BLM: California Trail Interpretive Center Grand Opening Announced

California Trail Interpretive Center

Mark your calendars! The California Trail Interpretive Center will have its official Grand Opening June 2, 2012, after which begins the 9th annual California Trail Days.

The Grand Opening will mark the beginning of year-round operations with the Center being open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Following the Grand Opening ceremonies, Trail Days will commence with a living history encampment, wagon rides, gold panning, black-powder gun demonstrations, a trader’s camp, Shoshone crafts and much more. This year’s theme is ‘Commerce Along the Trail’ and there will also be formal presentations about commerce and music along the trail.

The Center will feature brand new permanent exhibits featuring life-size dioramas, original artwork, interactive displays and media presentations. The new exhibits will showcase the Great Basin wetlands, California Gold Rush and the story of the Donner Party shown in the new scrim theater. Outside the Center visitors will find accessible trails, a traditional Shoshone camp and an interpretive plaza.

The California Trail Interpretive Center, operated by the Bureau of Land Management, is located eight miles west of Elko, on I-80 at Hunter exit 292. The Center is currently closed for exhibit installation but welcomes school field trips, group visits and community organizations for meetings and tours on a prearranged basis. Visit www.californiatrailcenter.org, www.blm.gov/cv5c, www.facebook.com/californiatrailinterpretivecenter, or call (775) 738-1849 for more information.