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July 23, 2007 | |
| | | 1. Bozeman Trail Marker | | |
Inscription. The Bozeman Trail was located ten miles south of here. John Bozeman pioneered the trail in this area in July 1864. After crossing the Bighorn River eight miles below the opening of the Bighorn Canyon, he led his wagon train northwest to the Yellowstone River opposite present day Billings. He then attempted to proceed up the south side of the Yellowstone, but the steep bluffs lining the bank forced him to turn south away from the river. Leaving the Yellowstone, he went up the west side of Clarks Fork and then Rock Creek to where he intersected the Bridger Trail a mile northeast of Joliet. Jim Bridger's first wagon train over his trail had crossed Rock Creek three weeks earlier.
Bozeman's roundabout route was the original Bozeman Trail. James A. Sawyers opened a cutoff trail in August 1866. It ran from the recently established Fort C.F. Smith to the Clarks Fork. Sawyers' trail crossed the Clarks Fork at present Edgar, where he intersected the Bridger Trail and followed it 6 miles west to the Rock Creek crossing. On the west side of the crossing, Sawyer's route joined Bozeman's. From that point west to Gallatin Valley, the Bozeman Trail followed the Bridger Trail with only a few miner deviations.
Location. 45° 36.026′ N, 109° 3.966′ W. Marker is | | | | 
January 1, 2003 | |
| | | 2. View from the Rest Area. looking Southwest | | |
near Columbus, Montana, in Stillwater County. Marker can be reached from Interstate 90. Click for map. Marker is on Westbound Rest Area (Interstate 90 at mile marker 418), on the left of the parking area. Marker is in this post office area: Columbus MT 59019, United States of America.
Credits. This page originally submitted on December 20, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. This page has been viewed 832 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. Submitted on December 20, 2007, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia. |
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