Pony Express Re-ride Races through National Historic Trails Center
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CASPER Wyo.- The 38th annual re-ride of the Pony Express National Historic Trail will pass through Casper on Tuesday, June 26, at approximately 6:30 p.m. at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center. This program aims to connect participants with public lands, and in turn with America’s natural and cultural heritage.
Visitors should arrive at the Trails Center by 5:30 p.m. due to the potential early arrival of the Pony Express.
The Trails Center will stay open later than usual and close thirty minutes after the arrival of the re-ride. Visitors are welcome to tour the trails center’s six exhibit galleries while they await the arrival of horse and rider.
"We are proud to serve as a stop along the Pony Express National Historic Trail, and we invite everyone to come and watch the mail relay at the log cabin near our flagpole!" said Shawn Wade, Interpreter at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center.
This year’s re-creation of the Express will transport mail west to east. The re-ride will make several stops in Casper before arriving at the Trails Center in the early evening. The ride will continue east, with an estimated 55 total hours spent in Wyoming.
Nearly 700 volunteer members of the National Pony Express Association take part in this family-oriented commemorative event. This year the first rider will depart Sacramento, California on Wednesday, June 20 at 3 p.m. PDT and will arrive in St. Joseph’s Missouri on Saturday, June 30 at 8:30 pm CDT. The mail will be exchanged between riders along the 1,960-mile historic route.
To obtain a more specific arrival time or for more information, please call the Trails Center Information Desk at 307-261-7780. For details about the re-ride along its entire route and to follow the riders' progress, visit the National Pony Express Association online at www.xphomestation.com.
The NHTIC is a public-private partnership between the BLM and the National Historic Trails Center Foundation. The facility is located at 1501 N. Poplar Street, Casper, Wyoming.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, there are 30 congressionally designated National Scenic and Historic Trails in the National Trails System. National Historic Trails are extended trails that closely follow a historic trail or route of travel that is of national significance. The BLM now protects nearly 6,000 miles of 18 designated trails in 15 States, and the BLM also manages thousands of miles of trails under study for potential designation.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.