Yellowstone Flight of the Nez Perce

Yellowstone Yellowstone National Park Flight of the Nez Perce P.O. Box 168 Yellowstone, WY 82190 www.nps.gov/yell Why the Flight? Summer 1877 brought tragedy to the Nez than 800 people and 2,000 horses was to be Perce (or, in their language, Ni-Mii-puu). peaceful. But warriors killed Idaho settlers Many of their tribe had been removed as revenge for earlier murders, which from homelands to a reservation. Now the caused the Army to chase the Nez Perce. U.S. Army was ordered to put the remain- Their trek became a flight marked by ing Nez Perce there. These bands objected skirmishes and battles, the last of which because they had not sold their land to the stopped them more than 1,000 miles away U.S. government nor signed a treaty. Nez from their homeland and less than 40 miles Perce leaders decided to lead their people from safety in Canada. in search of a new home. The trek of more CANADA The Nez Perce traveled north- UNITED STATES east from their homeland in the Bear Paw Wallowa Mountains of Oregon, Battlefield across a raging Snake River, then into north-central Idaho. After the battle at Clearwater, they followed well-worn trails across the rugged Bitterroot Mountains, entering Montana near Lolo Pass. They moved Missoula without conflict south to the Big Hole, where the Army caught them by surprise and Clearwater killed Nez Perce of all ages. Battlefield After that, the Nez Perce moved Big Hole Canyon Creek Billings as quickly as they could White Bird National Battle Bozeman through more mountains, Battlefield Battlefield across Yellowstone, then north Otter Creek MONTANA toward Canada. OREGON IDAHO WYOMING MONTANA Nez Perce Ford IDAHO Camas Meadows Indian Pond Battle Nez Perce (uncertain) Creek Into the Park The Nez Perce entered Yellowstone on August 23rd. troops in a deep, narrow canyon of the Clark’s Fork of They knew the park well, having visited often to hunt the Yellowstone River. At Canyon Creek, near Billings, and gather food or while traveling east to the buffalo they engaged in another battle with the Army, then hunting grounds of the Great Plains. During the two continued their flight toward Canada. weeks they crossed the park, the Nez Perce encoun- The last battle occurred in the foothills of the Bear’s tered all 25 people known to be visiting the new park Paw Mountains, less than 40 miles from the Canadian at that time. To obtain supplies, they attacked or took border, in October. After fierce fighting, the U.S. Army hostage several tourist parties—with no intention of laid seige to the Nez Perce camp. Some Nez Perce harming the visitors. But as revenge for the deaths at escaped into Canada, but the rest surrendered on Big Hole (an earlier battle on their trek) warriors October 5. This is where it is believed that Chief killed two visitors, and left a third for dead. Joseph said, “From where the sun now stands, I will The group continued traveling through the park and fight no more forever.” The 1,170-mile flight had over the Absaroka Mountains. They eluded Army ended. The flight of the Nez Perce is commemorated at 38 Nez Perce Ford, traveled up Pelican Valley, then likely Commemorating sites in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana as moved through the Hoodoo Basin and across the the Flight part of the Nez Perce National Historical Park. The Absaroka Mountains in the northeast part of sites include Big Hole National Battlefield and Bear Yellowstone. Paw Battlefield, a National Historic Landmark. If you travel other parts of this trail outside the park, In addition, Congress recognized the trail’s national look for booklets and exhibits explaining events of significance by designating it as the Nez Perce the Nez Perce flight along each segment. (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail. The trail Wherever you encounter the trail, you will be follow- includes the portion traversing Yellowstone National ing the Nez Perce route and portions of many trails Park, which crosses or approaches the main park road walked by generations of Native Americans over in four places: Nez Perce Creek, Otter Creek, Nez Nee-Me-Poo and Ni-mii-puu are thousands of years. The Nez Perce route was used in different spellings of the Nez Perce Ford, and Indian Pond (see map on the other its entirety only once, but they consider the trail to be Perce name for their people. side). The Nez Perce entered the park along the part of their sacred land. Madison River, traveled up Nez Perce Creek past Mary Mountain, crossed the Yellowstone River at About the Nez Perce Traditionally, Nez Perce lived in separate bands and to a reservation. The most famous leader of these were led by various warriors. This fluid social and bands, Joseph, was one of several who led their political system allowed them to move in small groups people on the journey of 1877. Other leaders during times of low resources (such as winter) and as included Looking Glass, Poker Joe, and White Bird. large groups during times of abundance (such as Today, Nez Perce descendants of this trek live among summer). But this system—used by many tribes— three groups: the Chief Joseph Band of the also confused U.S. treaty negotiators who assumed the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in signature and agreement of one band bound the Washington, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla entire tribe. This confusion is part of what caused the Indian Reservation in Oregon, and the Nez Perce troubles of 1877: several bands never sold their land Chief Joseph Tribe in Idaho. to the federal government and never agreed to move For more information American Indians and National Parks, 1988, Robert H. Keller and Michael F. Turek, University of Arizona Press Indians of Yellowstone National Park, 2002, Joel Janetski, University of Utah Press www.nps.gov/yell www.fs.fed.us/npnht Nez Perce Summer 1877: The U.S. Army and the Nee-Me-Poo Crisis, 2000, Jerome A. Greene, Montana Historical Society www.nps.gov/nepe Restoring a Presence: American Indians and Yellowstone National Park, 2004, Peter Nabokov and Lawrence Loendorf, www.umatilla.nsn.us University of Oklahoma Press www.colvilletribes.com Salmon and His People—Fish and Fishing in Nez Perce Culture, 1999, Dan Landeen and Allen Pinkham, Confluence Press www.nezperce.org “Associated Tribes,” Yell 246 (available free for the asking at park visitor centers) Also look for books about tribes in the Yellowstone Association bookstores or at www.YellowstoneAssociation.org. Yell 245 10/05.

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