Historic Sites

Trappers Point National Historic Site: Located six miles west of Pinedale at the Cora Junction on Hwy 191. From the top of the bluff, you'll see a panoramic view of the Green River Valley. This is the site of the Upper Green River Rendezvous, where trappers, traders, and Indians came to trade for furs, barter, gamble, drink, scheme, and have fun in the early 1800s. This "Rendezvous" is reenacted each year on the second weekend in July in Pinedale during the Green River Rendezvous.

Father Desmet Monument: Located one mile east of Daniel, this monument was dedicated on July 5, 11925 in memory of Father Pierre J. DeSmet. This is where Wyoming's first holy mass, "La Prairie de la Messe," was held on July 5, 1840.

Fort Bonneville: The site of old Fort Bonneville is located one mile west of Daniel on Hwy 354-Horse Creek Road, next to the Green River. The modest site is marked with a historical sign near a small parking pull-out. Nothing remains of the original Fort built in 1832. Half of the site is on public land, and half is on private ranch land. While nothing now remains of the original structure, the site is extremely significant to the Upper Green River Valley history and in relation to the fur trade era of the early 1800s. The fort site is near the site of six of the mountain men rendezvous during the fur trade era. Archaeological excavations have been done at this location, and more are hoped for in the future.

Sommers Homestead Historical Site: Newly opened in 2011, the Sommers Homestead is a living history historical site jointly managed by the Sublette County Historical Society, Green River Valley Museum, and siblings Jonita and Albert Sommers. It is located 7 miles south of US 191 on the East Green River Road (south of Trappers Point). Its purpose is to interpret and display historical buildings and artifacts of a homestead and working cattle ranch history of the Upper Green River Valley. The 1.5-acre site is open during the summer season, June/July/August, on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 3 PM. It is staffed by volunteers and admission is by donation. Visitors can see the restored 2-story log homestead house, garage/shop, root cellar, barn, ice house, bunkhouse, and more. Group tours are welcome by special arrangements during off-days and in the spring and fall. Children's activities for group tours include churning butter, operating a spinning wheel, sewing on a treadle sewing machine, kitchen cooking, and food preparation activities, ironing clothes, using a crank telephone, washing clothes on a washboard, learning to rope, leather craft activities, collecting eggs from the barn, playing on the homestead playground, craft activities, and more. The homestead facility is also available by special arrangement for special functions. Contact the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale for details, maps, and arrangements, at 307-367-4101.

Lander Trail-New Fork River Crossing Historic Site: This new park opened to the public in the summer of 2013. It is owned and managed by the non-profit organization the Sublette County Historical Society, the parent organization of the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale. The 100-acre park is located where the Lander Trail crosses the New Fork River, approximately 35 miles south of Pinedale and east of Big Piney. It is accessed by Hwy 351 and on the southern end of Paradise Road. The park was acquired as part of cooperative agreements between the Bureau of Land Management and operators for oil and gas activity impacts to this National Historic Trail in the Pinedale Anticline natural gas field. The site interprets a location where emigrants on the Oregon/California Trail had to make a hazardous river crossing and then camped. The time period being interpreted is late in the western migration period, from 1859-1869 when emigrants travele across the country in covered wagons. After 1869, when the transcontinental railroad was built, use of the Lander Cut-off road by wagons diminished and it became a settlement road. The Grand Opening for the Park is on June 21, 2014. The park is by walk-in access only. It has a loop walking trail, interpretive signs, bank fishing access along the New Fork River. The park is for day-use only, no camping or hunting, or biking. A rustic administrative area and cabin can be reserved for group functions. Mototized vehicle access is by special permission to get to the cabin for special functions. Currently there are no restroom facilities at the park with the exception of a very rustic outhouse in the administrative area. Bring your own water and food. Pack it in-pack it out for garbage. Drinking water available for dogs from the river. Restrooms are available in the BLM campground just south of the park property. Admission is free. For information about the park, contact the Sublette County Historical Society at the Museum of the Mountain Man in Pinedale, 307-367-4101.

For more in-depth information about Pinedale area and Sublette County history, please visit the History page at our sister site, www.Sublette.com.

For more area history, see www.wyohistory.org.