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By Colonel W. W. LORING, U.S.A. 
Miles.
Camp Floyd to
23. Goshen.--The road runs throug Cedar Valley; is level
and good for 11 miles, to where the road forks. The
left runs near the lake, and has good camps upon it.
Thence to a fine spring, where there is a good camp,
is 3 miles. Grass continues good to the camp near
Goshen. Wood, water, and grass abundant.
14. Salt Creek.--Road runs over a mountain in a direct
course to a fine spring branch, which is a good camp;
thence through a meadow to a small branch 3 miles,
striking the old Mormon road again opposite a mud
fort, where there is a fine spring and good camp;
thence into the valley of Salt Creek, where there are
good camps.
18. Pleasant Creek.--Near the last camp the road forks, one
running to Nephi, a small Mormon village, the other
to Salt Creek Canon, which is the one to be taken.
The road runs up the canon 5 miles; thence up its
small right-hand fork to a spring, 3 miles; thence to
camp. Good camps can be found any where after
crossing Salt Creek, with abundance of wood, water,
and grass.
19 1/2. Willow Creek.--Road at 6 1/2 miles passes a fine
spring; half a mile farther is another spring, where
the road forks. Take the right through a meadow; it
is 3 or 4 miles shorter. To the crossing is 3 miles;
thence to the main road again 3 miles; to the village
of Ephraim 5 miles. Good camp.
12. Lediniquint Creek.--At 6 miles pass Manti; thence to
Salt and Sulphur Springs is 3 miles. Good camp, with
a fine spring, wood, and grass.
15. Lediniquint Creek.--Road passes over a rugged country
for 4 miles, to a creek; thence one mile it crosses
another creek; thence 2 1/2 miles up the creek, where
there is a good camp. The road improves, and for 8 or
9 miles camps can be found by leaving the creek a
short distance. The creek on which the camp is is
muddy, with narrow channel.
18. Onapah Creek, or Salt Creek.--Road is good over a
barren country to the pointed red hills near the
entrance to Wasatch Pass, 7 miles. From the red hills
cross Salt Creek 3 times in 4 miles; grass fair at 2d
crossing; very good at 3d crossing, and a good camp.
Road rough for 3 miles after leaving the creek. The
road then enters a fine valley, with plenty of blue
and bunch grass. Road is level to within a mile of
the camp. Wood, water, and grass abundant at camp.
7 1/2. Head of Branch of Salt Creek.--Road runs over a ridge
at 2 miles, thence one mile to a small branch. Grass
abundant. Road runs along the branch 3 miles; in
places very rough, with some sand; ascends the entire
distance, and the camp is very elevated. Good spring
at camp.
5 3/4. Salt Creek.--Road passes over a ridge 2 1/2 miles to a
spring. Good camp at this spring. Colonel Loring
worked the road at this place. It crosses the creek 6
times within the 5 3/4 miles. Good camp, with
abundance of wood, water, and grass.
6 1/2. Silver Creek.--Road traverses a rolling section, is
good, passes several springs where there are good
camps, and crosses several trails which lead from
California to New Mexico.
17 1/2. Media Creek.--At two miles the road passes the dividing
ridge between the waters of Salt Lake and Green
River; thence two miles' descent to Shipley Creek,
where is a good camp. For about a mile the road is
rough, but then descends into an open plain where the
road is good. The ground is rough about the camp, and
covered with sage and greasewood. Two miles up the
creek, near the canon, is some grass, but it is not
abundant here.
19 3/4. St. Raphael Creek.--Road passes a rolling section for 5
miles; thence 1 1/2 mile to Garamboyer Creek, where
there is a good camp; thence, with the exception of a
short distance, the road is good to the Knobs, 9
miles, when it is broken for 4 1/2 miles. Good camp.
11 3/4. San Matio Creek.--For 3 miles the road is over a
rolling section, with steep hills, to a creek, where
is a good camp; thence, for 3 miles along the creek,
soft soil and heavy road; thence 5 miles to another
creek, some grass, but not plenty; thence to camp the
road is rough in places. Good camp.
14 1/4. In the Hills.--Road runs over a rolling country 2 1/2
miles to San Marcos, or Tanoje Creek, where there is
good grass and water, with sage. Two miles farther
over a gravelly road, then a good plain road for 9
3/4 miles to camp. Good wood, water, and grass.
23. Spring.--Road for the first ten miles is rocky, when it
strikes a spring, where there is a good camp; thence
2 miles to water in a tank, not permanent; thence the
road is on a ridge for 6 miles, and is good; thence 3
miles the road is sandy. The spring at camp is large,
with plenty of wood, but the grass is scarce. Down
the creek it is more abundant.
18. Green River.--For 5 miles the road is sandy; thence the
road is good for the remainder of the distance to
camp, where there is plenty of wood, water, and
grass.
13. 13. Mile Spring.--Green River can be forded at ordinary
stages. Road runs among several arroyas for a few
miles, and is then straight and good to camp. Good
grass a mile to the east of camp.
An Arroya.--Road runs between two rocky buttes, and
strikes the Mormon trail, which leaves Green River at
the same place, but is very tortuous. Water not
permanent here; good grass three fourths of a mile
from camp.
20 1/4. Cottonwood Creek.--Road passes over a broken country to
a water-hole, 9 miles; grass abundant; thence there
is sand in places; crosses several arroyas. Camp is
between two mountains. Wood, water, and grass
abundant.
12. Grand River.--Road is over a rolling country; in places
light sand and heavy for wagons. Good camp.
13. Grand River.--Road is rolling and sandy. The Mormon
road runs nearer the mountains, and Colonel Loring
thinks it is better than the one he traveled. Good
camp.
16 3/4. 1 1/2 mile from Grand River.--The first 3 miles is
level then the road passes over a very elevated
ridge, and descends into the valley. Grand River runs
through a canon, and can not be reached with the
animals. Road in places sandy. Good camp.
9 1/2. Grand River.--At two miles strike Salt Creek, where the
Mormon road passes up a dry creek toward Gray
Mountain. Road skirts the mountains along Grand
River, and is rough in places, passing over abrupt
hills. Good camp.
16 3/4. Grand River.--Road runs over a level and firm section,
with good camps at any point along the river. Cross
the Mormon and other trails. Good ford at the
crossing except in high water. Good camp.
18 1/2. On an Arroya.--Road runs over an undulating surface,
crossing several small streams issuing from Elk
Mountain, affording good camps at almost any place,
and strikes Marcy's and Gunnison's trails. Good camp.
15 1/4. Grand River.--Rolling country; high ridges with abrupt
slopes for 6 1/4 miles; thence into a plain for 7 1/4
miles to Double Creek. Good camps.
12. Oncompagre River.--Good ford except in high water. At 6
miles cross a dry creek; thence 3 miles over a high,
level, and firm road; strike a large trail; descend a
hill with gentle slope into the Valley of Oncompagre,
where there are fine camps. Winter resort for Ute
Indians.
14 1/2. Oncompagre River.--Road runs along the valley of the
Oncompagre, is good, and camps may be found at any
point, with plenty of wood, water, and grass.
13. Cedar Creek.--Road leaves the Oncompagre, and bears to
the east up Cedar Creek to the gap in the mountains,
6 miles; thence up the valley of Cedar Creek to camp,
where are wood, water, and grass. The Gap is the
first opening in the mountains above the mouth of the
Oncompagre.
8 3/4. Devil's Creek.--Road runs to the head of Cedar Creek,
over thedivide, into the valley of Devil's Creek, and
is rough, with a steep descent. Camp is near a narrow
canon called Devil's Gate, with high perpendicular
bluffs. Good camp.
3. North Fork of Devil's Creek.--Road very rocky, and
worked by Colonel Loring. Marcy's and Gunnison's
trails pass here. Good camp.
7 3/4. Cebola Creek.--Road passes over abrupt hills covered
with pine. Good camp.
5 1/2. Ruidos Creek.--Road rough, with abrupt ascents and
descents. Fine creek 5 feet wide, and good camp.
13. Grand River.--Road rather smooth for the first 3 miles,
then rough and rocky, crossing several creeks, and
descending into the valley of the Grand or Eagle-tail
River, where is a good camp. Plenty of brook trout in
all the streams in this section.
14 1/2. Grand River.--Road crosses the river three times;
bottom wide; grass and wood abundant. Cross several
beautiful streams, upon which are good camps. Some
sand and rough places, but generally good road. Game
and brook trout abundant in this region. Indians
resort to this section a great deal.
18. Cutebetope Creek.--At about 5 miles the Cutebetope
Creek enters, forming at the confluence a beautiful
valley, which the road crosses, and strikes the creek
near the Point of Rocks, where the valley is only 40
yards wide, but after passing the Point it opens
again. The course of the creek is nearly north. Good
camps.
20. Spring near Beaver Creek.--Road crosses several small
creeks, where are good camping-places. Good camp.
16 3/4. Sawatch Creek.--Road runs over a very rough and
mountainous section for 14 miles to the summit of the
Rocky Mountains; thence it descends to camp, where
grass, wood, and water are abundant.
21 1/2. Sawatch Creek.--Road rough and rocky in places; strikes
the main Sawatch Creek at 9 1/2 miles; crosses
numerous small branches, where are grass, wood, and
good water in abundance.
25 1/2. Camero Creek.--Road for 7 miles, to Sawatch Buttes, is
good; thence 1 1/2 mile to the last crossing of the
Sawatch, where is a good camping-place. Good camp at
Camero Creek.
3 1/2. Garita Creek.--Good road and good camp.
16 1/2. Rio Grande.--Road level and good. Good camps along the
river at almost any point.
6. Rio Grande.--Good road and camp.
17 1/2. Fort Garland, Hay Camp.--Road continues down the river,
and is good. For six miles there is timber, but after
this willow is the only wood to camp. Good road. Hay
is cut at this place for Forts Massachusetts and
Garland.
16. Culebra Creek.--At 4 3/4 miles cross Trinchera Creek,
where is a good camp. Road rather sandy. Good camps
any where on Culebra Creek.
24 3/4. Latos Creek.--Road tolerable to Costilla Creek, 10 3/4
miles. Good camp.
14. Ascequia, near Lama Creek.--Road crosses several small
branches. At 9 1/2 miles strike Red River. Grass at
camp good, but not abundant.
19 3/4. Meadow near Indian Puebla.--At 6 miles the road crosses
the Can Christobal; thence over another ridge into
the valley of the Rio Hondo. Camp 2 miles from Taos.
2. Taos, New Mexico.--Good road. At taos are several
stores, where goods of all descriptions can be had at
fair prices.
13. Taos Creek Canon.--Road passes through the settlement,
where grain and vegetables can be obtained. It then
enters the Taos Canon at 3 miles, and crosses the
Canon Creek frequently to camp. Good camp.
29. Gaudelapepita.--At 5 miles the road ascends to the
dividing ridge, and is tolerable; thence in 4 miles
cross the mountain, and reach a fine spring branch,
where is a fine camp. Thence the road passes short
ridges for 9 miles to Black Lake. Good camp.
Fort Union.--Road follows Coyote Canon 3 miles; thence
one mile to Mexican settlement; thence 19 1/2 miles
over the prairie to the fort.
Colonel Loring came over the route from Camp Floyd to Fort
Union with a large train of wagons. He, however, found the road
in many places upon the mountains very rough, and it will require
working before it will be suitable for general travel with loaded
wagons. It is an excellent route for summer travel with pack
trains, and is well supplied with the requisites for encamping.
From Fort Union to Fort Garland the road passes through a
settled country, where supplies of grain and vegetables can at
all times be purchased at reasonable prices, and there are small
towns met with during almost every day's march where small shops
supply such articles of merchandise as the traveler needs.
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