Register for the 2021 National Convention

Fill out the online registration form to save your spot.

Get a $10 discount if you register on or before August 31st. We are sorry to report that the California Trail Highlights pre-convention tour is already sold out.

Give me the convention details

• Third Thursday History with the Southern Trails Chapter
• Santa Fe Trail Celebration at Kansas City's Trailside Center, September 18
• Gateway Chapter Bus Tour of Kansas City Trail Sites Set for October 2
• Partnership for the National Trails System Historic Trails Virtual Workshop, November 1-4

• New Jim Bridger Book Now Available!

• OCTA Partners with the Kansas City Royals on a Fundraiser
• Order Fresh Coffee and Help OCTA's Bottom Line

Elko Convention: Last Minute Updates

Basque Dancers:
The Basque Dancers will be appearing at the Welcome Reception at Johnny Appleseed Park on Country Club Drive in Elko, NV at 6 p.m. on September 12, 2021. Maps will be available at the registration table.  Billy Rose will provide live music and light fare will be provided. This event is being held outdoors. The dancers will be masked but some may not be vaccinated. Viewers can maintain whatever distance they choose from the dancers in the park setting.

California Trail Interpretive Center Visit:
A fun visit is planned to the California Trail Interpretive Center on Monday evening, September 13 from 7 to 9 p.m.  There will be light refreshments, shopping opportunities at the gift shop, and a chance to view interesting exhibits inside and out. Bus transportation is planned.

Greenhorn Cutoff Hike:
Space is still available for the Greenhorn Cutoff Hike – Sign up at the Registration Desk at the Convention if you are up for a strenuous six mile hike along this trail.  The entire route of the hike has been recently remarked using Don Buck’s field notes.

Gravelly Ford Tour:
Based on a recent field check, the last part of the Gravelly Ford Tour will be modified due to poor road conditions. Unfortunately, road conditions the last seven miles into Gravelly Ford make that leg of the tour impassable for vans or buses. Earlier field trips suggested it would be passable, but that is now not the case. We regret that we cannot do this, but the safety of all of you is our most important consideration. We will still visit lots of great spots, including:

• Visit to the Elko Hot Hole – used by the emigrants for cooking and laundry
• Stop at the Chinese Gardens with a special story
• Visit to a California Trail Wayside on the banks of the Humboldt River with a few of wagon ruts
• Walk around the Maiden’s Grave with a story about an aged non-maiden
• View of Carlin Canyon and discussion of Greenhorn Cutoff
• Stories of ice harvesting from the Humboldt for rail cars bringing CA produce in the days before refrigerated cars

September 14 College Reception Cancelled
Reception at Great Basin College on Tuesday, September 14 is cancelled. Potential attendees are encouraged to visit the California Trail Interpretive Center on Monday evening instead.
 

Time to Report Your Volunteer Hours!!!!

It is again time to turn in your volunteer hours, mileage, expenses paid by you and not reimbursed, time traveling to meeting (including the upcoming Elko convention), research, etc.. 

Visit our online volunteer hour reporting portal for a simple, fast way to share your hard work with our federal agency partners and budget planners in Congress. Your volunteer hours are matched with appropriations and the Volunteers in Parks program to the financial benefit of our trails. Please report all you have done! It's the most important thing we do!

Chapter Newsletters
 

Idaho Chapter Trail Dust Summer 2021

 

Vaccine Guidelines for Elko Convention

Last month, the OCTA board meet via an emergency Zoom meeting to discuss rising COVID cases in both Elko and nationwide. As most of our convention attendees are in the age group most impacted by the threat of COVID, the board voted unanimously to require proof of a COVID vaccination to attend the convention. Please either send a photocopy to OCTA HQ at: 524 S. Osage St., Independence, MO 64050, or email a photo of it to kconway@indepmo.org. You can also show proof of vaccination at the convention check-in. We are striving to keep everyone safe and to still put on a great convention. Thank you for your understanding.

We will also be requiring masks for all indoor activities, whether in the convention center, on the tour buses, or other off-site facilities where OCTA convention activities are taking place. The mask order is per the Governor of Nevada.

The language regarding the COVID motion from the board meeting minutes is as follows:
 

John Briggs moved, Pat Traffas seconded, that the Elko NV OCTA Convention will require that all attendees for all events be vaccinated for COVID-19, and have proof of that vaccination with them, or will have provided it in advance of the Convention.

Documentation of a negative COVID-19 test will not be acceptable.

The motion passed unanimously.

Third Thursday History
With the Southern Trails Chapter

Gateway Chapter Bus Tour of Kansas City Trail Sites Set for October 2

The Gateway Chapter of the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) is sponsoring a bus tour on Saturday, October 2 in the Kansas City area and will have plenty of room for people from the KC area to join with them on the tour.

OCTA Past President Ross Marshall will be leading the tour as you travel from Kaw Point (the juncture of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers) through the downtown Kansas City area over to Independence and along the Independence Route of the Santa Fe-Oregon-California Trail south to Red Bridge and over to I-35 and back to the downtown area and Kaw Point.

Attached are all the details of how to sign up and pay for your seat on the bus.

We will leave from Kaw Point at 9:30 and return there at about 4:00.

View all trip details here. 

New Jim Bridger Book Now Available!

OCTA Partners with the
Kansas City Royals on Fundraiser

Order Fresh Coffee and Help
OCTA's Bottom Line