Sulphur Mountain, Wyoming
August 25, 1877 - Helena tourists camp near here
Sept. 2, 1877 - General Howard abandons wagons
Sulphur Mountain rises only 300 feet above the road but is still the highest point on this side of Hayden Valley. It made for a good lookout for a group of ten men from Helena who were touring the Park on August 25, 1877.
We traveled on…and, on reaching the top of a small hill, saw a large camp across the Yellowstone. Duncan exclaimed: “Indians! Indians! My God, it’s Indians!” He wanted us to backtrack…
We traveled back at a very lively rate for five or six miles to Sulphur Springs, where our scare seemed to subside a little…We then found a beautiful and safe camp.”
When General Howard reached this point on September 2, they decided to abandon the wagons and carry what supplies they could.
“…though the trail did lead in the right direction, it took us over such fearful steeps, and across such deep and rough ravines, with precipitous banks, that it seemed utterly hopeless for our train of supplies ever to get through. These difficulties being in view, the troops gave up the wagontrain and took what provision they could carry with the packtrain, and went on to cross the Yellowstone at Baronet’s Bridge.”
– General Oliver O. Howard
