What We Do
The Oregon-California Trails Association California/Nevada Chapter
What We Proudly Do
The Chapter:
- Conducts field trips each year along various routes in Nevada and California.
- Works with the National Forests, BLM and private land owners to locate and verify the emigrant trails.
- Works with government agencies and private land owners to preserve emigrant trails threatened by development.
- Places markers dedicating emigrant graves, such as the Alford Family grave, the Susan Coon grave, and the graves at Gravelly Ford.
- Marks the trails with National California Historic Trail signs and installs labeled carsonite markers on trail segments.
- Holds annual Spring Symposiums featuring lectures and local tours of historic locations.
- Publishes Trail Talk, the chapter newsletter, to inform the members of activities and other items of interest.
Preservation
Our organization is dedicated to preserving, studying and marking the long-distance historic trails within our own state and others in the West. If you share an interest in the pioneers, traders, trappers, settlers and travelers and the old trails, tracks and emigrant roads that brought them this way, you’re a kindred spirit.
Discover the Trails
Discover the many amazing emigrant trails and routes that wind through California and Nevada, such as the Truckee River Route, Fernley Swales, Beckwourth Trail, Henness Pass Road and many other historic trails and routes. Join us and learn about the rich history of the pioneers that traveled these famous trails in the mid-1800’s.
Chapter History
The California-Nevada Chapter is one of eleven chapters of the Oregon-California Trails Association, an organization dedicated to the preservation, appreciation and enjoyment of all transmigration trails to the west, the trails that made the United States an ocean-to-ocean nation. Discover more about our chapter!
Events
Discover our many events throughout the year. Join us on Monday April 29th for the CA-NV Chapter OCTA 2024 Membership Meeting and Awards Luncheon in Truckee.
Members Only
As part of its mission to promote education about the westward emigrant trails, OCTA produces a wide-ranging set of quality publications for the members.
Join OCTA
If you’re interested in the historic trails that cross the West and especially CA/NV, as well as all the history and lore that surrounds them, we invite you to join with us.