Scotts Bluff to Martin's Cove- Part Two

Leaving Ft. Laramie, we continued northwest.  Like most of our "Auto Tour Route" the freeway had frequent makers designating the route or the crossing of the route over the freeway.  Here in Wyoming the trails included four--Oregon (the wagon), California (the owen yoke), Mormon (the buffalo skull) and the Pony Express (horse and rider).

Another spot crossing over the Platte River....

Here we are crossing the South Platte River.....

Scenery in eastern Wyoming.....

 and the river again........

Register Cliff:  This is one of three, I believe, in Wyoming where pioneers would etch their names to mark that they had been in this location and to alert family and friends following behind that they had made it this far.

 Birds had built their homes into some of the crevices of the cliff.

 Some of the names on the cliff.  Of course until the whole area was fenced off, people continued to put their names on it.  Even now I am sure people find a way to leave their mark on this place.  It is amazing that people would ever have been able to find a family members name in the midst of so many names over the surfaces of this spot.

They had to get serious to prevent further damage to this amazing location.  Cameras are tucked around and there is fencing up around much of the cliff.

 And again around a corner and there was the river again.  I think the Mormons crossed it 10-12 times and followed along its banks or near by for several hundred miles. One person mentioned that the water tasted terrible so they would try to get water from other streams along the way and only when they were desperate would drink from the Platte.

Another place where there are ruts remaining.

They had a nice trail that took you up to the spot where the ruts are located.  Because of the trerain in this area near the river the Oregon Trail was forced into a narrow passage behind some rock mountains and the river.  The ground was made of limestone and other materials which caused the trail to be etched in the ground.  It almost looks like granite.

 Here are the ruts.....

View from the small hill near the ruts

Wildflowers---hopefully the pioneers enjoyed the wildflowers as they walked.