El Dorado County's historic Wagon Train makes its 75th run down Highway 50
EL DORADO COUNTY — The historic Wagon Train in El Dorado County is making its way west on Highway 50 for the 75th year.
"It gets better and better every year," said Steve Downer, wagon master.
The annual Wagon Train reenacts the journey of the people who made the trip out west to hopefully find gold.
"It was brought on to celebrate the Gold Rush era in 1849. So they re-enacted it in 1949 and they kept the event going," Steve Downer said.
He said that in the 1940s, people wanted to commemorate the struggles of the early riders who found their home in California.
"[Those early riders were] people traveling the exact same route to accomplish something under way harder circumstances than we have here today," Teresa Downer, Assistant Wagon Master, said.
The Wagon Train only goes about 3 miles per hour uphill and goes through South Lake Tahoe, Kyburz and Fresh Pond on Highway 50.
It eventually makes its way to Placerville where it concludes its week-long trip—all with food, showers and stops along the way.
"Those people didn't have that option. It was life or death on the road for their future. That was their livelihood," Teresa Downer said.
Terri Switzer is a first-year rider and has wanted to do it since she was a kid. She said that she decided to do it this year because the 75th Wagon Train fell when she turned 75 years old, so it felt meant to be.
"It's great. I checked it off my bucket list, I'm so happy to be here and I have nothing to say except this has been fantastic," Switzer said.
The Wagon Train will be in Pollock Pines on Friday, June 7 and will be followed by a celebration. It will conclude the trip on Saturday, June 8 in Placerville.