Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-08-22
THE ROAD TO WONDERLAND.

/ Edito. Of the Courier:
In accordance with your request will xiy
you the result Of my observations betwce
Bozema,l and tlle great National Park on th
head waters Of the Yellowstone and Mudi
son rivers. The trip recently taken BY me
as yon know was to see il it is practicable {,
make 4 road from Bozelnan into The Nationa
PAX that should possess advantages over al
others. 70 this point shall confine myself
and not attempt an account of our expert
ences. which though varied--b4ing boil
pleasant and disagresable. and often exciting
were but what most of our readers have ex
pcrienecd in our noblc mountain land, npol
similar expeditions.
1t is between forty and fsrty-five miles o,
a line due south from Bozeman to the north
orn line Of the National Park according Il
calculations made from Capt De Lacy's MAJ
and the scale he has given Herewith. b,
the Yellowstone route 1t is over sixty, ant
By the Madison route it is one hundred AM
fifteen. On direct line from Bozeman it il
about fifty mlss to the Hot Springs on Gard
liners river, about sixty-fve miles to the gey.
sers in the lower Fire Hole Basin; and abou
sevcnty-iive miles to the Yellowstone Lake
| BY the Yellowstone route it bout seventy
miles TO the same springs. about sixty-five
miles from thu re to the Yellowstone Lake
and about fifty-five from the lake to the low
er Fire Hole Basin. But it is probable that
a road can be made from the Hot Springs ta
the lower Fire Hole Basin in about forty-five
miles.
| 1t Is therefore evident that these routes are
very circuiuous; and it has been long sup
posed that a much nearer AMI perhaps much
better route could be found by way OF Mid
die Greek or the Gallatin River. 1t is a mat
have avoided the wilderness on the waters of
the Gallatin. carefully following the '.trail''
Of the Yellowstone and down the Madison
or uice versa. content to 90 where others have
gone and see what others have seen. Capt.
DeLacy is. | believe, the only exception to
this rule. In 1853 he travelled from Fort Hall
up Snake River. by way Of Jackson and De
Lacy's lakes to the Fire Hole. and down the
Ga latin to Spanish Creek, Il take it,, thence
through Jackass canyon to the Madison.
What Capt. DeLacy saw on the Gall tin wat
ers do not know; but my own observations
assure me that above the Galatin canyon is
to I've found II" greater obstacle than fallen
timber. The few hunters and trappers who
h We entered here and there this comparative
unknown region, while tn y could tell of
beautiful meadows and lakes, abundance OF
gtine and fish, and gold and silver indica-
eral lay Of the country. because IS they sig
nticantly say. THAT was nos their biz
1t was therefore i'll order to discover this
supposed route that determined to person.
ally explore the country. Upon this duty, l
stare; in company with Mr.. Samuel Hill and
Mr.. Joseph Miller. Mr.. Miller was fully ac-
qtlaInted with the country about the Fire
Hole, the Yellowstone Lake and the Hot
Springs. and in fact of the entire southern and
eastern portion OF the National Park; Ibelleve
Mr.. Miller to be a candid, calculating aud re-
liable man, las he was recommended to me
TO be), and III making my calculations of the
country | did not myself see, have relied |
chiefly upon his knowledge from personal |
Passing over low divide south of Boze-
nan we struck Middle Creek above the cam
7on about twelve miles from here. and easily |
aund our way along the south andeast banks
II the main stream through small prairie OPP
,nings and an open timbered country. Ali
hough view from an elevated point over
which we had passed disclosed to us rocky
lifts about tile head of Middle Creek. we /
loped that what appeared to be an opening
0 the right might allow US to pass through
D the Gallatin basin. In this we were
oomed to be disappointed. We followed the
curse of the stream easily until it's volume of
yater (which by the way is mainly formed by
eautifiIl cascades which we were continually
passing descending hundreds of feet in
rystal sheets, glistening foam and spray up
n cur right and Lefty, had decreased to per-
APPS two hundred inches, when we suddenly
quad our course arrested by aruggcd cliff
everal hundred feet in height. having a semi
ircular form Of perhaps q mile long, down
he sides of which from the south and west
anne foaming cataracts. Having with some
ifficulty assembled this cliff, we found before
s plain circular in form, nearly enclosed
v solid wall OF rock several hundred fee.
Ugh, having rough face, in the creYices Of
,hich lay great masses of snow. Near the [
entire of this plain lay beautiful lake about I
quarter OF a mile in IN circumference. To |
he right lay similar basin, except that its I
urface was mora broken and its northern
'all was not as steep, having scrubby pines
ere and there along its face. 1t WAS here !
nat we were enabled wiillinilcl care and Ia
or to ascend the wall aud along il to the {
,p Of one of the highest peaks III the raligc. {
From the top Of this peak ! saw more Of
le world than ever from any one point be-
IRE. 10 the West lay the Madison range,
yer the northern portion Ut which lie Vir- I
mia range above Willow Creek could be G
s:inctly seen. Farther North lay the 9
ountains at the head OF the Boulder. Prick1y 9
ear and Crow Creek. Still farther North \
I'd across the Gallatin valley was the Belt
'nge. with the great peak near the head Of
'hite's gulcil above all. East OF this the .
lield's River aud other VALLEYS gloMcd III
q sunshine like plains Of god. The YeE
ctA hy hal