Bloody Springs, Lassen County, California

[DaCapt]

As the California Trail proceeded south into the SacramentoValley on the Pit River route, wagon trains and travelers were often ambushed by the natives. Bloody Springs, at the lower end of Spring Gulch, was the scene of numerous attacks, hence its name. Smaller groups were often wiped out.On one such occasion an entire emigrant train was massacred by the Indians. Only one man survived to tell the story. Finally, he made his way to Fort Crook, telling of how the train was carrying approximately $60,000 in $20 gold coins. Before he made his getaway, the man witnessed the Indians competing to see who could throw the shiny disks across the Pit River Gorge. The "contest” continued until each and every one of the gold coins was either in the river or lodged into the rock walls of the gorge.

Today, an occasional gold piece is still found at Bloody Springs in Lassen County. Bloody Springs is located a few miles southeast of Pittsville above the banks of the Pit River.

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[watcher 2]

DaCapt

Have you checked out this sight your self. It is on my list of places to visit this year. And was wondering about access to the area.

[DaCapt]

I have tried to locate "Bloody Springs", but no luck as of yet. I have talked to locals and they have no idea where it is located. I've checked maps and still no luck. The land is a mixed bag of private and Federal lands.
Maybe you'll have better luck than I. HH!

[watcher 2]

Thanks. I will keep in touch. Should be a good place to spend the day.

[DaCapt]

Watcher 2, if you decide to come up this way, give me a holler. I live not too far from "Pittsville". Maybe we can find the "bloody place" LOL! HH!

[watcher 2]

DaCapt.

I was hopeing to find a local who knows the area. I would be up for an adventure. Will be in touch.

Watcher

[Twisted One]

According to a little research. Fort Crook would have been near where Fall River Mills is now. Which is not disturbingly far from me. I still can not find anything saying who owns the area surrounding the Pit River though. I know part of it is in the Shasta Lake domain, Which is the U.S. Forest service, and would make it off limits.
But at least part of it is BLM land according to this, but notice it says the park was closed a couple months ago.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/alturas/pit_river.html

[watcher 2]

Twisted One,

Is there any indication when the Pit River Recreation Area will reopen. Is it still open to day use. Like is there a gate. Is this area close to the area we are looking for. Is it close to the spot named Bloody Springs. Is this just a nick name for a section of the Pit River.

If the weather is holding. I am ready to make a trip up your way. The water level should be down now and ideal for hunting.

[Twisted One]

If I could find something to give me a better idea of the exact location of "Bloody Springs". I would try to narrow it down a bit, land marks, etc.
But so far all I know is he was able to get to Fort Crook from where ever they were hit by the Indians. It doesn't even mention how long it took him to get to the fort.

I will skim a bit more and see if I can find any additional information on the story, or any other stories that mention that location that might give me a better idea.

I may not be able to make it up that way until May or June, but if I get a chance to scout it out a bit before then I will post what I see.

As far as the park being open, I only know what the site said about it, I need to stop in at the local BLM office and pick up a couple more maps of nearby areas, and when I do I will ask them about that area and see if it was just seasonal, or a budget thing, and see about more details from them.

[Twisted One]

WOW! brought up the general area in google earth. Most of the area looks like private land, farms from what I can see. And it looks like the diverted sections of the water for their fields.

I think I would need to find a map of the old area, preferably with the roads that were traveled back then, and how the Pit river flowed. Might be nice for a site seeing trip this summer, but a waste of time for looking for that gold specifically without some kind of marker.

[watcher 2]

It looks like the trick is going to be to find an old map that can identify the section of the Pit River that is or was once called Bloody Springs, And which side of the river the old California Trail, proceeding south into the Sacramento Valley on the Pit River route, was located. Knowing where the wagon trains were ambushed would also be a good place to starch the search.