Yreka to Henley: Retracing the Oregon Stage Route

Local historians lead tour through Siskiyou County’s forgotten transportation corridors

A group of history enthusiasts recently retraced the old Oregon stage route from Yreka to Hornbrook, stopping at landmarks that tell the story of how people and goods moved through Siskiyou County before the railroad changed everything.

Until 1859, foot trails were the only way in and out of Siskiyou County, Calif.  Regional tribes, including the Shasta, Karuk, Modoc, Pit, and Wintu, had forged the trails, with the exception of some opened by the Hudson’s Bay Co.