Yellowstone Historic Resource Study The History of the Construction of the Road System in Yellowstone National Park, 1872-1966

As a free citizen, I have a right to criticize my government, and I think I can see many ways in which the Park administration might be better; but, in all justice, a great work has been done here. The road system is worthy of unstinted praise. All the roads are good, well graded, well kept, and many of them are macadamized. Throughout the summer the main roads are sprinkled, so that there is no dust—that plague of regular staging.

Summit of the World Trip Through Yellowstone Park, 1909
— F. Dumont Smith

1st Lt. Ernest D. Peek, who assumed Major Chittenden's position during the spring of 1906, faced a shortage of funds due to a very late passage of the appropriation bill on June 30th. With a small balance of funds from 1905, he was able to open the roads to the public on June 1, but he had to dismiss the road crews on June 23rd because lack of money. Thus, lack of sprinkling and maintenance left the system in a poor state—excessive dust and deteriorating roads. The Cooke City Road suffered many slides during the year and the Tower to Mammoth Hot Springs road, which Chittenden felt needed to be relocated became very dangerous due to numerous landslides. Much of the retaining wall was lost. Peek estimated that at least one mile of the road needed to be reconstructed. The transportation companies complained that the road was too dangerous for four-line teams to pass. Examination of the situation revealed that to put the road in a safe condition, it should be widened and in some places, 20 feet of solid rock would have to be cut through, thus resulting in a very costly project. Peek concluded that the lower route chosen by Chittenden would be a better alternative. However, lack of funds prevented any action in 1906. Since most of the 1902 plans had been accomplished, smaller appropriations were provided. It had been six years since the park received such a small appropriation: $55,000. [169] In March of the following year, $75,000 was appropriated.

Included in the March 1907 appropriation, was $1,000 to be spent for a survey of a road to Bozeman through the northwest corner of the Park. The proposed route would begin at a point seven miles south of Mammoth Hot Springs on the Norris road and would exit the Park at a point where the Gallatin River crossed the boundary. Another survey was made for a lower route between Tower Falls and Canyon. 1st Lieutenant Peek suggested that the visit to the summit of Mount Washburn, which in those days could only begin in July, would be more pleasurable if an observatory could be built. Showing the same sensitivity to the environment as Major Kingman and Major Chittenden had before him, Peek called for the building to "be built of stone as far as possible in order to harmonize with the surroundings." [170] He estimated that by using the local stone, the building should cost no more than $5,000. He thought that the one-story building should have plate glass on all sides and contain a men's and woman's "dressing room". Peek thought that Mount Washburn would receive more visitation if the visitors were shielded from the continual high winds. [171]

By the middle of the 1907 season, Peek had supervised the repair of many of the wooden bridges, the replacement of some bridges with culverts, and the construction of one small bridge on the Upper Basin to West Thumb road. [172] Peek continued clearing timber along the roadsides. He tried an experiment of burning the fallen and dead timber in the following areas: on the ground adjacent to the Gardiner-Mammoth Hot Springs road, around the formations and other selected points around the headquarters, on the road from Norris to the Fountain Hotel and 1-1/2 miles beyond, from Riverside Geyser for 1-1/2 miles to the Upper Geyser Basin Hotel, between the road and the lake for 2-1/2 miles from West Thumb toward Lake Hotel and then on both sides of the road for 2 miles beyond the Lake Hotel toward Canyon.

Near Yancey's, the crews built a side road 3/4-mile long, to the Petrified Tree. The hillside around the stumps had to be blasted out. Because of the threat of vandalism, an iron picket fence was purchased to protect the tree.

More of Chittenden's suggestions were fulfilled by Peek, including the improvement to the loading platforms at Apollinaris Spring, Kepler Cascades, Mud Geyser and at the Upper Falls. He established a number of road camps for the crews, including permanent camps with floor and framed tents near Obsidian Cliff and Canyon Junction. A permanent camp was started south of Canyon on the Lake road, and one was set up at Beryl Springs. Three very rough houses were finished on the Continental Divide between West Thumb and the Upper Geyser Basin. Barns were built at two of houses and the timber cut for the third house's barn. [173]

General repairs were completed over much of the road system and the approach roads through the forest reserves. A great deal of work had to be done on the Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs road, due to slides and the undermining of the existing dry walls. During the autumn of 1906, a huge dry slide came down near the first Gardner bridge. Throughout the winter and spring, more sliding occurred including a slide 1-1/2 miles down the road from where the big slide had occurred. In addition to slide problems, the threat of the road washing out caused great concern. Large boulders fell into the Gardner River and at least 20 breaks in the dry wall occurred about 1-1/2 miles from Gardiner. Peek agreed with Chittenden's suggestion that all drywall in the park be replaced with walls laid in mortar. He also made repairs to dry wall near Gibbon Falls, Kepler Cascades, and at the Upper Falls. [174]

In Peek's 1908 request for funding, he pointed out that the amount the park had received for the two previous years had not been sufficient to maintain a safe and good road system. He included in his estimate the funds necessary to purchase three bridges; two for Gibbon River crossings and one for Herron Creek on the West Thumb-Upper Geyser Basin Road. [175]

This time the appropriation was $65,000 and Peek again tried to maintain the existing system by rebuilding bridges and replacing some with culverts. He was slowly replacing gravity fill tanks at the sprinkling stations. Peek did not agree with the arguments being advanced that the transportation companies should be assessed for the sprinkling of the roads. He was satisfied that the sprinkling served the dual purposes of eliminating dust as a nuisance and preventing the road from being blown away. [176]

In 1907, 600 enameled signs were purchased and of the 500 that were set in place during that year, all of them weathered well and seemed to be indestructible. In addition to the enameled signs, glass enclosed interpretive signs were set in place at Mammoth Hot Springs for the Soda Springs and at Apollinaris Springs. These signs provided information on the medicinal value and the analysis of the spring. [177]

Peek expanded the number of road camps to include ones at Excelsior Geyser, Upper Geyser Basin, West Thumb, Lake and Trout Creek. The third barn, which was started in 1907, was completed at Spring Creek on the Continental Divide road. Peek found that having these accommodations greatly increased productivity, since before the road camps were built, the crews had to sleep on the ground. Before the summer of 1908 was over, Peek planned to build a barn at Beaver Lake and one at Trout Creek. He planned to use locally cut hay at the cost of $7 and $8 a ton, as opposed to hauling in hay at a cost of $18 to $25 a ton. Peek also saved money by having mangers built at Beaver Lake, Beryl Springs, Excelsior Geyser, Upper Basin, West Thumb, Lake, Trout Creek, Canyon, and two other places on the Lake to Canyon Road. These mangers prevented the needless waste caused by feeding on the ground.

The excessively heavy rains during the spring of 1908, prompted restrictions on the amount of freight being hauled, and in some cases, on the destinations to which it was being hauled. Unfortunately, damage had been done on some sections before the restrictions were empowered. A 3,500-pound limitation was placed on hauling on the Canyon, Lake, and West Thumb roads. A 5,000 pound limitation was placed on the Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris road and on to the Upper Geyser Basin. A 5,500 pound limit was placed on hauling on the Gardiner to headquarters road. [178]

Two surveys were completed for the possible wagon road to Bozeman through the northwest part of the Park. Neither of the two routes received a recommendation from the superintendent or from the engineering officer "principally for the reason that the burden of maintaining the necessary existing roads and of properly guarding the park is now very great, and that the proposed new road would add materially to this burden without any corresponding benefit to the general public." [179]

Lieutenant Peek, who left Yellowstone in October 1908, was replaced for a very short period of time by 1st Lt. Arthur Williams. Then in the spring of 1909, 1st Lt. Wildurr Willing took charge. Willing continued the routine maintenance activities, but the unusually heavy snow during the previous winter and spring again caused sliding on the Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs road. The small stream on the hill above the road seemed to have been the culprit for several years. Sluicing and diversion of the stream came to no avail, and it seemed to again be the cause of problems in 1909. The crews had to remove 500 yards of earth, which had slid onto the road. During the spring of 1909, the retaining wall at the bend of the Gardner River near this point was replaced. However, the high water in early June washed out the newly built section, in addition to a piece of the old wall. One of the problems was that the water at that point had quite a fall and struck the retaining wall at right angles. In this case, the road had been saved by the previous construction of log and sand bag revetments held by iron bars. Willing called for the relocation of the road or the construction of a massive masonry or concrete wall. [180]

Willing thought that Yellowstone should be opened to visitors no sooner than June 10th or 15th. He felt this way not only because of the extra expense required for clearing the snow, but because the snow clearance itself created a natural channel for water, which helped to destroy the roads. This was only compounded by heavy freight wagons having to haul in supplies to the hotels over the wet roads.

By the end of June, the engineers' facilities had been expanded to include a new cottage at Mammoth Hot Springs, and a warehouse and a barn at Beaver Lake. [181]

In July of 1909, the engineering officer in charge of road improvements and construction was again placed under the direction of the superintendent of the Park. [182] Almost immediately the transportation concessioner, Monida & Yellowstone Stage Company met with Superintendent Maj. H. C. Benson regarding the lack of sprinkling of the roads. Much of the 1909 appropriation of $65,000 was spent in opening the roads and a large share was committed to the south and east approach roads. The stage company complained that while the approach roads should receive "some attention," they are not the main tourist roads. In a letter to the General Passenger Agent of the Union Pacific Railroad, F. J. Haynes reported that since the engineering officers did not initiate their sprinkling until late in the season, the visitors experienced considerable dust during June and July. He also told of his wishes of a new cutoff from the Gardner River to Yellowstone [West Yellowstone], which would shorten the drive from the headquarters to Yellowstone by 12 miles and open up 25 miles of new and interesting scenery along the east side of the Gallatin Range. Since four-fifths of the route was through open country, Haynes estimated that the construction cost would be about $25,000. He was hoping funds for the cutoff would be in the 1910 appropriation. Haynes, who had already secured the support from H. W. Child of the Yellowstone Park Transportation Company and A. W. Miles of the Wylie Camping Company, requested support from the Union Pacific Railroad, since their business came through the west entrance at Yellowstone. [183]

In September, 1909, Captain Willing completed an inspection of some of the bridges in the Park and estimates for replacement of those deemed necessary. Many of the existing bridges, built of pine, were constructed in the 1890's and were considered unsafe. It was felt that the life of pine at that altitude, with its contact with earth and moisture, was less than 12 to 15 years. Willing planned to replace four of the bridges with steel structures during 1910 and others as funds became available. The inspection revealed that the Herron Creek Bridge and the bridge 5-5/8 miles from Norris over the Gibbon River had deteriorated to the point that the props under the floor beams needed constant observation until replacements were installed. The deteriorated condition of the Madison River Bridge warranted the restriction that teams crossed it no faster than at a walk. [184]

Plans were drawn for a reinforced concrete bridge to be constructed over the Firehole River near Riverside Geyser. Since this is one of the most visited areas in the Park, the superintendent felt that it was necessary that it be of aesthetic design. [185]

During the spring of 1910, dissension between the Acting Superintendent Major Benson and Captain Willing occurred over the sprinkling program. The congressional record of March 11, 1910, stated that "a recommendation has been made that none of the appropriation for the roads in the Yellowstone National Park may be applied to sprinkling." [186] Without Major Benson's knowledge, Captain Willing had inserted a clause in the appropriation bill eliminating the sprinkling program. It was exactly the opposite direction from which Major Benson intended to go, as he had instructed Captain Willing to expand the sprinkling program. This transaction prompted Major Benson to request to the secretary of the interior that the authority for distribution of the appropriation be transferred to the secretary of interior from the secretary of war. The Yellowstone Park Transportation Company president, H. W. Child, became very upset, and in a letter to Major Benson, stated that he planned to take the matter up with the secretary of interior, the secretary of war, and Senator Carter. He explained that ". . . . the transportation company really represented the Government in handling the tourists in the Park and the dust does not affect the drivers or the owners of the transportation company but it does very materially affect the twenty-five or thirty thousand people who go through the park." [187] Major Benson was concerned for the good reputation that Yellowstone had gained regarding the condition of its road system. In a letter to the secretary of interior, he wrote, "Such a suggestion (the elimination of sprinkling) would make travel in the Yellowstone Park—which now is spoken of over the entire world as most pleasant—the worst in the world." He described Captain Willing as ". . . not a practical man and (he) does but little supervising." [188]

During the summer of 1910, the United States Reclamation Service sought permission from the Superintendent to travel over a short stretch of the old Falls River trail in the southwestern part of the Park. As part of the construction of the Jackson Lake Dam, the Reclamation Service wanted to construct a wagon road from Ashton, Idaho, to Moran, Wyoming. Because of heavily timbered area, their employees needed to pass over this two-mile stretch until their road was completed. In a return letter enclosing the rules and regulations of the Park, Major Benson gave his permission. [189]

The summer of 1911 began with a new officer, Capt. C. H. Knight, replacing Captain Willing and a new Acting Superintendent Lt. Col. Lloyd M. Brett, replacing Major Benson. Captain Knight carried on with routine work in the park and forest reserves. Because of cost, a steel arch bridge was proposed for the Firehole River near Riverside Geyser, instead of the well designed concrete bridge that had been planned. A new bridge crossing the Pacific Creek was built during the summer of 1910. In the late fall of 1910 and in May of 1911, a concrete retaining wall 487 feet long was started and completed at the bad point on the Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs road. This was the first concrete retaining wall revetment, built in the Park. The engineers felt that the next major replacement of retaining wall should be the 1,000-foot-long dry, rubble walls along other sections of the Gardiner road and also along the Gibbon River. [190]

During the summers of 1910 and 1911, a road was constructed along the Gallatin River from Taylor's Fork to Yellowstone [West Yellowstone] by Gallatin County. The road passed into Yellowstone for about 14 miles near the Park's western border. Permission was granted to the road contractors, Moore and Moore of Eldridge, Montana, to build a small log cabin within the Park. The site, which was to be out of view from the road, would be selected by the non-commissioned officer stationed at the Gallatin Station. Under certain restrictions the contractor was allowed to cut logs to be used in the cabin's construction and also for bridges on the park section of the road. As part of the agreement, upon completion of the road, the cabin, which was used for storage of tools and equipment, would be turned over to the Army. After the completion of the road in October, the county commissioners appealed to Lieutenant Colonel Brett for permission to allow automobiles to pass on the new road. [191] The commissioners stated that "We cannot see where there would be any objection for the reason that our road does not connect with any road entering the park until the town of Yellowstone is reached." [192] Lieutenant Colonel Brett replied that no permits for passage of automobiles had ever been granted, but he would forward the appeal to the secretary of interior. [193]