EXPLORE SOUTHWEST WYOMING’S HIDDEN GEMS. HISTORIC SOUTH PASS CATCH A CASE OF GOLD FEVER. What to See and Do: Tour the famous Carissa Mine. • Walk the scenic Flood & Hindle Mining Trail. • Learn about the town and its residents on a guided South Pass City Tour. • Come in mid-July for Gold Rush Days to enjoy mining championships, baseball, games, music and more! If you were traveling here in the mid-1800s, South Pass, just outside of Sweetwater County, would have been swarming with crowds of people scrambling to get their piece of the gold rush. Thankfully, the crowds are much smaller these days, so you can have a more intimate experience as you dig in and strike it rich in the area’s history. But if it’s gold you seek, you can still try your luck at panning. About South Pass: Long before the mass move to the West, trappers and traders shared South Pass with Native Americans. But in 1849, when gold was discovered in California, the area became a heavily traveled route for those chasing golden dreams. And then in 1867, the Carissa Lode was found and word of gold in South Pass spread like wildfire. The short-lived gold frenzy left a mark on the area, attracting a new kind of Gold Rush to this day. Historic South Pass Farson Mercantile THE EDEN VALLEY INSPIRE YOUR INNER PIONEER. What to See and Do: Stop by the Farson Mercantile for some famous Big Cone ice cream, pizza and gifts. • Pitch a tent, launch the boat and catch the big one at the Big Sandy Reservoir. • Hike and bike to your heart’s content on historic trails. Decades ago, the Eden Valley served as a gateway to the West, welcoming travelers across the Oregon and Mormon Trails. Today, it serves as a gateway to imagination as you discover its native roots. About Eden Valley: Starting with Native Americans, then followed by fur traders, a thoroughfare for settlers and passers-through long before the area was settled. While 1824 marked the first east-west crossing of South Pass, it was in 1907 that John M. Farson’s large-scale irrigation developments led to the settlement of the town. Long-term settlers were attracted to the area by pamphlets that promised, “fruit orchards will grow higher than a man’s head,” which was the beginning of the farming and ranching community that still thrives here today. mountain men and western pioneers, the Eden Valley served as GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH // 17
Sweetwater County Official Travel Guide 2019 Sweetwater County Official Travel Guide: Page 17
