"They go to Buffalo twice a year - first, 'to bulls' ... second 'for cows' ..." 1857, R.H. Lansdale, Indian Agent, Washington Territory

At Horse Plains "... a village of Indians collected here who never go for buffalo ..." 1833, W.A. Ferris - American Fur Company

U-Shaped Tread

Few areas of original tread remain. Years of foot and horse travel created the classic u-shaped roadbed like the one shown here.

Alexander Ross with the Hudson's Bay Company left Prairie de Cheveaux (Horse Plains) in February 1824, on his Snake River Expedition. He recorded the number in his party as 67 men with 20 lodges.

Women and children were seldom counted. But we can use David Thompson's estimate of 7 individuals to a lodge to figure the number of women and children who were with the party.

There were roughly 200 individuals in Ross' party. Plus there were more than 230 horses. This was a small group when compared with the combined tribes and horses traveling to the buffalo hunting grounds.

American Buffalo or Bison In 1809, North West Company explorer and agent David Thompson recorded that he was following the Saleesh Road to the Buffalo when he passed near here.

Thompson was returning to the Big Bend of McGillivray's River, today's Kootenai, to intercept his clerk, James McMillan. McMillan, in command of several men, was bringing canoes loaded with trade goods and supplies for Thompson's new trading posts.

This road along today's Clark Fork River was one of the wide-ranging, complex trail systems throughout the aboriginal territories. These routes crossed the Continental Divide to access the buffalo hunting grounds centered at the headwaters of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers.

This aboriginal trail followed water level making travel less difficult especially during the winter season when the mountain passes were filled with snow. Numerous tribes who often joined together used this travel route. Among them were the Salish, Coeur d'Alene, Pend d'Oreille, Kalispel, Kootenai, Spokane, Nez Perce and other Columbian Plateau groups.

Erected by Hecla Charitable Foundation, Noxon Senior Citizens.