Independence Rock

Location: At mile marker 63 on State Highway 220; approximately ten miles southwest of the intersection of Oregon Train Road (County Road 319) and State Highway 220. A large rest area complex is present along Highway 220 at Independence Rock. The complex contains an interpretive center, within a kiosk, that concerns the history of the Oregon Trail and Independence Rock. A paved footpath leads from the kiosk to Independence Rock. Well-preserved ruts of the Oregon Trail lie along the pathway, just beyond the kiosk. The ruts lie beneath a wooden foot bridge that was built to protect them.

Wagon

History: This was the most noted landmark on the Oregon Trail west of Fort laramie. Emigrants endeavored to reach this spot by July 4 in order to complete their journey before winter. Many believed that Independence Rock marked the halfway point to Oregon, but they were actually well short of that mark. It was a traditional camping spot, and hundreds of pioneers carved their names on the large turtle-shaped rock.

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Stop 1 Oregon Trail Burial - Quintina Snoderly · Stop 2 Edness Kimball Wilkins State Park · Stop 3 Richard's (Reshaw's) Bridge and Trading Post · Stop 4 Mormon Ferry, Probable Second Site · Stop 5 Mormon Ferry, Probable First Site · Stop 6 Fort Caspar · Stop 7 Battle of Red Buttes · Stop 8 Bessemer Bend/Red Buttes Crossing · Stop 9 Emigrant Gap · Stop 10 Avenue of Rocks/Devil's Backbone/Clayton's Slough · Stop 11 Willow Springs · Stop 12 Prospect Hill/Ryan Hill · Stop 13 Horse Creek (Greasewood) · Stop 14 Saleratus (Playa) Lake/Sweetwater Pony Express Station · Stop 15 Independence Rock · Stop 16 Devil's Gate · Stop 17 Martin's Cove · Stop 18 Split Rock

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