The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and Descriptive — John Shaqi
The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and DescriptiveChittenden, Hiram Martin
History
The Yellowstone National Park: Historical and Descriptive
Chittenden, Hiram Martin
Yellowstone National Park
Such were the Indian tribes who formerly dwelt within or near the
country now embraced in the Yellowstone National Park. That the
Sheepeaters actually occupied this country, and that wandering bands
from other tribes occasionally visited it, there is abundant and
conclusive proof. Indian trails,[F] though generally indistinct, were
every-where found by the early explorers, mostly on lines since
occupied by the tourist routes. One of these followed the Yellowstone
Valley entirely across the Park from north to south. It divided at
Yellowstone Lake, the principal branch following the east shore,
crossing Two-Ocean-Pass, and intersecting a great trail which
connected the Snake and Wind River Valleys. The other branch passed
along the west shore of the lake and over the divide to the valleys of
Snake River and Jackson Lake. This trail was intersected by an
important one in the vicinity of Conant Creek leading from the Upper
Snake Valley to that of Henry Fork. Other intersecting trails
connected the Yellowstone River trail with the Madison and Firehole
Basins on the west and with the Bighorn Valley on the east.
[F] See historical chart, opposite.
The most important Indian trail in the Park, however, was that known
as the Great Bannock Trail. It extended from Henry Lake across the
Gallatin Range to Mammoth Hot Springs, where it was joined by another
coming up the valley of the Gardiner. Thence it led across the
Black-tail Deer plateau to the ford above Tower Falls; and thence up
the Lamar Valley, forking at Soda Butte, and reaching the Bighorn
Valley by way of Clark's Fork and the Stinkingwater River. This
trail was certainly a very ancient and much-traveled one. It had
become a deep furrow in the grassy slopes, and it is still distinctly
visible in places, though unused for a quarter of a century.
Additional evidence in the same direction may be seen in the
wide-spread distribution of implements peculiar to Indian use. Arrows
and spear heads have been found in considerable numbers. Obsidian
Cliff was an important quarry, and the open country near the outlet of
Yellowstone Lake a favorite camping-ground. Certain implements, such
as pipes, hammers, and stone vessels, indicating the former presence
of a more civilized people, have been found to a limited extent; and
some explorers have thought that a symmetrical mound in the valley of
the Snake River, below the mouth of Hart River, is of artificial
origin. Reference will later be made to the discovery of a rude
granite structure near the top of the Grand Teton, which is
unquestionably of very ancient date.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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