Last updated: August 20, 2026
Place
Willow Springs
Photo/B. Petrtyl
Quick Facts
Location:
Drive west from Casper, WY, on Zero Rd/County Rd 202. In about 9 miles, Zero Rd curves southwest and becomes Poison Spider Rd. Four miles from the curve, turn left (south) onto County Rd 319/Oregon Trail Rd (unpaved). In 6.5 miles, Avenue of the Rocks is on the right. Continue 8.5 miles to Willow Springs, on the right. GPS 42.674510 -106.793209 (PX station/state stop at dead cottonwood)
Significance:
Willow Springs and Willow Creek provided the first dependable source of good water emigrants encountered after leaving the Platte River near Casper. It was a popular camping area, and a Pony Express and stage station operated here in the 1860s.
Designation:
Historic site on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express NHTs.
Amenities
2 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Scenic View/Photo Spot
John Hawkins Clark, California-bound in 1852, described the country west of the North Platte River as “the land of mirage, of ‘delusions,’ of the sage brush and the alkali waters; a land of wonders and of hardships; a land to be avoided or left behind as soon as possible.” Many journals remarked on the numbers of dead cattle along this stretch.
After a 2-day dry drive, overlanders rejoiced to reach Willow Springs, where 4 springs and a creek provided their first “sweet”—non-alkaline—water since leaving the river. A grove of willows inspired the springs’ name and helped make the site a choice camping area. Nearly everyone on the trail paused to enjoy a sip of cool, clear water at Willow Springs. The Donner-Reed Party camped there July 10, 1846, and Brigham Young’s vanguard company stopped for water on June 20, 1847.
Company scribe William Clayton recorded, “This spring is about two feet wide and the water ten inches deep, perfectly clear, cold as ice water, and very good tasting. . . .The grass is good and plentiful and it is one of the loveliest camping spots I have seen on the journey. . .” But tens of thousands of gold-seekers soon impacted Willow Springs. “This must be a beautiful place in any other season but now so many camping here makes it a waste,” complained Edward Jackson to his journal on July 5, 1849. “No grass and the willows cut down, broken wagons and trash of all kinds together with thirty dead cattle makes it a loathsome place.”
The Martin Handcart Company of Latter-day Saints, suffering from starvation and exposure, sought shelter among the willows in snow and freezing conditions on Oct. 30, 1856. The appearance of the site would have been the least of their concerns, and they might have welcomed some broken-down wagons to burn as firewood. The company buried one of its members, 19-year-old Robert Whittaker, nearby before moving on the next morning. Also buried here is 67-year-old Mary Ann Campbell Foreman, an English immigrant, who fell out of her wagon and was crushed beneath its heavy wheels on Aug. 16, 1861. Her fellow Latter-day Saints hurriedly buried her by starlight near the creek before continuing their night trek toward Salt Lake City. Also located at this site in 1861 was Willow Springs Pony Express Station, a relay station where riders changed horses.
Today’s visitors can see the stream channel from the road and can drive into the Pony Express site, marked by a large, fallen cottonwood, which was struck by lightning some years ago. A historical sign enclosed in a sturdy, white, pipe fence tells the story. The concrete foundation on site post-dates the Pony Express.
Site Information
Location (Drive west from Casper, WY, on Zero Rd/County Rd 202. In about 9 miles, Zero Rd curves southwest and becomes Poison Spider Rd. Four miles from the curve, turn left (south) onto County Rd 319/Oregon Trail Rd (unpaved). In 6.5 miles, Avenue of the Rocks is on the right. Continue 8.5 miles to Willow Springs, on the right. GPS 42.674510 -106.793209 (PX station/state stop at dead cottonwood))