Recently, SCLT installed signs along the Tongue River Water Trail which highlight historic events, themes, and figures nearby. On this #TBT, we pull in our paddles and pause at the Padlock Ranch to learn about cattle drives and the start of ranching history.
Routes to move cattle and take advantage of the open range grazing and lucrative government contracts were traveled as far north as Canada. The routes that the leggy Texas Longhorns traveled were collectively known as the Texas trail. The Texas Trail entered Wyoming near Cheyenne and headed north to Fort Laramie, New Castle, Upton and Moorcroft, then went west to the Powder River, and the route splintered into Sheridan County.
During the travel process across the Great Plains, the herds were moved slowly to avoid a stampede. Cowboys were usually paid at the end of the ride. Some rode to their home and others stayed and started ranches of their own. In 1894, at the height of traffic on the Texas Trail, an estimated 32,000 steers made the trip from Texas to Montana. Each herd averaged 2,000 to 3,000 head.
PHOTO: The “Round-Up” – “Cutting Out Cattle” from the handbook of Wyoming and guide to the Black Hills and Big Horn regions. 1877. Image Source: Flickr’s The Commons.
