Experience Native America Along the California National Historic Trail in Nevada
In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management, AIANTA is working with tribes adjacent to the California National Historic Trail in Nevada to develop cultural heritage content and itineraries for AIANTA’s website, NativeAmerica.travel. The project brings together businesses, attractions, landmarks and other points of interest on and around the trail to help promote sustainable tourism.
Project goals focus on telling a more inclusive story of the ancestral lands along the California Trail and the impact it had on the Nevada’s Native people. To fulfill this objective, a Nevada Native Artist will create a new re-visioned poster that will highlight the history and current cultural connections tribes have to this vast and beautiful landscape.
“We are excited to work with the Bureau of Land Management to help Tribes along the California National Historic Trail in Nevada share their stories,” said Sherry L. Rupert, Chief Executive Officer of AIANTA. “Native Americans are often left out of the historical narrative, so we are thrilled that BLM is looking to deliver a comprehensive inventory of tribal activities and cultural tourism experiences for visitors interested in traveling all or parts of the famed route.”
AIANTA is now reaching out to tribes and tribal businesses and offering FREE listings on NativeAmerica.travel. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!
CLICK HERE to download the Tribal Tourism Poster Contest flyer!
On the California Trail: Preserving Gravelly Ford
The Oregon-California Trails Association, in cooperation with Nevada Gold Mines, brings you the story of Gravelly Ford, a 19th century California Trail crossing of the Humboldt River. Learn the rich history of the trail and how it impacted Native American Tribes. Gravelly Ford was a Finalist for the 2024 Spur Award for Best Documentary Script. The Spur Awards are the highest honor for Western writing and are given out annually by the Western Writers of America.
Copyright 2023 The Oregon-California Trails Association. All Rights Reserved
From AIANTA’s California National Historic Trail in Nevada Blog
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2024 Training Workshop at California Trail Center, Elko, Nevada
Inclusion of Indigenous Tourism Along the California National Historic Trail: AIANTA developed this training workshop to support cultural tourism development along the California Trail specific to the Nevada Tribes. The training focused on access points to building out cultural tourism product with instruction on visitor tools developed by Leave No Trace. Also provided was training support on itinerary building with Nevada’s Indian Territory, how to build arts and agritourism programming presented by AIANTA staff, and tools and information on Dark Sky program development. READ MORE
2023 Nevada Tribal Tourism Conference: Carson City, Nevada
The 2023 Nevada Tribal Tourism Conference occurred on March 20-22 at the historic Stewart Indian School in Carson City, Nevada, as the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) and Bureau of Land Management hosted the event with partners Nevada’s Indian Territory, and the Nevada Indian Commission to facilitate conversations between Native communities, nonprofit associations, federal agencies, and elected officials on the economic and cultural importance of a healthy hospitality industry, while providing support for Tribes to tell their stories. READ MORE
Resources and Program Partner Information
Bureau of Land Management: California National Historic Trail
The California National Historic Trail passes through BLM managed lands in California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. The trail was a mid-19th century highway for human movement to lures of gold and farmland in California. Numerous routes emerged in attempts to create the best available course. These fostered commerce and encouraged the development of transportation and communication networks. There were many changes in cultures of Native Americans along the way as hundreds of thousands of people and animals used the trail. Read More
California Trail Interpretive Center (BLM)
The mission of the California Trail Interpretive Center is to interpret the California Trail experience.
Through interpretation and education, the Trail Center contributes to the appreciation and preservation of historic and cultural sites. Strong community partnerships forged in the Trail Center enhances sustainable tourism throughout the eastern Nevada region.
The Oregon-California Trails Association
The Oregon-California Trails Association was formed to ensure that a pivotal point in our nation’s history lives on through the physical landscape and the stories and accounts of the indigenous populations and brave emigrants who personified the American Spirit and forever left their mark on this land.
National Park Service
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and their overland wagons. Read More
NPS California National Historic Trail Map
Over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. Click here to view a California National Historic Trail map.
NPS California National Historic Trail Guide in Large Print
Download here.
NPS Auto Tour Route Interpretive Guides: California Trail
Download one of these booklets and begin your state by state trail adventure! The Auto Tour Route (ATR) guides provide an overview of local trail history while giving driving directions to suggested points of interest along the trail.
NPS California National Historic Trail Facebook Page
Click here for the official Facebook page of the California National Historic Trail, administered by the National Park Service.
List your destination or experience on NativeAmerica.travel!
Tribal partners are invited to nominate destinations and experiences along the California National Historic Trail in Nevada to be featured on NativeAmerica.travel. Explore Native America >
View some of our tribal tourism partners by clicking on the images above or learn how you can claim your own listing at NativeAmerica.travel now.
Pyramid Lake Tribe
Museum & Visitors Center
Stewart Father’s Day
Powwow
Pinenut
Festival
Next Evolution
Coffee Shop
Pyramid Lake
and Stone Mother
Southern Paiute
Veterans Powwow
AIANTA wants to learn more about your tribe, destination or enterprise, etc. To set this up, contact any one of the AIANTA California National Historic Trail in Nevada team members below.
Hannah Peterson
•
Gail Chehak
Klamath
Bruce Rettig
•
Lorraine Lewis
Pueblo of Laguna
Submission Tips
At AIANTA, we are always willing to help. Please visit “Use Storytelling to Promote Your Destination” for information on how to write a listing for NativeAmerica.travel and LewisAndClark.travel. You can also download a tip sheet at this page.
Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF)
AIANTA has teamed up with industry and federal partners to provide a series of webinars on resource development opportunities and other tourism related topics. CLICK HERE
Working with AIANTA Media Department
AIANTA is working hard to raise the profile of Indian Country tourism and in particular our AIANTA Members. Learn how you can take advantage of FREE opportunities that can help you target domestic and international media. CLICK HERE
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Native American Agriculture Fund
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Bureau of Land Management
National Endowment of the Arts
National Park Service
United States Forest Service
