Photograph: Copyright © 1936-50, Dr. Walter M. Stookey

Made: 9/36 Great Salt Lake Desert, Utah

This photograph is from Fatal Decision, The Tragic Story of the Donner Party, Dr. Walter M. Stookey, Salt Lake City: 1950. Dr. Stookey, a Grantsville, Utah physician had an avid interest in the Donner Party and the Hastings Trail across the salt desert. In his book he captions the picture, which appears on page 103, as follows:

"Photograph of wagon tracks of Donner Party across Salt Flats made September 1846. Photo taken September 1936 by Dr. Walter M. Stookey."

The view is northwest toward Floating and Silver Islands. Floating Island is the dark object at the top of the plain in the center of the picture. Here the trail proceeds west before reaching the "Big Bend" where it turns northwest toward Silver Island Point. This view shows the remarkable preservation of surface indications of the tracks.