California National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail · CA, CO, ID, KS, MO, NE, NV, OR, UT, WY · Trail
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and their overland wagons.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/cali
- Location
- California National Historic Trail (42.400, -108.702)
Track your visit to California National Historic Trail
NP Tracker keeps a record of every National Park Service unit you visit — all 430-plus of them. Log visits with dates and photos, collect passport stamps, plan trips, and watch your map fill in. It's free.
Passport stamp locations
- Alexander Majors House
- California National Historic Trail
- City of Rocks National Reserve, the California Trail
- Commissary Storehouse
- Fort Bridger State Historic Site
- Fort Kearny State Historical Park
- Harry S Truman National Historic Site, the Santa Fe Trail
- Hollenberg Pony Express Station
- Homestead National Historical Park, the Oregon Trail
- Independence Courthouse Square
- Independence Courthouse Square- Truman Courthouse
- National Frontier Trails Museum
- National Historic Trails Interpretive Center
- Old Bedlam
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Shawnee Indian Mission State Historic Site, Fairway
- The California Trail Interpretive Center
- The California Trail Interpretive Center
- Trailside Center, Kansas City
Hours
California National Historic Trailtoday: All Day
- Sat Oct 3All Day
- Sun Oct 4All Day
- Mon Oct 5All Day
- Tue Oct 6All Day
- Wed Oct 7All Day
- Thu Oct 8All Day
- Fri Oct 9All Day
The California National Historic Trail is not a clearly marked hiking trail. Instead it is a corridor that passes through communities, urban areas, public lands, and Wilderness. The route travels across a variety of land ownerships and management, including private land. Each location varies as to the hours of operation and access. Please contact individual trail sites before your visit for more information.
Hours are retrieved from the National Park Service and can change without notice — check the official site before you go.
Visitor centers
1
- The California Trail Interpretive Centerhours not postedDirections
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.