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California National Historic Trail

National Historic Trail · California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming

A white canvas wagon sits in front of a large rock buttress with mountains in the distance.
Wagon at Register Rock in City of Rocks National Reserve Photo: NPS Photo

Hours

See this week's hours below.

Entrance fee
The Park Service lists no entrance fee for this site.
Phone
N/A
Address
National Trails Office Regions 6, 7, & 8, Santa Fe, NM 87505
DirectionsOfficial park page ↗

About California

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.

Hours

California National Historic Trail

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.

MondayOpen 24 hours
TuesdayOpen 24 hours
WednesdayOpen 24 hours
ThursdayOpen 24 hours
FridayOpen 24 hours
SaturdayOpen 24 hours
SundayOpen 24 hours

Getting there

Those portions of the California National Historic Trail authorized by Congress include nearly 2,000 miles of historic trail that was once the primary "road" taken by farmers, enterprising business managers, gold-seekers, and fortune hunters who chose to make a new life on the California frontier. The route passes through ten states from Missouri to California.

Weather

Due to the length of the California National Historic Trail, be sure to consult local weather sources for the region you'll be visiting. Check out the forecast with the National Weather Service and search for the area you'd like to visit: weather.gov

Things to do

Auto and ATV, Guided Tours, Hiking, Horse Trekking, Horseback Riding, Junior Ranger Program, Museum Exhibits, Scenic Driving, Self-Guided Tours - Auto.

Source: National Park Service data feed, checked September 24, 2026. Hours shown are the Park Service's posted standard hours plus any date changes it lists. Official page for California ↗