June 29
Man, how Time flies. Being a day behind due to faulty WiFi, and then not getting into the next hotel until late, not much time to type. Only two parks tomorrow, so I will wait until then to add comments about today, the 29th.
Little Bighorn Battlefield is a somber place. You can stand on the same hill that Lt. Col George Custer and his 7th Cavalry held to their last man. White markers identify where each man fell. Custer’s has an easily visible black military emblem. Two thousand Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors were fighting for their lands, trying to push the U.S. Government back from their sacred ground. June 25, 1876 was the fateful date. A national cemetery was initially established on this site, to memorialize the soldiers. The cemetery continues as an official part of the park, white stones in perfect rows and alignment, as is the custom in United States military cemeteries.
The reason Custer was in this area on June 25 was that over 7,000 members of the Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes were camped alongside the banks of the Little Bighorn River. Custer’s five companies attacked but were soon encircled, with no hope of reinforcements from other army units in the area. The famous chief Sitting Bull was in the encampment, but being in his elder years he did participate in the fighting.
About 4 miles to the southeast of the hill, the three companies of Major Reno could see the battle unfold around Custer. They tried to advance but were met by hundreds of Indians, and had to retreat to a defensive position, which is within the park’s boundaries. On June 26 the Indians broke off all engagement against the U.S. Army along the river. This allowed the remnants of Reno’s command to regroup the next morning and meet up with Army reinforcements under the command of General Terry, which were coming from the north after hearing about the battle. A monument was erected on this site to commemorate the stand.
The land between Custer’s hill and the Reno position is privately held. Though a paved road connects the two sections, I had to politely persuade a number of cows, calves, and horses to get out of my way. They were sure they owned the road, and not me nor the NPS. After clearing the group on the way back to the VC, I headed to Fort Smith, which is the hub for the northern section of Bighorn Canyon NRA. I was not expecting to see such lush landscape and crop fields between I-25 and the canyon. My destination was the VC at the Yellowtail Dam. I arrived at the entrance road only to met by a closed barricade. The sign said that due to national security issues the road was permanently closed. The park’s HQ was back in town, so I stopped to see if someone could explain the situation. The building was locked, and no one answered the large doorbell sound. I went down to the Bighorn River to get some photos and click the buttons on my GPS unit. My perception is that this park is for boaters and fishers. Since I am neither, I headed east to Devils Tower National Monument.
This was the first park in which “entry” was free, but an entrance fee was collected on the way out. That was a good idea, seeing the line of cars waiting to exit. If that line had been on the other side, the place would have been a mess. Backup parking lots at the VC have been built since my last visit. Again, a good idea. The monument was packed with cars and people. But the VC’s size could not keep up… it is probably 70 years old. I heard other people complaining about elbow room. I stamped my book and headed out to the trails. Two trails go around the base of the tower. The Tower Trail is only 1.6 miles and gives you a 360-degree view of the main attraction. The other trail includes a stretch down the southeast hillside which has plenty of red rocks. I was not here to see red rocks. Tribal peoples continue to place ribbons and cloth on trees throughout the entire trail. Climbing to the top of the tower was on hold for the month of June, but will resume on July 1. Native tribes revere the tower due to its legacy in their histories. It was delicate diplomacy that eventually allowed people to climb the tower.