How the Maps Were Created

These maps were drawn by Jedediah Smith Society map experts and historians who have researched the routes and travelled in the region of Jed’s journey in the West. The map lines you will see are based upon a careful study of the manuscripts, books, maps, journals, topography and satellite data.

As new discoveries are made about Jed’s trails, these maps will be updated, but, for now, they are drawn using the best information we currently possess. For example, only two surviving portions of Jedediah Smith’s journals detail the Southwest portion up to the Umpqua River in Oregon.