The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-09-26
THE PARK ROAD.
AN INTERVIEW WITH
ENGINEER BUNDOcK.


In accordance with the wish OF the
Gallatin County Commissioners, publish
ed in the CHRONICLE on the 9Th, S. Bun
dock visited the country that . road from
the West Gallatin would traverse to the
Park. He was ordered to report whether
. practicable wagon route could be OBJ
tanned, to make an approximate estimate
of the cost and measure the distance to
the lower Geyser Basin, also give de-
scription of the country traversed, and
the features that would make such road
benefit to the country. In reply to
our questions, he said:
For scenery, never passed through
the same amount Of territory that pres
ented the variety that this route to the
Park does. From Bozeman to the West
Gallatin canyon, . distance of II miles,
we pass through the beautiful valley Of
the Gallatin-a valley unsurpassed in
the world. For seven miles to Squaw
Greek the canyon Is comparatively open
with ranches on both sides of the river
A good wagon road runs to this point
One half mile from here the canyon
closes and the granite sides slope up a.
most perpendicular from the waters edge
for two thousand feet on each side.
Eight miles from Squaw Creek and half
mile above Blackmore creek we reach
stretch of bottom land, and from this to
the basin, a distance Of Al miles from
Bozeman, there are occasional bottoms
on each side of the river. At the right
hand fork leo named by the lumbermen,
though the stream flows into the Gala
tin from the west) we enter the Gallatin
Basin, there we strike limestone for
nation. The valley widens out at this
point and the slope from the river to the
mountains in the far distance is covered
with an immense growth of bunch grass,
presenting one of the finest cattle ranges
I ever saw. Thousands of tons Of hay
can be cut from the swails on the up
lands and along the streams flowing into
the Gallatin. Seven miles more brings
us to the second, or red canyon, 80 called
| on account of the color Of the limestone
bluffs which present very peculiar and
beautiful appearance. Tho valley IL
comparatively narrow till We reach the
big spring, 81 miles from Bozeman. Here
the valley widens out again, and is open
to the summit, distance OF 20 miles.
There is already road built to 6quaw
Creek, distance of "a miles from Boze.
man. One half mile from here the &C
tual work commences. The canyon closes
and the sides are almost perpendicular
and the slopes are covered with slide
rock. The material is granite at first
then passes to . gneiss formation and
again changes to granite. From Squaw
Creek the road will keep on the east side
of the river for . distance Of fourteen
miles when we cross the river to the
west side. The heaviest work is between
souaw Creek and Shaw or Blackmore
creek, a distance of seven and one hall
miles. The canyon is close for this dis
lance, but above Shaw creek half mile
we reached bottom land and from this
point to the Basin, distance Of Al miles
from Bozeman, there is only about a
mile of bluff work. The balance Of the
work is clearing small amount Of earth
work and bridge which would not cost
very much Through the Basin to
the second Red Canyon, a. distance Of
seven miles there is . natural roadway
and very little work is necessary. There
are q few small creeks TO cross and al
one point a few hundred feet Of bluff
work. Passing through the Red Canyon
we cross the river twice, but the Cross
ings are good and no bridges are neces'
sarv at any season Of the year. We lefl
the main Gallatin 6S miles from Boze'
man up small branch and reached the
summit between the Gallatin and the
Madison in two miles. At this place
there is lake about a quarter Of mile
wide, which, when full empties its wate'
into the Gallatin, but now no water il
running from it. Near by is a small
pond which has no outlet. We now pass
down small branch which enters into
| the north fork of the Madison. About
two miles from the summit We come t.
the canyon on the north fork. The
limestone sides of this canyon are pre-
cipitous for distance above the rive1
and we are obliged to make a side hill
road for about I of q mile when we take
the bottom land. 1t will be necessary t.
cross the stream several times owing Il
the springy nature Of the ground, but
the stream is small and the bottom gray
ely and easily crossed at any season. w
leave the North Fork Of the Madison &
miles from Bozeman and cross the Madi
son Plains and in ten miles reach thu
government road at the upper CANYON o
the Main Madison. The work across tn
, plains will be mainly clearing away fall
en- timber and cutting down trees. Four
teen miles more bring US to the lowe
Geyser Basin ut Marshall's house, dis
, | lance of 1O4 miles from Bozeman. II
, this whole distance there is no precipi
, tious mountains to cross, the course q