Saturday, 12th. Left the S. fork, and after a march of 12 miles found ourselves on the N. fork. In the afternoon passed a small ash grove of about 23 trees — timber is so scarce that such a grove is worthy of notice. We encamped on the N. fork having come about 18 miles; on leaving the S. fork we left the buffalo also.
The ash grove noted by Bidwell came to be known as Ash Hollow, a notable stopping point on the Oregon-California Trail, with good water, wood, and grass. It is now Ash Hollow State Park in Nebraska and worth visiting to see the trail ruts on steep Windlass Hill.
goldfields 
Nancy these are so interesting and I love the daily tales of this journey. I just have a question about the distances they traveled. When John says they went 18 miles does that mean that most of the party walked that distance and then got up the next morning and did it again?