CANYON CREEK Canyon Creek is the site of a skirmish in the continuing flight of the nontreaty Nez Perce during the 1877 war. After emerging from Yellowstone National Park, the Nez Perce went north toward Canada. Just north of the Yellowstone River they fought a series of successful rear guard actions. Their success delayed the pursuing army troops and permitted the flight toward Canada to continue. The site, which is 8 miles north of Laurel, Montana, can be reached by the Buffalo Trail Road. It is marked at a roadside pullout with a stone monument and bronze plaque erected by the Yellowstone Historical Society. The battlefield site occupies a vast open ground accentuated by the monumental proportions of Horse Cache Butte and adjacent rim-rock landforms that form the entrance and sides of Canyon Creek Canyon. The battlefield is largely unaltered; it visually evokes a strong feeling of its 1877 past, when it consisted of undulating grassy sage-covered ridges and plains.

MANAGEMENT ISSUES The visitor experience at the pullout is poor; the area is littered with broken glass and other trash. There is no way for visitors to understand the events that took place here. The message on the plaque does not reflect NPS or Nez Perce views. The importance of this site needs to be scaled relative to the entire story. The land, in checkerboard private and state ownership, is now in agricultural use, but there is potential for quick conversion to subdivisions. Vandalism is a concern. There is much local interest in the site. The "friends" group has money and a deadline for using it.

ACTION PLAN The Park Service will help the Friends of Canyon Creek with development of accurate, appropriate interpretation at the current location. The Park Service will formally consult with the Crow Tribe about interpretation. The viewshed and resources will be inventoried and strategies will be developed to protect viewsheds. A park/Nez Perce (Nee-Me-Poo) National Historic Trail portal will be developed in Laurel with Friends of Canyon Creek, Laurel Chamber of Commerce, and other partners.