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Emigrant Gap, seen from Interstate 80.

Emigrant Gap
State Landmark Tablet, Emigrant Gap
Elevation	~5,200 ft. / 1,585 m
Location	California,  United States
Range	Sierra Nevada
Coordinates	39.303° N 120.666° W
Traversed by	Interstate 80 (former)U.S. Route 40 Southern Pacific Railroad

Emigrant Gap is a gap in a ridge on the California Trail as it crosses the Sierra Nevada, to the west of what is now known as Donner Pass. Here the cliffs are so steep that, back in the 1840s, the pioneers on their way to California had to lower their wagons on ropes in order to continue.

The Emigrant Gap was so named because it was a low gap on a ridge where the emigrants' wagons crossed from the American River drainage to the Bear River drainage. It was part of the Truckee Route, a portion of the California Trail by which pioneers, heading west, emigrated from the United States to California, which was part of Mexico until it was captured by the United States in the Mexican-American War (1846-1848).

There is a California historical marker (number 403) on Interstate 80 commemorating this brave and arduous task. Dedicated on 25 June 1950, it reads:

The spring of 1845 saw the first covered wagons surmount the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They left this valley, ascended to the ridge, and turned westward to old Emigrant Gap. The wagons were lowered by ropes to the floor of Bear Valley. Hundreds followed before, during, and after the gold rush. This was a hazardous portion of the overland emigrant trail.[1]

Emigrant Gap is located near the town of Emigrant Gap, California.

Note: The Donner Party was not the first emigrant party to cross Emigrant Gap, the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy party (note correct spelling of Stephens name) crossed the Sierra in 1844-45. The bulk of the party became trapped by winter snows in early December 1844 at Big Bend, about 11 miles east of Emigrant Gap along the South Yuba River, eventually all reaching Sutter's Fort in Sacramento by March 1845. The Donner Party (a.k.a. Reed's party) did not reach Emigrant Gap as a group. The Donner Party were trapped at Donner Lake near Truckee in October 1846, though survivors of the party came through Emigrant Gap in February and March 1847 during rescue expeditions. (Citations: "Forgotten Journey [video, 2001], Krizek, John (producer), Forgotten Journey Productions, 1190 Tanglewood Rd., Prescott AZ 86303, Teacher's Guide online at http://thecaliforniatrail.com/teachers_guide.asp; Stewart, George R., The California Trail; An Epic With Many Heroes, Bison Books, 1983), Tahoe National Forest website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/tahoe/recreation/big_bend/bbvc-background.shtml

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