey WY 10/28/2021 siff visited it
hummerstation visited Oregon Trail Ruts -- Trail Rut Hill, Guernsey WY 06/13/2014 hummerstation visited it
Benchmark Blasterz visited Oregon Trail Ruts -- Trail Rut Hill, Guernsey WY 08/07/2013 Benchmark Blasterz visited it

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