Hope Valley History - Clairitage Press

Hope Valley received its name from members of the Mormon Battalion making their way back to Salt Lake, who “finally had hope” of reaching their destination once they got this spot. Here they would have found water and grass for their animals, and a place to rest briefly before forging the difficult path down the rocky canyon ahead (Woodfords Canyon).

Two plaques once graced this large rock just east of Pickett’s Junction. Thieves have stolen one plaque, but the Pony Express Marker is still there!

Today there are still fascinating traces of history in Hope Valley — well worth seeking out next time you’re there!

The intersection of Highways 88 and 89 is known today as Pickett’s Junction, but it went by other names in the past. As early as 1854, a hotel owned by Haynes and Warner stood northwest of this spot to serve passing emigrants.

The oval plaque on the left honors the Pony Express, which stopped here from 1861-62

Around 1862 James Green settled slightly west of today’s junction, where the old road veered north. Green operated a dairy ranch, hotel and stage “station” here, and his house was used in 1864 as a reference point for establishing Alpine County’s original boundary line. Polling in the very first county election was held at Green’s Hotel for voters in the “Green’s Station Precinct.”

James Green somehow “went missing” about 1869, just after his third son was born, and his ranch was sold to 24-year-old Samuel Alphonse Nott, a dairyman from Ohio. Nott later became a state Assemblyman, and died in 1880 in Sacramento County.

If you look west from today’s Pickett’s Junction, you will spot this same saddle in the mountains. The old dirt road shown here roughly parallels today’s Hwy 88. This is how the valley looked in 1889, during Pickett’s day. (Photo courtesy of Stephen Drew’s Yerington Collection).

Nott’s Place (as it was known) was sold about 1880 to Edward M. Pickett. Pickett, like his predecessors, operated a stage station here, and his name lives on in today’s place name, “Pickett’s Junction.” When Pickett died about 1899, his estate conveyed the property to Henry Bassman, a local rancher.

This interpretive sign not only contains great information on the Emigrant Trail but also helpfully lets you know you’re in the right spot. The rainbow halo — well, we’d like to say it was a mystical event or ghosts of early passing emigrants, but it’s really just sunlight glancing off our camera lens!

Two clear sections of the Old Emigrant Trail also can still be found in Hope Valley. The first is a bit hard to locate unless you know exactly where to look. From Pickett’s Junction, go west about 0.3 miles on Hwy 88 (past the intersection with 89) and watch for the Wildlife Area & Fishing Access parking lot on your right. Park in the Fishing Access parking lot, and follow the paved path as it loops around to the left. When you see the interpretive sign, you’ll know you are in the right spot.

The Emigrant path is clear here in sections, though it fades away in others. In spots, trees have sprouted in the pathway the early emigrants took, seeds taking advantage of the disturbed soil.

Before you leave the Fishing Access parking lot, be sure to take the short walk to enjoy the view of the river from the old bridge. In this photo you can also see the special platform (in the distance) that helps make fishing enjoyable and available for anglers with disabilities.

You’ll easily spot the remains of an early paved road; the old Emigrant Trail ran roughly parallel to this. Look carefully, and you will find the Trail itself. In spots, you’ll notice trees growing in the old trail bed — that’s because seeds found it easy to take root in the disturbed soil.

Park near this gate to access the Fourth Crossing segment of the Trail.

A short drive west of the Fishing Access parking will take you to yet another pristine section of Trail– one especially worth exploring because it is often mentioned in emigrant diaries. Continue west on Hwy 88 about 0.9 miles from the Access parking lot and, after crossing a narrow bridge, look for a graveled pullout near a gate on your left (see photo above).

This is Fourth Crossing — and depressions on both sides of the river here still clearly show evidence of the hundreds of thousands of wagons that made their final river crossing here!

The Emigrant Trail remains clearly visible through this stretch of meadow. This is where the emigrants walked just after crossing the river for the fourth and last time.

This is the area that the emigrants called “Fourth Crossing” — the fourth and last time their wagons had to cross the Carson River. The swale left by thousands of passing wagons is still clearly visible today across the meadow. Another great spot to stop and take a photo!

Hope Valley is always a grand spot for photography! Whether it’s the fall colors, snow-capped winter mountains, or spring and summer greenery, there’s always something beautiful to capture here with your lens!