Historical Sonora Pass Wagon Train

Click on this picture for some interesting history of the original Clark-Skidmore Wagon Train Party

Oh, those gorgeous days, and those starry, starry nights!

The Sonora Pass Wagon Train Group, organized by Willie Evans of Twain Harte, was established in 1996. A committee was formed, with the sanction of the Twain Harte Area Chamber of Commerce, with the intention of not only exposing more people to the town of Twain Harte, but to pay tribute to Tuolumne County ‘s forefathers that helped to make our county a prosperous and growing community. The committee also decided to become a participant in California’s three-year Gold Discovery to Statehood Sesquicentennial celebration. Our wagon train would be commemorating the first wagon train crossing of the Walker River – Sonora Route over Sonora Pass in 1852 by the Clark-Skidmore Party. Although they started their journey in Ohio and ended in California 130 days of hard travel later, the Sonora Pass Wagon Train would begin their first trek in Bridgeport on the eastern side of the Sierras and end in Twain Harte, 10 days and 110 miles later.

In 1998, the Sonora Pass Wagon Train would travel from Twain Harte on to Sacramento to the California State Fair where the official CAL150RNIA Sesquicentennial Celebration would be set in motion - 150 years after the discovery of gold.

As part of the Wagon Train to celebrate the use of animal motive power in the settling and commerce of California, the 1999 journey took us from Twain Harte to Stockton. Our wagon train would be joined by 7 others to converge as one 99-wagon Train. We met with the Tall Ships anchored in the Port of Stockton, honoring the “other” method of settling California.

The year 2000 was to be the last year of the CAL150RNIA Sesquicentennial celebration. We would be celebrating the 150-year anniversary of California’s statehood. It was also to be the last of the Sonora Pass Wagon Train. The Gold Rush 2000 ride would be traveling over Sonora Pass again, but instead of beginning in Bridgeport, the wagon train started at Pickle Meadow on the east side of the Sierra over Sonora Pass back into Twain Harte.

Although the Gold Rush 2000 ride was intended to be the last, everyone had such a great time, a new committee was formed to make it possible to ride again in 2001 and every year hence forth – as long as there are people to ride! Our focus is on Living History Today.

The Historical Sonora Pass Wagon Train 2001 trip was another successful, historical re-eanctment of the first wagon crossings similar to the 1850's, with the addition this year of Bay Area Back Roads film crew. A very exciting event to be aired November 11, 2001 on Channel 4 KRON in San Francisco. Please watch!

Join us as The Historical Sonora Pass Wagon Train prepares to live and ride as our ancestors did in the 1800’s during their search for a new life in the old West.

info@sonorapasswagontrain.com