Richard and Orsola Silva have worked on mapping the Yreka Trail for over 18 years. In 1992 Keith Arnold and his wife, Jo, asked Richard for help locating the route of the Yreka Trail as they knew he was familiar with the area.  They started with no mapping programs or GPS technology.  Limited research was available at that time.  Most of the work on the Yreka Trail has been digitized  with 7.5 minute quads and margin indexing.

1852 Ford of Butte Creek

Yreka Trail on a private ranch in the Red Rock Valley

The ford at Butte Creek would have been a logical camping spot on the trail since it was eighteen miles beyond the often mentioned camp at Willow Springs over a rocky road.

George McCowen August, 29^th 1854: Our road leads on through the pine woods over stony points. About three parts out of four of the road is stony.

In June 2010, Jeanne Goetz, archaeologist on the Goosenest District of the Klamath National Forest, with the help of retired archaeologist John Hitchcock and Richard and Orsola Silva, led year four of the Yreka Trail PIT Project which focused on this section of the trail.

On the northeast side of the creek an area was found with many lead rifle balls and bits of lead that looked like someone made rifle balls at the site. Other artifacts such as a coffee mill, forks, knives and other wagon related hardware were were also found indicating a campsite .

This PIT project proved segments of the 1852 Yreka trail and although segments have been lost to logging it can now be mapped and classified and will be protected in the future.

Jump Off Joe - A rough, rocky hill on the Yreka Trail

Orr Lake

George McCowen August, 29^th 1854: Three miles from camp crossed the creek (Butte Creek). Then again in about seven miles camped about 2 o’clock on a small lake to the right of the beaten track. Our camp was in a most beautiful place. Mountains on all sides covered with pines.