Location: Just north of Baker

Around these gumbo buttes and across these ridges and valleys, the old trail wended its way between Ft. Lincoln on the Missouri River in Dakota Territory and Ft. Keogh on the Yellowstone River in Montana. Government mail stages, covered wagons, soldiers, people searching for homes, wealth, or adventure—with horses, ox teams, and mules plunged or plodded along this undulating trail. In 1887, one freight train Of 95 wagons, each drawn by 4 to 6 horses or mules, and each loaded with civilian goods of all kinds made up the largest train to make the trip. All were constantly watched and harassed by the Indians, whose lands and way of life were, by trick and treaty being forever forced from them. With the building of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and also the fences by homesteaders, the trail was abandoned. A few grassy ruts may be seen on the ridge to the southwest.