The Wild Horse will travel across the Hastings Cutoff, a historic portion of the California Trail and the route used by the Donner-Reed party in 1846. Hasting Cutoff, pitched as a viable shorter route, led to the demise of many people in the Donner-Reed group. This segment is a part of the National Historic Trails route stretching from Independence, Missouri, to California and Oregon. For more information about life on the trails and preservation of historic corridors, check out OCTA, the Oregon-California Trails Association, or the BLM Historic Trails website.

Cresting the Hastings Cutoff Pass in the Cedars, one looks west out on the vast open ground stretching for an unfathomable distance. Awe and respect for the determination of the pioneers comes easily on this historic trail.