James Beckwourth

James Beckwourth discovered what is now known as Beckwourth Pass in the spring of 1850, and immediately set about establishing a trail to Marysville, California. He worked on the trail in the summer and fall of 1850 and the spring of 1851, and in the late summer of that year led the first wagon train of settlers along the trail into Marysville. The Beckwourth Trail was used heavily until about 1855, when the railroad became the better way of travelling to California. The Beckwourth Trail left the California Trail from Reno, Nevada. Reno is in the desert east of the Sierra Mountains. The trail went north and west from there (roughly along the route now followed by Highway 395), then turned west through the Beckwourth Pass which is north of Lake Tahoe In the valley west of the pass, Beckwourth established his ranch and trading post. The trail went west through the Sierra Mountain to the town of Marysville. The Oroville-Quincy Highway (which is gravel road for a stretch) follows the route of the Beckwourth Trail fairly closely.