Stations
The Rigid Pony Express Schedule Required 150+ Stations
Each station was located between 15 to 20 miles apart. The terrain determined the number and the distance between home stations and relay stations. Locations were governed by necessity, not convenience. At each relay station, riders would exchange their tired horse for a fresh one. While, home stations housed the riders between trips. This arrangement allowed the mail to speed across the country in record time. Each rider rode about 75 miles per day.
The Pony Express route varied. Not all the stations listed were used all of the time. Stations on the Pony Express route changed with time and/or because of various circumstances. Some were either substituted or added at various times. Stations are listed below, west to east with present state boundaries. View a map of places to visit along the historic trail.
Home Station Keepers and Stock Tenders
We often hear about the bravery and admiration of the Pony Express riders. However, their success would have been impossible without the station keepers and stock tenders. These were the unsung heroes without whom no rider could have operated very far or for very long. The success of the Pony Express is evidence that they did their work well.
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View a list of each state’s Pony Express Stations: California, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Missouri.
CALIFORNIA
Water Route: San Francisco to Sacramento via American River or Overland from San Francisco
- Oakland
- Martinez
- Benecia
- Sacramento
- Sacramento – Western Terminus
- Five Mile House
- Fifteen Mile House
- Mormon Tavern
- El Dorado
- Diamond Springs
- Folsom
- Pleasant Grove
- Placerville
- Sportsman’s Hall
- Moore’s
- Webster’s
- Split Rock
- Strawberry
- Phillips
- Hope Valley
- Woodford’s
- Yank’s
NEVADA
- Friday’s
- Genoa
- Carson
- Dayton
- Nevada
- Reed’s
- Desert Wells
- Ft. Churchill
- Buckland’s
- Hooten Wells
- William’s
- Carson Sink
- Sand Springs
- West Gate
- Middle Gate
- Cold Springs
- Edward’s Creek
- Smith’s Creek
- Jacob’s Spring
- Simpson Park
- Dry Creek
- Grub Well’s
- Robert’s Creek
- Sulphur Springs
- Diamond Springs
- Jacob’s Well
- Ruby Valley
- Mountain Spring
- Butte
- Egan Canyon
- Schell Creek
- Spring Valley
- Antelope Springs
- Prairie Gate
UTAH
- Deep Creek
- Willow Springs
- Boyd’s
- Fish Springs
- Blackrock
- Dugway
- Riverbed
- Simpson Springs
- Lookout Pass or Point Lookout
- Rush Valley / Meadow Creek / Faust
- Pass or East Rush
- Camp Floyd
- Joe’s Dugout
- Rockwell’s
- Traveler’s Rest
- Salt Lake House
- Mountain Dell or Hank’s
- Bauchmann’s
- Dixie Hollow or East Canyon
- Weber Station or Bromley’s
- Halfway / Hanging Rock
- Castle Rock / Head of Echo
- Needle Rock / The Needles
WYOMING
- Bear River
- Quaking Asp Spring
- Muddy
- Fort Bridger
- Millersville
- Church Buttes
- Ham’s Fork
- Green River
- Big Timbers
- Big Sandy
- Little Sandy
- Dry Sandy
- Pacific Springs
- Sweetwater / South Pass
- Strawberry / Rock Creek
- Rocky Ridge / St. Mary’s
- Warm Springs
- Ice Springs
- Three Crossings
- Split Rock
- Plante’s
- Sweetwater Bridge
- Horse Creek
- Willow Springs
- Red Butte’s
- Platte Bridge / North Platte
- Platte / Bridger
- Deer Creek
- Box Elder
- La Prelle
- Clute’s Ranch / Bed Tick
- La Bonte
- Elk Horn
- Horseshoe
- Bitter Cottonwood
- Centre Star / Nine Mile House
- Ft. Laramie
- Laramie City / Bordeaux’s or verdling Ranch
- Cold Springs / Spring Ranch
NEBRASKA
- Horse Creek
- Scottsbluff
- Ficklin’s Springs
- Chimney Rock
- Court House Rock / Pumpkin Creek
- Mud Springs
- Midway
- Pole Creek #3
- Pole Creek #2
- Nine Mile
COLORADO
- Julesburg
NEBRASKA cont.
- South Platte / Frontz
- Diamond Springs / Beauvais Ranch
- Gill’s / Sand Hill
- Alkali Lake
- O’Fallon’s Bluff / Elkhorn
- Fremont Springs
- Cold Springs
- Cottonwood Springs
- Machette’s
- Gilman’s
- Midway
- Willow Island
- Plum Creek
- Garden / Craig’s
- Platte / Seventeen Mile
- Ft. Kearny
- Hook’s/ Kearny
- Sand Hill / Summit
- 32 Mile Creek
- Spring Ranch / Lone Tree
- Liberty Farm
- Oak Grove / Little Blue
- Kiowa
- Thompson’s
- Big Sandy
- Virginia City / Whiskey Run
- Rock Creek
- Rock House
KANSAS
- Cottonwood / Hollenberg
- Big Blue / Marysville
- Guittard’s
- Ash Point
- Seneca
- Log Chain
- Kickapoo / Goteschall
- Kennekuk
- Cold Springs
- Troy / (1861) Lancaster
- Elwood / (1861) Atchison
MISSOURI
- Pikes Peak Stables
- Patee House – Headquarters