One hundred and twenty five years after the Donner-Reed Party crossed the salt desert, their trail is still etched in the salt and is easily seen. The ruts left by the narrow wagon wheels, and tracks left by the people and oxen have been filled. The salt deposited in the depressions, in the sunlight, is a different color than that which was not disturbed.
Those who have followed the trail have been able to recreate their journey from day to day by the things left behind. They found the bones of oxen that had died of exhaustion and thirst, posessions that had been discarded to lighten the load, abandoned wagons, some half buried in the sand. Iron articles were badly rusted by the salt, but those made of wood that had been covered by sand were preserved. Many artifacts were brought back. Some are here in the museum. Others are at the University of Utah and in museums in Sacramento.
By the time the Donner-Reed Party reached Tooele Valley, they were already about a month behind schedule. At Ft. Bridger they made the final decision to follow Lansford Hastings' short cut instead of the well known Ft. Hall Trail. Hastings told Donner he would guide them through the mountains into Salt Lake Valley. However, he went ahead with the Young-Harlan Party.
