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Establishment of the Wagon Trails

In

South Hills – Crow Indian Reservation

Revised 13 February 2003 [Added correction to Closure of Forts - 1868]

 

This trails section picks up from the Jim Bridger map, put to paper from Jim Bridger’s description, by Father de Smet prior to 1850[1]. 

Col Mitchell used the map on the left when he conducted the Fort Laramie Treaty in 1851. The Army and others used this map extensively for many years. The section being examined for early wagon trails is confined to the area between the Big Horn River and the Yellowstone River in Montana Territory, and locates the three Bozeman Trails identified by the Surveyor General’s maps for the years, 1867, 1871 and 1872. During the period from May 1866 through October 1866 many events were occurring almost simultaneously, and lead to much confusion as to the Army’s involvement in the Bozeman Trail, and its conversion into a Wagon Road. Key elements are listed below for reference, and are essential to the establishment of the routes.

Before May 19^th

The War Department had cut Jim Bridger’s pay from $10 per day to $5 per day, and many though his services were of no special consequence. He arrived in St Louis and was to meet with Col Henry B Carrington, who was scheduled to command an expedition into the Sioux and Cheyenne Territory east of the Big Mountains. Col Carrington had no experience of Indian fighting, but was so impressed with Jim’s knowledge, skill and judgment that he made him his confidential guide. Though a civilian at the time, he was to become the most important member of the Colonel’s command.

19 May (Start of Journey to Fort Laramie)

Col Carrington set out from St Louis with a well-disciplined unit consisting of 226 mule-teams, plus ambulances, horsemen, and a 25-piece band. About 250 persons[2] were in his care, including some officer’s ladies, their children and servants. All t this was a peaceful junket since the Commissioners were in the process of trying to negotiate a treaty with the Sioux at Fort Laramie. General Sherman had personally advised the ladies to accompany the command, “as very attractive in its objects and wholly peaceful.” [3]

Col Carrington was provided with written orders from General Sherman to open a wagon road around the Big Horn Mountains in the Montana Territory [east side]. These orders were in direct violation of the “Treaty of 1865” made by Generals Harney and Sanborn. He was ordered to avoid a general Indian war if possible.”

Jim Bridger pointed out that the Sioux and Cheyenne would never make peace, or keep it, if they did agree to do so. Nor would they ever agree to or submit to having a road built and forts established in the middle of their best hunting grounds. Jim further defined the regulations for the journey, and Col Carrington executed them exactly as stated. Many of the men under his command had Civil War experience and wanted to fight the Indians. All carried out his regulations to the letter. Their route took them by:

§         Elm Creek

§         Plum Creek

§         Fort McPherson

§         Julesburg & Fort Sedgwick

§         Pumpkin Creek

§         Court House Rock (which was crumbling)

§         Chimney Rock

§         Fortification Rock

§         Scott’s Bluff

§         Fort Mitchell

June 5th

The War Department and the various Indian Nations (in part) started council meetings at Fort Laramie. Over 2,000 Indians were camped near the fort.

June 13th

They terminated this stage of the journey at Fort Laramie, making camp some four miles east of the fort. Two of expedition’s sergeants drowned while swimming in Cold Creek. Before sunset Standing Elk [Brule Sioux] came to talk with Jim Bridger in the evening. He stated, “A treaty is being talked over at Laramie with a great many Indians. Some of them belong in the country to which you are going; but the warriors of those bands have not come to the council, and will not. You will have to fight them. They will not sell their hunting grounds to the white men for a road.”

Before June 13^th (At the Fort Laramie Council Meeting)

Three young Brule warriors arrived in Crazy Horse’s camp with warhorses, guns and dance clothes. They asked to stay with him. After two days they spoke. They had followed Spotted Tail [their chief] to Fort Laramie when his daughter was dying, but he met with the whites and was signing a treaty for the building of roads and forts through Indian country. Roman Nose, who accompanied him, was angered by the Brule’s peace talking and rose, letting his blanket fall from his scarred chest. He held out a pipe in one hand and an arrow in the other. He asked the whites which they had come to steal?  The interpreter didn’t explain what this meant, and he said they came for peace. The pipe was taken and Roman Nose was angry, but allowed the pipe to be given. Thus the Indian Chiefs were letting themselves be fooled. Tribal people along the Holy Road [Oregon Trail] promised to keep the peace until the council in the summer. They said the whites told the emigrants that the Indians had sold the Powder River Road [Bozeman Trail] and they could use it to get to the gold fields much quicker.

June 13^th to June 16^th (During the Council Meetings)

In the past it was customary for the various chiefs to sign, although the real power that was within the warrior societies, did not. This time, not even all the chiefs would sign. Man Afraid and Red Cloud were very upset. Col Carrington hearing this requested to have his orders changed to allow him to wait until the treaty was completed, but he was peremptorily told to proceed “immediately.”

He was to construct three posts, on between Fort Laramie and the Big Horn [Fort Carrington, changed to Fort Phil Kearney (Kearny)], on the Big Horn [Fort CF Smith], and on the Yellowstone [Fort Fisher.]

The Government wanted the roads to the gold fields opened immediately so that the flow of precious metals could be used to liquidate the interest debt caused by the Civil War. The Sioux Chiefs demanded on the 14^th to know where Col Carrington was going, and he said: “to occupy and establish posts in their hunting grounds.” Red Cloud was upset and angrily declared, “The Great White Father sends us presents and wants a new road, but the White Chief goes with soldiers to steal that road before the Indian says yes or no.” Another Chief said, “that within two moons his command would not have a hoof left.”

“At the meeting Red Cloud and Man Afraid wanted everything explained to them in the treaty, especially the ammunition. They didn’t want a repeat of misunderstanding such as what happened to the Cheyenne in the Smoky Hill country. When they heard the peace paper talking of a Powder River road, they rose up, wrapped themselves in their blankets, and started to leave. The white man of the council called them back. It was not a new road they were talking about, only an old one, already much tramped. Ahh-h, and then they had come this long way to talk of an old road? Yes they were told, and the Great Father wanted to give them tobacco, coffee, sugar, blankets and calico, knives and hatchets. All ready when they touched the pen.

The Indians asked where was this old road, and where did it go? They knew of none, other than the Powder River trail made long ago by the buffalo and the poles of Indian travois going through their hunting ground. In the middle of this talk they saw a long cloud of dust coming up the Holy Road. In it were many soldiers, a band for music making, wagon guns and mule teams pulling heavy wagons. If it was to be peace, why all the soldiers? Some went to see who the soldier was, a man called Carrington who told them straight out that he was there to build roads and forts in the middle of their hunting grounds.”[4][5]

Col Carrington received a letter on the 16^th from Col Philip St George at Omaha Headquarters [written on the 15^th], stating “there must be peace”, and that he is to discharge Jim Bridger since they couldn’t afford to pay him $5 per day. The War Department records show him discharged on that day. Col Carrington never informed Jim about the termination, but raised his pay back to the original $10 per day.  Col Carrington realized how vitally important Jim’s services were to the Army and wrote back “Impossible of Execution.” Jim was retained as chief of staff with the rank of Major, but listed as chief guide in the records.

Before leaving for the trail Col Carrington sent his men to the fort to get 100,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, but only 1,000 rounds were available! No one at the fort seemed to care, since there was to be peace.

June 17^th to 19th

Col Carrington’s command left Fort Laramie and arrived at a canyon on the Platte River. Previously, at Fort Kearny, Jim Bridger insisted that no one stray from the wagons, and Col Carrington had warned everyone against wandering off to pick wild flowers, shoot prairie dogs, or hunt. Virtually all disobeyed at this stop, with the young officers seeing no danger.

 

June 20^th

The command reached Bridger’s Ferry, found that Red Cloud and his band of Bad Faces had raided the compound, and took most of Jim’s livestock the day before. It took Jim’s ferry operator, Mills, only 11 minutes to ferry each wagon across the river.

After June 20^th to July 14th

The command arrived at Fort Reno, the last outpost where white men lived. They stayed there for about ten days. Waiting to proceed were three wagon trains. Few of the people were armed, and many were contemptuous of the Sioux. A half-breed rushed to Col Carrington and told him the Indians are stealing some horses and mules. He immediately sounded the alarm and Lt Adair with 80 men gave chase. After a few days they returned, having chased the Indians for over 70 miles without success.

July 12^th

The Beers wagon train, consisting of twelve 4-mule wagons; plus ten more from the William Robinsons & Solomon Vail teams, arrived on site. They found an abandoned raft and spent six days repairing it.

July 15^th

The command, having left Fort Reno, reached Little Piney Creek, just passed Lake De Smet, by noon. Col Carrington decided to build his first fort [Fort Carrington] on this location. Jim Bridger tried to caution him that Goose Creek or Tongue River would be a much better place since there was good water and plenty of grass and wood. The Colonel examined the other sites but decided to build it in this valley floor. Work started that very day[6]. French Pete, a trader was camped nearby.  [French Pete was later killed on the 17th.]

“Carrington's chosen site lay just south of the point where the Bozeman Trail crossed Big Piney Creek. The narrow valley in which the fort sat was surrounded on three sides by high terrain. To both the north and south, the Bozeman Trail passed over ridges out of sight of the fort. To the west, the valley stretched five or six miles along Little Piney Creek before giving way to the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains. The main post was an 800-foot by 600-foot stockade made by butting together 11-foot-high side-hewn pine logs in a trench 3 feet deep. The stockade enclosed barracks and living quarters for the troops, officers, and most of their families; mess and hospital facilities; the magazine; and a variety of other structures. An unstockaded area encompassing shops, stables, and the hay corral extended another 700 feet from the south palisade to Little Piney Creek, the primary water source for the fort. Two entrances provided access to the post, the main gate on the east wall and a sally port on the west side of the unstockaded area.”[7]

Red Cloud and Crazy Horse hid on the hilltop overlooking the valley and wondered why anyone would stop and build a fort at that location. There was no water supply, no wood and no grasses. [It was on the Bozeman Trail, but they didn’t realize it.] They built a scouting camp on the hilltop and had Indians watch the construction progress continuously.

July 16^th

At noon about 40 Cheyenne, including squaws, warriors and chiefs, arrived at the new camp. They were formally received. Black Horse spoke first. He represented his people and questioned the plans of the white chief. Other chiefs, including Dull Knife followed, and all agreed that their 160 tribes would seek protection of the whites. During the meeting, Brevet Major Haymond arrived with four companies and camped nearby. They entered into an agreement “to leave the line of road and go upon or south of the upper plateau of the Big Horn Mountains. They were instructed not to beg from passing emigrant trains.

After the meeting Dull Knife visited a trader nearby, called Gasseau. While they were drinking some Lakota Sioux appeared and demanded to know what was said at the fort. Proudly the Cheyenne told about the presents and the road. They were then whipped by their own bows and driven out. In the morning they killed the trader and his six men. His Lakota wife and children were left alone.

July 17^th and 18^th

Starting at 5am, some Sioux killed two soldiers at the fort, captured the bell mare, and ran away with another 174 mules.

Col Carrington made plans to march from Fort Phil Kearny to the Big Horn River and ordered reinforcements and supplies.

On the 18^th and 19^th, some Indians from the Red Cloud camp attacked the Beers train camped on the east side of the Big Horn River, stealing 60 mules and some horses[8]. One man was wounded.[9] Some members went to obtain more mules for replacements. They then ferried across the river and built a stockade for protection. They began charging up to $10 per wagon for others to cross.

July 19^th through August 11^th

Captain Burrows, with Jim Bridger as guide, was sent to Fort Reno to get provisions being sent to him. Here they saw Sioux markings indicating that war was declared, and the battle was to be fought on the Crazy Woman. Jim urged Burrows to proceed with haste, but he wouldn’t believe such a tall tale. Jim went on ahead and found the army wagons corralled. They were under siege by several hundred Indians, who left when they saw the dust from Burrows train. Earlier 50 Indians attacked another wagon train, with only ten men as escorts. Lt Daniel was killed, and cut to pieces[10].

Jim brought back instructions for Col Carrington to change the name of the fort to Fort Phil Kearny.

On July 21^st, Sawyers Expedition for road building reached Fort Phil Kearny. There he met up with The Zoller Wagon team, which had arrived some days earlier, consisting of 32 wagons and 61 men. They joined him on his expedition. On July 23^rd they departed.

On July 26^th, Sawyers reached the Big Horn River, and camped about ½ mile west of the Soap Creek junction [eight miles downstream of the canyon.] He was unable to cross the river [Spotted Rabbit Crossing] and searched upstream for another passage. Six miles upstream he met up with the Beers train, encamped on the west side of the river waiting for some more mules. They had a ferry, and charged $7.50 per wagon for Sawyers’ men to cross the river.

According to Crazy Horse, he was informed from Indians on the Platte that a group of whites were passing through and not staying in the country. They had taken a herd of spotted buffalo along for meat. Crazy Horse decided that nobody wanted the stinking meat, since there were so many fat buffalo, so he let the train depart Fort Phil Kearny and pass freely through the territory and on to the Yellowstone. [This might have been the Sawyers’ train, as the timing is right, and after leaving the Big Horn he wasn’t bothered by the Sioux.]

August 12^th

Companies D and G, from the 18th Infantry, under the command of Brevet Col NC Kinney[11] and guided by Jim Bridger, reached the Big Horn River and established Fort CF smith. The fort was named for Gen. C.F. Smith of Mexican War distinction. [It was originally called Fort Ransome[12].] The fort is located on bench land 500 yards east of the Big Horn River where it flows from the canyon, slightly northeast of present day Fort Smith, and ninety-one miles north of Phil Kearny, near present-day Yellowtail Dam, Montana. [It is north of the site of the Hayfield fight on August 1, 1867.]

After arriving at the river the Army took immediate control of the ferry from the Beers wagon train, and assigned AC Leighton[13] as ferry operator. He was to charge $5 per wagon.

August 25^th

The Thomas Alfred Creigh Wagon Team [one of the last to pass through in 1866] reached Piney Fork. From there they walked over to Fort Phil Kearny, a distance of about 1-1/2 mile. The following day they proceeded north to the Big Horn River.

 

September 2^nd

The Thomas Alfred Creigh (25 year old diarist) Wagon Team reached the Big Horn River near to the ferry, and three miles from Fort CF Smith. The river was too high, and that had to pay $5 per wagon to cross. It took two days to ferry all across. During the journey to Clark’s Fork Indians constantly attacked the train. They reportedly followed the Bozeman Trail, reaching Clark’s Fork River on the 10^th. The diary entries indicated that they followed the Sawyer’s second Expedition route. This is reported to be the last emigrant wagon train to depart in 1866.

September 5, Left River at noon, traveling for 5 hours to camp. [Site estimated to be at Gold Springs.]	Distance not reported
September 6, drove for 3-1/2 hours to small creek. [Thought to be Muddy Creek]	Not reported
September 6, continued on passing over very hilly roads, crossed three creeks[14]. [Buster Creek branches]	4 miles
September 7, passed over a miserably hilly road and corralled on a creek at noon. Indians passed on bluffs ½ mile distant. Corralled on a creek. Caught up with some Indians pretending to be friendly, but were Sioux.  Hilly roads, passed through Pryor’s Gap.	Not reported.
September 8, Indians stole a mule. Stayed in camp, snowing and raining.
September 9, Indians tried to steal mules last night, but failed. Roads good, but circuitous, good spring for men, Corraled on large creek. [Pryor Creek]. Good Grass.
September 10, drove up creek [Macheta Creek] 5 miles and corralled on dry creek at noon.	13 ½ miles
September 10t, after two hours reached Clark’s Fork and crossed it. Crow Indians met the train and escorted train to our camp.

 

Essentially all travel on the Bozeman trail ceased after this emigrant train passed through.

1866 Trail Comments

The route structures identified by the members of the wagon teams that used the 1866 Sawyers’ route appear to follow very closely to the old “Bozeman Trail” identified on the 1878-1903 survey topographical maps. The portion of the route passing through “Pryor Gap”, as reported by them appears to be a one-mile section of trail going in a southwest-northeast direction. It passes through a narrow high-bluff area on the East Pryor Creek fork. Sawyers identified this location as being 4.2 miles from his campsite of 1 August.

The Pryor Gap identified by earlier emigrants is the one located on East Fork of the Pryor Creek.

Note: The 1871 Montana Territory Survey Map shows that Devil’s Gap is located directly south of East Pryor Creek and slightly above Hay Creek where they join with Pryor Creek. The correlation of this map with present-day BLM maps coincides within ½ mile of each other. It would thus appear that the term “Pryor Gap”, as used by these travelers, refers to the need to pass through Any of the breaks in the canyon area, east of Pryor Creek in order to reach the area located on the west side. It also marks the middle area of the wide-open space between the South Hills foothills and the Pryor Mountains. When viewed from the east or west, it also appears as a”Gap”. This road at the base of the Pryor Creek bed is referred to generally as “Mee-Tse-Tse Trail or Pryor Creek Road.”  This name has no bearing on the Pryor Gap located several miles south where the town of Bowler was located in the Pryor Mountains.

There were only a few wagon teams that followed the Sawyers 2^nd Expedition trail before it was closed to emigrants in the late fall by the military. The 1871 survey map for Montana [at the bottom of the page] shows the Sawyers’ road following the winding trail depicted in this article, and crossing Clark’s Fork at Edgar. It is 56.8 miles distant from the Big Horn River ferry. There is no mention of Devil’s Gap.

After the military closed the route, Jim Bridger made some recommendations to improve the route, as directed by Col Carrington, between the Big Horn and Clark’s Fork Rivers. There doesn’t appear to be any awareness by Jim Bridger that James Sawyers was creating a shortcut for future emigrant travel at that time. It would seem that Sawyers was just one more wagon train master, and not a road builder. The 1871 and 1872 survey maps show this route, which clearly passes some six to ten miles to the north of the Sawyers 2^nd Expedition Trail [“Bozeman Trail.”] The survey maps for these years reflect progress made in land-mapping the gold fields, and the eastern areas of Montana are locations relative to prominent landmarks. The landmarks do not by themselves reflect a true geographical position. The river junctions are key in determining where the military supply route was located. Jim Bridger made one statement that helps to locate the road. He stated that he could save 20-30 miles [over the trail blazed by Sawyers in 1865] by going where it was safer to travel. According the Sawyers’ diary, some 29.2 miles was saved over his 1865 route. On these later maps depicting the supply route, it passes through “Devil’s Gap.” Current maps, do not identify this place and the earlier descriptions provided[15] are identical to the topographical map characteristics for the passage up the north side of Hay Creek. There is no diary record reported of a wagon train using the actual Devil’s Gap pass area [29 miles south of Huntley] indicated by the BLM 1871 and 1872 maps.

The 1871-1872 maps show the Bozeman [military] Trail passing through Devil’s Gap that runs in a northwest-southeast direction on the north side of Hay Creek, just before it joins with Pryor Creek, eight miles northeast of Pryor. Examination the trails, using the mileages reported by emigrant wagon train personnel, place the “PRYOR GAP” at two separate locations. Thus it is believed that the Pryor Gap refers to the canyon route passing through the East Fork, and the Devil’s Gap refers to the Hay Creek Canyon route, about 10 miles distant. In crossing the Pryor Creek branches, the East Fork appears to have been the most difficult due to the high banks, and bluffs that are on its west bank. The 1871 map shows the trail passing through the gap; the 1872 show it bypassing the gap about one mile to the north [ridge line], joining the Pryor Creek just below the East Fork junction.

For reference, the John Bozeman’s trail, created by him in 1864 left the Big Horn River at the junction with the Little Big Horn, and traversed directly west to the Yellowstone River at Sacrifice Cliff. Conversely, the emigrants, who followed later ascended near War Man Creek, crossed the Big Horn River, north of the Wind River canyon exit, and cut across the “Badlands” following the north slopes above East Fork where it joins onto Pryor Creek. From there they went ten miles almost due west to the Yellowstone River. This was a very rough journey, and crossed the high bluffs midway between Bitter Creek and Blue Creek. According to the emigrant journals, wagons had to be lowered by ropes. This was a one-way route.  It ended at the same place as Sawyers’ Expedition of 1865.Reported average total distance for this segment was 47 miles[16]. [Sawyers’ was 48.5 miles, but much easier.] Many of these journeys had the wagon trains wandering about in the South Hills-Hill Climb areas until they found a way down the hillsides to the river bottomland. Until Sawyers established a more suitable route in 1865 [following the approximate same trail used by these earlier wagon trains], this wandering about was the norm for travelers.

The Bozeman Military Road (1867-1868)

After the last wagon train passed through in September 1866, the harsh winter weather set in and the only reported regular travel and communications were with Fort Kearny, to the south. In 1867 one small wagon train passed through to the gold fields. On May 6, 1867 John Richard and three others, including Perry W. McAdow, from Bozeman arrived at Fort CF Smith.[They departed Bozeman six days earlier[17].] They were acting as agents for Tom Cover to see if they could obtain contracts for supplying food from his mill in Gallatin Valley. [They first reported that John Bozeman was killed by some Blackfeet, and that this band of Indians were living 15 miles from the fort.] When they left, a contract for supplying the fort with vegetables and chopped wheat was in their possession. Until the fort was abandoned these teams supplied the fort with produce. The Indians were seldom hostile between the Pryor Creek and the Yellowstone River. The Blackfoot Indians made most of the hostilities in that area[18].

During the ensuing months, the only other reported military travel on the Bozeman Trail was on the section between Fort Kearny and Fort Smith[19]. It was apparent that the Forts served no purpose, and there is no record of the Fort CF Smith commanders fulfilling their initial responsibility to build a fort on or near the Yellowstone River. It was all they could do to complete their fortifications and supply their internal needs. Since 5 May 1866 there had been no Indian attacks; and there were no desertions in 1866. In 1867 there were 25 desertions.

On March 2, 1868 General Grant wrote to Lt General Sherman that the army should prepare to abandon the posts at Phil Kearny, Reno, and Fetterman; and to construct new posts along the Union Pacific route west of Cheyenne. On March 7^th, General Sherman gave orders to abandon the Powder River Road[20] [Bozeman Trail], and withdraw all troops[21].

Captain Templeton scheduled a public sale of fort supplies for June 1, 1868, but changed the date to the 15^th, due to insufficient bidders. Partners, Nelson Story and McKenzie, purchased seven mowing machines, a water-powered mill, a steam-powered saw mill, 4,000 pounds of white lead, 10,000 pounds of nails, and several stoves. He left the post with some of his supplies loaded into 27 wagons, arriving at Clark’s Fork some 69 miles distant. Along the way Indians attacked his train, and one man was killed. On 17 July he reached the Stillwater. There he met up with another freight train coming from Fort Ellis headed for Fort CF Smith to pick up supplies at the fort. [Their routes were not defined.] John Richard was visiting his father at Fort Laramie at the time, and Story hired him to bring the rest of his supplies to Gallatin Valley. Captain Templeton recorded that Richard’s train arrived at Fort Kearny on July 20, 1868, and departed on the 22^nd for Fort CF Smith. Records of their route haven’t been located. General Sherman also instructed the command to quickly send such articles that could be used by the military to Fort Ellis. The fort was abandoned on July 29^th, and all departed for the railroad terminal near Cheyenne, some 324 miles distant.

Accordingly, the only apparent section of the Military Bozeman Road that was used by the government was the one connecting Fort Laramie with Fort CF Smith. Settlers or the government did not use the section across South Hills, connecting with the Clark’s Fork. This route was the one used by the freighters, carrying supplies from Gallatin Valley to the fort, and it passed through Devil’s Gap.

Summary [Refer to Sawyers’ Expedition Route Map[22]]

This road shown on the 1871 Surveyor’s General map for the Montana Territory was apparently created in early 1868, with minor refinements later. When Fort CF Smith was established in 1866, there was virtually no travel between it and the Yellowstone River, thus the full use of this route vanished, and served no purpose until well after the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868 was signed. It wasn’t until after the Battle of the Big Horn and final agreement of the Sioux after 1876-1878 to stop raiding, that the trail began to serve some additional purpose. There are two routes for this trail: one passing west from Monument Creek to Silesia, and one to Rockvale. It would appear that during the 1870 and 1871 time frame, there was some travel on the western portion of the trail [road], near to the Clark’s Fork River as evidenced by the survey maps. However, the trail created by Sawyers 2^nd Expedition is the one most persons identify as “the Bozeman Trail.” The trail used by the freighters in 1867-1868 is referred to as the “Bozeman military Road.”

The Military road crossed Pryor Creek at the Hay Creek junction and traversed six miles up the gradual slope along the north side of Monument Creek until it reached the eastern edge of the South Hills bluffs. To reach the top, a small section of the bluffs had to be cut away [probably by using small charges of dynamite] to facilitate the last 300 yards of passage to the plateau. This portion of the road is currently graded, and contains severe wagon ruts in the stone base. This section of the road is now called “McCormick’s Road”, since Paul McCormick probably used it extensively for hauling supplies and freight between Coulson – Billings and his vast leaseholds on the Crow Indian Reservation[23], before his brother acquired the land. Coincidently, the final section of the trail as it approaches the summit is referred to as “McCormick Hill.” The uphill passage terminated on his brother Alphonso’s property.  From there the trail passed due west along the north edge of the South Hills plateau bluffs, across the highest point in Yellowstone County, and close by Round Butte, and into either of the Clark’s Fork river crossings near Silesia. This route passed through the Twin Monument area located in Section 32, Range25 East, and Township 3 South.

Jim Bridger played the major part in finalization and establishment of this portion of the Bozeman Trail, and of the McCormick Hill (Monument Creek Trail) in the early 1860’s. In 1864 Jim Bridger and John Bozeman faced off on a wagon train dash to the gold fields, a contest in which Bozeman won. Bozeman traveled east of the Pryor Mountains, crossing the Big Horn River near its junction with the Little Big Horn River, then almost due west to the Yellowstone River. This was Bozeman’s only successful wagon train attempt. Bridger passed on the west side of the Pryor Mountains, and passed through a gap in the mountain range, separating West Pryor from the main Pryor Mountain [Pryor Gap.] From there he apparently traveled nearly due north, passing through where the town of Pryor would be located, Four-Corners [there is a stone cairn located at the juncture], and on to a southern junction with the trail leading up Monument Creek [McCormick’s Hill.] The trail joins the Monument Trail about 1-1/2 miles east of the crest of the South Hills’ rims. The road, cut into the face of the rims by blasting occurred later, but the east face of the hill could be ascended by wagons, but with some minor difficulty. After reaching the top, it is a nearly straight line west to Silesia; passing through the Twin Monuments on the way [the monuments were created after this time frame.] The trail across the edge of the rims was used by freighters, and is identified on the 1868-1872 Surveyor General Maps for the Territory.

Local residents at the Silesia and Rockvale river crossings believe that the Bozeman Trail did pass through their properties. This part, is one of the Bridger Trails, that was considered to be one of the Bozeman Trails.  Although the name is the same, the Military trail wasn’t used for emigrants going to the gold fields or Gallatin Valley during the fall of 1866 and afterwards. This section, passing through the Monument Creek area had to have been created by or for the freighters. During the late 1890’s and early 1900’s Nelson Story and Paul McCormick formed a road construction company, and built roads and tunnels in the area, including Yellowstone Park. They also had extensive vested interests in the land areas between Coulson, Pryor Creek and the Clark’s Fork basins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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