DEVIL’S GATE, WYOMING
Monday, May 27, 1850
Today, John App and Jake passed by Devil’s Gate, only 5 miles (8 km) west of Independence Rock. It is another interesting geologic formation that fascinated the emigrants. It is a V-shaped gorge carved into a rock that is 1,500 feet (457 m) long, 300 feet (91 m) wide at the top, but only 30 feet (9 m) wide at the bottom where the Sweetwater River flows through it. Its height is about 400 feet (120 m), and many emigrants lost their lives performing adventuresome climbs to the top. The trail did not follow the river through the rock, but wisely detoured around it. Still, emigrants frequently stopped to hike around this feature and carve their names.
Route: Passed Devil’s Gate (Wyoming)
GPS Latitude: 42° 26.234′ N; Longitude: 107° 13.073′ W
Elevation: 6,102 ft
May the 27th that night it snowed, and snowe all moring till 10 Oclock- so Cold that I wore my over Coat all day, passed the, devils Gate, a Larg mountain that Sweet water River runs Through, the avenue or Chanel is Beautifull the Rocks are is supposd 400 feet, Perpendicular on Each side of the Chanel, their is a great many Curiositys on this Road Every day something new, the trip so far has paid first rate, and if it Continues this way Through, It will be a pleashure trip to me Instead of a toilsome and suffering time, the greatest Bulliphant I saw since I left Pekin, was between Pekin & St Joseph, awful mean Roads, mud, Rain, Hills, and sloughs all the way But since that time we have had a good time of it, plenty to Eat and drink- some times it was a little dusty and generally, Pritty Cold at nights, we have Plenty of Bed Clothes and a good tent therefore, we did not mind that, It is amusing to see the Boys go, some are a foot, some Pack, sometimes Men and 1 Horse, their is 2 men Packing with a Hand Cart, working their way through in that style, one Fellow Before us, with a wheelbarrow going it like Jehugh, these men that walk are Furnished at the Forts. so it goes, some of the Emigr to, that start late will suffer very mush, or the account of Provisions they most of men started with short allowances Expecting to be furnished at salt lake but as I have understood it is very scarce at that place Flour costs 20 cts per lb Every thing in proportion,
