The trail's name comes from William David Bradshaw, a former California gold miner (a forty-niner). He helped create a trail through the area in 1862. He planned the trail since gold deposits were running low in parts of California and knew that these miners, and their families, would need to relocate to more plentiful deposits. So, the plan of the Bradshaw Trail
was to give these prospectors a more direct route to La Paz, near Ehrenberg. In May of 1862 is when Bradshaw and eight men went trailblazing to create the direct route.In its most active years, from 1862 to the latter 1870s, the Bradshaw Trail was the main trail connecting wagons and stagecoaches to the gold fields at La Paz and to other regions of Arizona.
Today though, the length of the trail has been greatly reduced and has changed in its path. As those who frequent the trail know, it's best to travel the off-road trail using a four-wheel drive vehicle, making sure that yourself, your supplies, and your vehicle are ready for the trip. Much of the trail is located within Southeastern Riverside County, with a section of it being in Imperial County. The east-west trail begins 12 miles east of North Shore near the Salton Sea State Recreation Area. The full length of the graded dirt road trail.
Find out more about the trail:
Bradshaw's Desert Trail - The Gold Road To La Paz
The Bradshaw Trail - Bureau of Land Management
Bradshaw Trail Route Map
