BOZEMAN PASS, MONTANA

John Bozeman pioneered what came to be known as the Bozeman Trail that branched off from the Oregon Trail at Fort Laramie, Wyoming and led through Indian lands into Montana. Here is the pass at 5,760 feet on May 29, 2011. Not an easy trip for settlers moving west.

We detoured from our original plan (see cover map) due to heavy snows in western Wyoming which prevented travel through the passes near the Tetons and Yellowstone. Instead, we found an alternative route, crossing from eastern Wyoming into Montana (over Bozeman Pass) and on to Helena. From there, we later followed Lewis and Clark's path over Lola Pass in Idaho into the state of Washington.