B ale y ▁Party ▁and ▁its ▁after math ▁ ▁In ▁mid - May ▁while ▁rest ing ▁at ▁Cot ton wood ▁Creek , ▁near ▁present - day ▁Dur ham , ▁Kansas , ▁the ▁Rose ▁w agon ▁train ▁was ▁joined ▁by ▁a ▁party ▁led ▁by ▁Gill um ▁B ale y ▁which ▁had ▁left ▁Missouri ▁in ▁April ▁and ▁also ▁intended ▁to ▁travel ▁to ▁California ▁via ▁the ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁Tra il . ▁The ▁two ▁parties ▁merged , ▁and ▁by ▁June ▁they ▁had ▁reached ▁Al bu quer que , ▁New ▁Mexico ▁without ▁incident . ▁There , ▁they ▁decided ▁to ▁attempt ▁the ▁final ▁stretch ▁to ▁California ▁via ▁Be ale ' s ▁W agon ▁Road , ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁little ▁more ▁than ▁a ▁rough ▁trail . ▁Be ale ' s ▁route ▁crossed ▁the ▁Colorado ▁River ▁into ▁California ▁further ▁north ▁than ▁the ▁established ▁crossing ▁at ▁Fort ▁Y uma ▁and ▁had ▁the ▁potential ▁to ▁short en ▁the ▁journey ▁consider ably . ▁In ▁July ▁the ▁party ▁camp ed ▁near ▁Ins cription ▁Rock ▁( now ▁El ▁Mor ro ▁National ▁Monument ) ▁in ▁New ▁Mexico . ▁Several ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁party , ▁including ▁Leonard ▁Rose , ▁John ▁U d ell , ▁and ▁S all ie ▁Fox ▁car ved ▁their ▁names ▁into ▁the ▁stone . ▁Although ▁now ▁greatly ▁er oded , ▁their ▁ins cri ptions ▁can ▁still ▁be ▁seen ▁today . ▁On ▁reaching ▁Z uni ▁P ue blo ▁The ▁Rose – B ale y ▁Party ▁head ed ▁onto ▁Be ale ' s ▁W agon ▁Road . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁em igr ants ▁were ▁prepar ing ▁to