By the early 1860s, the first stagecoach road finally reached Upper Soda Springs along the Siskiyou Trail from the north. Weary travelers would get off the stagecoach and spend the night at Upper Soda Springs, and the next day, climb onto mules or horses for a dusty, two-day trek along a narrow trail through the Sacramento River canyon (there was no road yet).
In the mid-1860s, the humble waystation expanded into a more substantial inn (above), and stables, an orchard, and more, were added.
By the 1870s, the stagecoach road was finally built through the Sacramento River canyon along the Siskiyou Trail, and people could reach the Hotel more easily.
The original 1850s buildings were removed and an elegant two-story building was built (left and below). Directly across the road from this building were the famous "soda springs."
By the 1880s,
Upper Soda Springs had become a destination for adventuresome tourists from the San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond. These early tourists would come on the stagecoach along the Siskiyou Trail to spend a month or more during the summer, fishing, hunting, and enjoying the spectacular scenery.
Click below to see images of Upper Soda Springs, along the Siskiyou Trail
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The modern aerial photo of North Dunsmuir shows the site of these historic buildings (they are within the red rectangle in the center). The line in red is the site of "Ross's Road," including the toll bridge where it crossed the Sacramento River (in blue). The modern Interstate-5 bridges are noted by the black circle.
