1858 Lander Cutoff
Contributed by Steve F. Russell
The Lander Road, also known as the Lander Trail or Lander Cutoff, was the first US government-sponsored road for emigrants heading to Oregon and California. The Lander Road gave travelers on the Oregon Trail and the California Trail a straight path through the mountain ranges in southwestern Wyoming and southeastern Idaho. Prior to its completion in 1858, trail travelers were forced to go around the southern end of these rugged mountains. By eliminating this detour, the Lander Road shortened the route by 60 miles! Additionally, the Lander Road avoided the dry, summer desert conditions found along the detour, providing emigrants with more food and water for both their livestock and themselves.1Continue reading at https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-lander-road-california-national-historic-trail.htm
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