Point Reflection, above the dam for Johnson Valley Reservoir near Fish Lake.
The Fish Lake Cut-off on the Old Spanish Trail
Paying a Tribute to Pass Through the Land
The Old Spanish Trail (1829-1848)
This historic trail was a 1,200-mile-long trading route linking Sante Fe, New Mexico, and the Pueblo de Los Angeles (L.A.), California. The trail passed through this area along a route called the Fish Lake Cut-off. During this period it went through the grassy meadows of Johnson Valley and skirted the western shores of Wahsatch Lake, now called Fish Lake.
Payment for Safe Travel
Wakara (1815-1855) a powerful Ute Indian chief and champion horse thief, drove thousands of California horses and mules along the Trail. Wakara was greatly feared by the traders who passed through his domain. In return for their safe passage, they paid the chief a tribute, usually consisting of manufactured items such as knives, guns, mirrors, or red cloth.
From the Journal of a Traveler
In 1848, Lt. George Brewerton and his guide, Kit Carson, entered a gorge along the Old Spanish Trail on the Fish Lake Cut-off and came upon seven human skeletons. Six of the skeletons lay on the ground, probably scattered by hungry wolves. The remains of the seventh person were undisturbed, being sheltered by rocks and a fallen tree. Arrows embedded in the trees around this unfortunate party suggested a one-sided battle.
Is it possible that the Fremont River gorge below you is the site of this massacre?
