"We move on where soon we came to a parched sandy waste where not a sign of animal or vegetable life is seen, only rocks and sand. Our eyes soon began to pain there was nothing to rest upon but bleaching sand. We stopped at noon, gave our horses a small bit of corn meal and about one gallon each of water carried from the Fort in a ten gallon keg. We had been directed to go to a certain large Butte which became visible in the afternoon, - at its base was a large spring. On and on we slowly went but the Butte seemed to get but little nearer, - yet we must reach it or suffer."

"At twilight we got to the Butte and to find the spring with thick darkness coming on was the first consideration. After groping about we discovered a trail leading up to the side into a ravine where we supposed was the spring. My husband mounted on a trusty horse, well armed, started, after going about one half a mile saw a camp fire around which he could see some men and horses. He came back and took every man (five) and all the horses, and started out again, finding the men to be white and seemingly very accommodating. The horse had water and some brought back in demijohns for us but we were too much frightened to stop to cook, believing that the men seen were 'land pirates' aiding the Indians, so we went a short distance and found some dry grass for our horses; made no fire or light and crouched in our wagons and watched all night by turns."

ETSI, pg. 135

Directions: Traveling on Hwy 20 between Arco and Idaho Falls, look south

Must See: Big Southern Butte

Current Observations/Journal Entry:

"This route was used fairly regularly in 1862; the hardest parts of the trail lay between Fort Hall and Big Southern Butte because they would have traveled 30 to 40 miles with no water. Water could be found on the north/northwest side of Big Southern Butte; Lost River was dry most of the time. This river goes underground, and portions of it emerge at Thousand Springs. There was a stage station on the east side of the Butte. Once past Craters of the Moon the trail began to grow "easier" (relatively speaking!); the terrain became flat and grasses and water were consistently available."