28TH DAY
(JULY 29TH) OF CUSTER'S EXPEDITION TO THE BLACK HILLS IN 1874.
TRAIL IS 15 MILES STARTING AT THE CAMP OF JULY 28TH. STARTING
POlNT IS APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES FROM RAPID CITY. MAPS COVERING
THE ROUTE OF JULY 29TH ARE: DEERFEILD QUADRANGLE, DITCH CREEK
QUADRANGLE, MEDICINE MOUNTAIN QUADRANGLE AND BERNE QUADRANGLE.
# 1 Latitude N44 00 52
Longitude W103 48 27
Ludlow, the expedition's engineer, recorded these coordinates
for the campground on July 28, 1874:
To arrive at the campground of Custer's July 28th, 1874, which
is now under Deerfield Lake, go West out of Hill City on Hwy C-308,
also known as Forest Rd. 17 for fifteen miles to the junction
of C-308 and 465. This is the entrance to Gold Run Trailhead.
#2 Latitude N44 00 19
Longitude W103 47 21
Turn North and drive to the parking area. From here the trail is under Deerfield Lake as is the camp for July 28, 1874 as recorded by Ludlow's engineers. Return to C-308 and proceed a short distance to the junction of C-308 and T-309, also known as Forest Rd. 297. Turn South on 297.
#3 Latitude N44 00 18
Longitude W103 47 18
The trail and Forest Rd. 297 are basically occupying the same area for the next fifteen miles.
Custer wrote of this areas "The direction of Castle Creek having commenced to lead us more to the Northeast than we were prepared to go and the valley having become narrow and broken, I left water course (Castle Creek) and ascended a valley of a small tributary (Gold Run) which again gave us a Southeasterly course."
Ludlow also wrote, " The course led Southeasterly up the valley examined the evening before finding heavy grass with wild oats and barley and many flowers."
Winchell concurred with the others when he wrote, "We leave camp Southeastwardly and follow up another tributary valley along which the same rock shows in similar exposures."
Forsyth said, " Broke camp at 4:45 am, moving on an old Indian trail up the valley through which ran the little tributary to Castle Creek upon which we encamped last night. The general direction being a little East of South."
Proceed South on Forest Rd. 297 for two miles to a reading:
#4 Latitude N43 59 07
Longitude W103 46 23
Park and walk over to the right (West) side of the road. Look down on the edge of the road and evidence of Custer's trail will be seen. This is the same trail that Custer took on the return trip on Aug. 7th.
Ludow stated," An old, deeply worn Indian trail led up the creek following which took us across a high prairie exhibiting boulders of quartz."
#5 Latitude N43 58 40
Longitude W103 46 06
Tracks are visible in the draw on the East side of the road. Walk up the draw to the next reading:
#6 Latitude N43 58 41
Longitude W103 46 03
The ruts are visible with mature ponderosa pine growing in them. Proceed on foot up the draw to:
#7 Latitude N43 58 36
Longitude W103 45 51
The tracks are visible in the draw at this point. If one continues up the draw, you will be on the saddle at a reading of:
#8 Latitude N43 58 30
Longitude W103 45 48
Winchell wrote of this spot," In this direction we find the country, for two or three miles at least, covered with pines, the most of which are but a few inches in diameter."
Return to the car and proceed South up the hill.
#9 Latitude N43 58 20
Longitude W103 45 41
Turn left on unimproved road for one quarter mile to the point where a valley to the West meets a valley from the East (saddle). The reading at the saddle is the same as #8 (Latitude N43 58 30 and Longitude W103 45 48). The trail comes up the valley from the West and proceeds down the valley to the East. Continue on unimproved road and take the first right down the valley to the East to the following reading:
#10 Latitude N43 58 34
Longitude W103 45 26
The tracks are visible coming up from the draw on the right side of the road. Continue up the road to the private gate, you have now driven over the tracks which turn to the South at the top of the small hill. At this point, turn around and return to Rd. 297 and turn left, proceed South for about one half mile to:
#11 Latitude N43 58 00
Longitude W103 45 00
The camp of August 6, 1874, Ludlow's engineering staff did not obtain a reading of this campsite, a heavy thunderstorm interfered. C.C. O'Hara, former president of the School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, mapped Custer's expedition in the late 1920's and indicates that the camp of Aug. 6 to be in this location.
Continue South to the Southside of the knoll. No trail or
ruts are visible over the knoll indicating that the land has been
cultivated. Proceed to a reading of:
#12 Latitude N43 57 32
Longitude W103 44 17
Just inside the South fence the ruts are visible. Continue on 297 around the bend in the road to the next reading:
#13 Latitude N43 57 26
Longitude W103 43 59
Park the car and walk into the National Forest land to the West, just over a hundred yards and notice the ruts at the following coordinates starting at the South end.
#14 LatitudeN43 57 18
Longitude W103 44 03
# 15 Latitude N43 57 26
Longitude W103 44 05
#16 Latitude N43 57 28
Longitude W103 44 10
Return to the car and continue South on Rd. 297 just beyond the junction of Rds. 300 and 297. The tracks are visible on the right (West) side of the road.
#17 Latitude N43 57 09
Longitude W103 43 33
Proceed South and notice the gate on the West side of 297.
# 18 Latitude N43 56 57
Longitude W103 43 35
Park the car at the gate and walk about fifty feet West of the gate. The tracks run South and North. Walk South to a reading of:
#19 Latitude N43 56 54
Longitude W103 43 39
Return following the tracks North to a reading the same as #17 (Latitude N43 57 09 and Longitude W103 43 33). Return to the car and go South on 297 for one half mile to:
#20 Latitude N43 56 32
Longitude W103 43 38
Notice the draw on the left (East) side of 297. The trail can be seen going up this draw. Walk up this draw to:
#21 LatitudeN43 56 23
Longitude W103 43 26
Winchell wrote, " At six miles from camp the view of these hills is also cut off on the West by the intervention of a high conical hill of the kind of rock last noted. " (Copper Mountain)
Return to the car and proceed on 297 to just beyond the intersection of 301 and 297.
#22 Latitude N43 56 22
Longitude W103 43 32
According to Ludlow, " Crossing a ridge, the head of a stream was reached flowing Southeasterly."
There is evidence of the trail coming down on the North side of the road and crossing to the South side, running parallel to the road.
#23 Latitude N43 56 15
Longitude W103 43 31
The ruts indicate that the trail is going up a West facing steep hill. Continue driving down 297 for one quarter mile. This is the Negro Creek drainage. At a reading of:
#24 Latitude N43 56 04
Longitude W103 43 00
Park the car and notice on the right hand side, very near the edge of the road, ruts with spruce trees growing in the trail. Continue walking up the drainage to:
#25 Latitude N43 56 07
Longitude W103 43 06
The trail continues up the drainage and over the hill to join with the trail at #23 (Latitude N43 56 15 and Longitude W103 43 31). Return to the car and go down 297. Watch for signs of the trail on the left side of 297 at the following readings:
#26 Latitude N43 56 02
Longitude W103 42 51
#27 Latitude N43 55 59
Longitude W103 42 48
The ruts are just above the road cut. For the next two miles, following the Negro Creek drainage road construction has probably destroyed most signs of the trail.
According to Ludlow, " Following the new creek for some miles the valley was found uncomfortably narrow, frequent bridging of the stream being necessary."
About thirty feet to the right (West) hand side of 297, the ruts are seen in the field at a reading of:
#28 Latitude N43 54 08
Longitude W103 41 58
Proceed on 297 South to the base of the hill.
#29 Latitude N43 54 00
Longitude W103 41 54
The ruts are visible on the left (East) side of the road just
below the bank of the road.
Ludlow said ," Recourse was had to the hills on the right."
Continue to the top of the hill, beyond the junction of 297 and 303. The ruts are visible on the left (East) side of the road, starting downhill at:
#30 Latitude N43 53 45
Longitude W103 41 54
According to Winchell," From this point to the night's camp the general characteristics of the country remains much the same though it becomes more completely wooded and more mountainous rendering it almost impassable for our train."
Continue on 297 descending the hill and crossing Spring Creek. Partway up the hill is an indication of an unimproved road 297-3L on the left (East).
#31 Latitude N43 53 32
Longitude W103 41 53
Winchell, " In these valleys are frequent springs of
cool, pure water and small streams."
Forsyth said, " Adhering to the Indian trail it led us along
over the prairie through a small valley across a wooded crest
then up hill and down dale over one very fine stream of water.
"(Spring Creek)
Park the car and walk East following 3-L for about one hundred yards and Custer's trail can be seen from North to South up the hill. The trail crosses 3-L at:
#32 Latitude N43 53 37
Longitude W103 41 43
Follow the ruts North to Spring Creek. Here is evidence of the wagon train and others fording the stream. Return to the car and go up the hill on 297.
You may choose to hike up the hill following the trail. Just North of the buffalo corrals is the trail with Ponderosa pine in the ruts.
#33 Latitude N43 53 26
Longitude W103 41 52
Drive down the hill on 297 to a gate on the left (East) side of the road. The ruts are near the fence at:
#34 Latitude N43 53 15
Longitude W103 42 04
Continue on 297. The trail is on te left (East) side of the road at:
#35 Latitude N43 53 09
Longitude W103 42 06
Continue on 297 around the bend in the road. There are trees growing in the ruts on the left (East) side at:
#36 Latitude N43 53 05
Longitude W103 42 08
Notice the drainage from the right (West) entering the main drainage of Rd. 297. At this point, on the return route from the French Creek area the wagon train, coming from the South, left the old trail and turned West up this ravine.
#37 Latitude N43 53 05
Longitude W103 42 15
Drive to the top of the hill on 297 to the junction of 299. Park the car and on the left (East) side of 297 are excellent ruts supporting a growth of Ponderosa pine.
#38 Latitude N43 52 55
Longitude W103 42 18
Continue on 297 South going down the hill about one half mile. Notice on the right (West) side of the road a row of medium size Ponderosa pine. They are in the ruts of Custer's trail at the following readings:
#39 Latitude N43 52 32
Longitude W103 41 59
#40 Latitude N43 52 19
Longitude Wl03 41 52
Continue down the hill on 297 to the bridge over Vanderlehr Creek. Upstream about one quarter mile is a likely campground of the expedition on July 29,1874. No official reading for this campsite is given in Ludlow's reports.
#41 Latitude N43 51 48
Longitude W103 41 38
Here Custer noted, " After a march of 14 miles, encamped on a small creek furnishing us an abundance of water and grass. The direction of this creek was nearly East."
Ludlow said, " Camp was finally made on another creek also flowing to the South and East."
According to Winchell," Camp was chosen about ten miles from last night's camp in a little ravine running East. We are surrounded by high mica schist hills and the little streams pass into narrow canons in this neck about a half mile below our camp. The train does not reach this place selected til daylight the next morning."
Grant stated, " This was a very hard days march. The country is a hard one to pass over with a wagon train and we were twentv four and a half hours making it. We had pure, good water all day long. We left Castle Creek Valley where we broke camp early in the morning. "
And finally Forsyth wrote, " Owing to the number of springs along the route it was slow work for the train to follow. Especially as the pioneers had to build several bridges. The result was that all the train was not in at 4:00 am when reveille sounded. Taken all in all the country passed through today was very fine offering many inducements to stock raisers."