Nobles Emigrant Trail

In 1851, William Nobles founded a new route to California through lands of the Northern Paiute Tribe. The new trail left the Applegate Trail at Black Rock Springs in Nevada, crossed the Black Rock Playa, passed near what is now Susanville, California and ended at Shasta City, California. It was generally considered the easiest route into California during the later part of the Gold Rush period (1848-1855). It was commonly known as Nobles Emigrant Trail or, more properly, the Fort Kearney, South Pass and Honey Lake Wagon Road.

The portion of the trail that is in Lassen Volcanic National National Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. In many places roads and hiking trails now follow the path of Nobles Trail. The trail offers a great opportunity to create an historic adventure!

This week, the Bureau of Land Management released a new video about the trail. Here it is:

Trail Map

More Information

• Trails West – Nobles Trail
• National Geographic – Sierra Nevada GeoTourism
• National Register of Historic Places – Nomination Form
• California National Historic Trail – Nobles Emigrant Segment
• Nobles Trail Photos (Flickr)

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