The Lassen Trail is described (along with the Burnett Cutoff) in a Trails West guidebook which may be available for purchase in the CTIC gift shop or you can purchase it directly from Trails West on their website.
Marker L-32A / N-31
FEATHER LAKE
"We are near several lakes which someone calls Feather Lake, everything being now called Feather except our beds." - Pardon Dexter Tiffany, October 4, 1849
This post also has Marker N-31 from the Nobles Trail. Use the button below to go to that route.
Marker L-33
SUSAN RIVER jUNCTION
"The road forks. Took the right hand road across the bottom, in which is a large dry stream bed lined with willows. On the right is a high bare ridge" - Israel Lord, October 16, 1849
Marker L-34
EAST BRANCH
"After travelling through the large timber, we reached a very large opening, and encamped ... here. There was an abundance of grass, wood, and water" - Amos Batchelder, October 4, 1849
Marker L-35
WEST BRANCH
"Descending to the valley is a grave. Axles, wheels, and other parts of broken wagons, old clothes, and smoking embers of camp-fires, near it. This road is only a few days old" - J. Goldsborough Bruff, October 14, 1849
Bruff's handwritten notes, on which his published diaries are based, are available for view and download in the Beinecke collection of Yale University.
Excerpt from Bruff's notes
Marker L-36
NEW CAMPGROUND
"We saw a notice on a tree, directing the emigrants to a new right-hand road, leading to fine grass and water. ... a considerable camp of emigrants there" - J. G. Bruff, October 14, 1849
Bruff's handwritten notes, on which his published diaries are based, are available for view and download in the Beinecke collection of Yale University.
Excerpt from Bruff's notes
Marker L-37
BRANCHES REJOIN
"The route through the woods was dusty & rocky, meandering in a mean S.E. direction - about 2 1/2 miles, and there joined the main road - after which ... it ran S" - J. G. Bruff, October 15, 1849
Bruff's handwritten notes, on which his published diaries are based, are available for view and download in the Beinecke collection of Yale University.
Excerpt from Bruff's notes
Marker L-38
ROCKY ROAD
"Roads very rocky & our progress slow. ... we are still in the pine woods and they are swarming with yellow jackets. Provisions are getting scarce" - William N. Steuben, September 14, 1849
Marker L-39
DUCK LAKE CAMPGROUND
"The lake is nearly circular, 200 yds in diameter fed by large springs and is one of the finest camps on the road. ... here we found about 150 wagons; many trains laying over to recruit their teams" - Simon Doyle, October 3, 1849
Marker L-40
FETCHING WATER
"On the hill we just descended, 3 ox wagons were camped, several women & children there. Saw a little girl and boy ascending the hill, each with a tin pail of water" - J. G. Bruff, October 16, 1849
Bruff's handwritten notes, on which his published diaries are based, are available for view and download in the Beinecke collection of Yale University.
There is an older marker 2.5 miles east of here in the community of Westwood, located on the grounds of the Community Center. It has the following inscription:
WESTWOOD
"The East Branch of Lassen's Trail (1848 & later) passed near here to a campsite near a small lake bed by springs."
Marker L-40 is located at the entrance of Clear Creek Park
Excerpt from Bruff's notes
Older Lassen Trail marker in Westwood
Older Lassen Trail marker in Westwood
Marker L-41
DESCENT TO CREEK CROSSINGS
"Came to two goodly creeks, a short space from one another, both running to join the [Hamilton] branch we camped on last night" - Joseph Middleton, October 25, 1849
The access to get to Marker L-41 takes off west just as CA 147 turns south to cross Hamilton Branch
Marker L-42
BIG SPRINGS
"Where the road led into the valley was a curiosity. At the very base of the hill the water gushed forth, forming a stream of crystal clearness, and cold as ice" - A. Delano, September 10, 1849
Alonzo Delano's book can be downloaded from the Library of Congress.
Marker L-42 is located on the south side of Big Springs Road
Excerpt from Delano's book
Marker L-43
BIG MEADOWS RIDGE
"We bore reound the west edge of the valley ... and left the valley. The road led on S. across a ridge, and descended a very bad rocky steep hill into a valley" - Elijah Howell, September 18, 1849
Marker L-43 is located next to the boat ramp and swim beach of Lake Almanor Country Club Recreation Area #2
Marker L-44
SUFFERING EMIGRANTS
"Many are suffering for provisions. We have been confined to water thickened with flour, for several days. No pepper or salt. ... those having no money cannot buy nor beg, but must go without" - Joseph Sedgley, September 15, 1849
Sedgley's diary is available for viewing on Hathitrust.
Excerpt from Sedgley's diary
Marker L-45
TAINT FAR TO GRASS AND WATER
"A father with 2 children ... were driving a lot of lame oxen along ... and the little girl said to her brother, 'Never mind, buddy, taint far to grass and water'" - J. G. Bruff, October 18, 1849
Bruff's handwritten notes, on which his published diaries are based, are available for view and download in the Beinecke collection of Yale University.
Excerpt from Bruff's notes
Marker L-46
SOLDIER CREEK
"We reach a pretty mountain stream & camped on its margin. The insufficiency of grass ... compelled us to drive the mules 1-1/2 miles to graze & quite an adventure I had ... in returning to camp ... got lost for 3 hours" - John Bates, October 18, 1849
Marker L-47
DEER CREEK DIVIDS
"We traveled up this branch until we arrived at a point that divided the waters, and immediatly we were traveling down a stream that flowed directly the other way, bearing the tribute of its waters to Deer Creek" - B. R. Biddle, September 6, 1849
Biddle's diary can be viewed on the Don Duncan website.
Excerpt from Biddle's diary
Marker L-48
DEER CREEK MEADOWS
"This being the general recruiting place, there is a great many waggons and cattle here. ... the teams are nearly worn out as well as the men" - Henry St. Clair, September 17, 1849
Marker L-48 can be viewed along the east bank of Gurnsey Creek just as Highway 32 crosses it.
Marker L-49
GOD HELP THE HINDMOST
"Our road today was ... mostly up hill and rockey ... last night snow fell on the mountains ... everybody is pushing forward as fast as posible, fearing that winter has set in and they may be caught in the snow. God help the hindmost" - S. Doyle, October 10, 1849
Marker L-50
THROUGH THICK TIMBER
"Our road was very rough, hilly and through thick timber. ... packers numerous and out of provisions, we sold and gave some bread" - Henry St. Clair, September 19, 1849
Marker L-51
ROUND VALLEY
"Stopped ... in a small opening in the forest, where there was but little feed for our animals. We obtained our water from springs around the margin of this opening" - Amos Batchelder, October 11, 1849
Marker L-52
THE LAST SUMMIT
"We gained the summit of greatest elevation. ... here we found 8 dead oxen, 2 discarded wagons, pieces of others, clothing, &c. scattered around" - J. Goldsborough Bruff, October 21, 1849
Closeup of Marker L-52
Marker L-52
Marker L-53
MILL CREEK OVERLOOK
"The view below and before us truly grand - the lofty mountains the stupendous rocks with the deep but magnificent vale below ... renders this one of the finest and most picturesque views I ever beheld" - Henry Austin, October 21, 1849
Closeup of Marker L-53
Marker L-53
Marker L-54
THE NARROWS
"There is an immense abyss on each side we could look down thousands of feet, the side of the ridge seeming almost perpendicular" - Charles Glass Gray, September 29, 1849
Closeup of Marker L-54
Marker L-54
Marker L-55
BRUFF'S CAMP
"The top of this hill is a narrow flat surface. ... the hill is covered with tents wagons, oxen, mules, horses, men, women, and children, some camps are on either side of the road, for several miles back." - J. Goldsborough Bruff, October 21, 1849
There is also an older historical marker at this location that says
"J. G. Bruff, leader of the Washington City Mining Co., camped on this site from October 21, 1849 to December 31, 1849. While here guarding company goods, at what he called his "mountain lodge in prosperity", he aided, fed, and cheered many weary, hungry, and sick emigrants struggling to the gold fields."
There is also a gravesite in this location with the following OCTA description plaque:
"While traveling the Lassen Trail Ormond Alford, 54, William M. Alford, 19, Lorenzo D. Alford, 15, and John W. Cameron, 22, were killed in their sleep at this camp by a falling tree, October 31, 1849."
Closeup of Marker L-55
Marker L-55
Historical Marker at this location
Marker L-56
UNRECOGNIZABLE EMIGRANTS
"Could you see me I would not be recognized, dirty, filthy & ragged and fully equal in appearance [to] the natives excepting being in an entire state of nudity" - Wm. Steuben, September 20, 1849
Closeup of Marker L-56
Marker L-56
Marker L-57
ROUGHEST ROAD YET
"Commenced the roughest road we yet have travelled over, such hills & rocks all the way ... almost every step you find a broken or an abandoned waggon" - Pardon Tiffany, October 9, 1849
Marker L-58
STEEP HOLLOW
"There was several trains encamped in this hollow and it reminded me of a small villiage as all wer up ... to make an early start as there was a verry steep hill to clime before we could get out of this hollow" - P. F. Castleman, October 20, 1849
Marker L-59
DRY CREEK CROSSING
"We entered the great and beautiful valley of the Sacramento. We stopped a moment and unfurled the Star Spangled Banner from wagon no. 1" - B. R. Biddle, September 10, 1849
Biddle's diary can be viewed on the Don Duncan website.
Excerpt from Biddle's diary
Marker L-60
OVER COBEL STONE
"Our road today was verry rockey then over arid plain, much of the way over cobel stone to Deer Creek. ... we are now in the much talked of, and long looked for, Sacramento Valey" - Simon Doyle, October 14, 1849
Marker L-61
HIGH PRICES AT DEER CREEK
"Close to [Deer] creek we found a tent where provisions were to be obtained at high prices - this establishment is kept by a ... lawyer from KY" - Henry Austin, October 24, 1849
Marker L-61 is located at the end of Leininger Road in Vina, CA
Marker L-62
LASSEN RANCHO SITE
"At Lassens ... saw many of the emigrants arriving here. They are broke down with the fatigue, young men made old & stiff, many dying with dysentary, fever, scurvey" - Pardon Tiffany, October 10, 1849
Closeup of Marker L-62
Marker L-62
Marker L-62 is at the intersection of 7th St. and C St. in Vina, CA