"There, upon the rock, about six inches beneath the surface of the water, I discovered the gold. I was entirely alone at the time" James Marshall, 1848. Trail of the Wild West re-creates this colorful period in all its vivid variety, from the legendary desperadoes, soldiers, and Indian leaders, whose enduring myths often stray far from the truth, to the "little people" whose diaries and letters record a plainer yet more poignant reality.