58 REPORT UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



present, passes through the bluff country. It follows a southward course 

 and reaches Point of Rocks. On some maps it is designated as the 

 "proposed route." West of it is a very old road, deeply worn down into 

 the soil, which leaves the Sweetwater River and reaches Fort Bridger. 

 This is now entirely superseded by the stage-road. A number of short 

 cross-roads, running into the others at acute angles, form connections 

 between them. 



East of Elkhorn Gap a road leaves the Sweetwater, gradually ap- 

 proaches the hills, and turns southward through Whisky Gap. It fol- 

 lows along Muddy Creek for some distance, and finally reaches Rawlings 

 Springs. On the way it passes Bell's Springs. Starting also from the 

 Sweetwater, near Rock Independence, a road leads through Sandy 

 Creek Valley, crosses over the pass, and enters the sand-hills. Retaining 

 for some distance a southerly course, the road emerges from the sand 

 and passes through the alkaline country in a direction a little west of 

 south. Passing Brown's Spring, it finally reaches Rawlings. These are 

 the main routes of communication within our district having a north and 

 south course. 



East and west. — Near Washakie Station an old road is crossed by the 

 railroad. From that point it follows a northwesterly course until it 

 reaches a comparatively easy country. Then it strikes westward, finally 

 reaching Green River and crossing over to Bryan Station. This road is 

 designated on maps as the "old overland mail-route," or as "Evans' old 

 route." Wherever we found the road it was still plainly discernible, 

 although only very rarely used. More important, perhaps, than this 

 road is that along the Sweetwater River. Followed for a long number 

 of years by emigrants, the road is still more or less in use. We reached the 

 eastern terminus of our district on this road. From there westward it con- 

 tinues nearly always in the immediate vicinity of the river, leaving it in a 

 few instances for a short distance. From Rock Independence it follows 

 up-stream on the south side of the river. Passing the Devil's Gate, it 

 remains on the same side. After leaving the ruins of the stage-station 

 at the Three Crossings, it remains on the north side of the Sweetwater, 

 but soon crosses over to the south again. At that locality the river 

 makes a northward bend, while the road, leaving it, keeps ahead in a 

 straight line. At Saint Mary's Station it again is found in the river 

 valley. Continuing westward, on the north side of the Sweetwater, the 

 road forks beyond its crossing of Rock Creek. One of the branches 

 keeps along the base of the Wind River Mountains at first, but gradu- 

 ally leaves it, however. The other follows a course south of west, lead- 

 ing through the low bluff country. Of these the latter is known as the 

 "old emigrant road" or "Oregon trail," while the former is known as 

 the " new emigrant road." Both of them cross, successively, the Sweet- 

 water River, South Pass, and the various branches of the Big Sandy. 

 Fremont, during his expedition of 1842, traveled for some distance along 

 the new road, and later took the old one. Near the settlements numer- 

 ous local roads are found, connecting either with habitations or are util- 

 ized as hay -roads and wood-roads. 



We find, from this arrangement of traveling routes, that our district 

 is traversed from north to south by three good roads. The most west- 

 erly one of these follows approximately along from west longitude 108° 

 40' to 109° 40' ; the middle one is nearly on longitude 108° 45' ; and the 

 eastern one near west longitude 107° 25'. From east to west it is tra- 

 versed by two roads, the nothern one following along north latitude 42° 

 30', and the southern one near latitude 41° 50'. 



