The Original Henness Pass Road was primarily a road for an easier entrance into California. After the Donner Party Disaster of 1846, Emigrants avoided the rugged cliffs above Truckee Lake (Later Donner Lake). Instead they turned northward taking a longer route known today as the Henness Pass Road.

During the California Gold Rush, Henness Pass was second only to the Placerville/Carson route in volume of passengers and freight traffic. traveling over the Sierra Nevadas. In 1859, when the "Rush to Washoe"occurred, traffic reversed itself over the Henness Pass to flow eastward from gold country to the newly discovered Comstock Lode. Cities like Nevada City and Marysville soon realized that the bulk of the rapidly increasing trade with the Washoe mines would fall to the city with a good wagon road to the region.

Plans to improve the the Henness Pass route began at once. There was a period of time when the use of the road was so great that it became necessary to regulate traffic with freight wagons running during daylight hours and stages at night.

If you are interested in participating in this scenic wagon trip over the most intact original wagon road into the State of California, Please Contact:

John Schwartzler at 530-885-9885

email jschwartzler@gotsky.com

or

Ann Tatum at 916-494-3893

email HalfAssAnnie@aol.com