While this trail actually ends at a pull off on this stretch of road (it begins at the Blacktail Deer Creek Trail accessed on the Mammoth to Tower-Roosevelt section of road), it is mentioned here as some want to venture out and back from this location, and because of an interesting Native American artifact located just a few hundred yards into the hike. From the parking lot, the trail is marked with a sign. The trail goes northeast for about 80 yards before coming to a bridge over the Gardner River. After crossing the bridge, the trail takes an immediate southbound direction for only 10 yards then switches back northward rising gently on a ridge. Travel this northbound trail for approximately 85 yards and you come to where a trail breaks off to the northeast. Located 10-15 yards west of this trail junction is a perfectly circular, approximately 20-foot diameter circle of rocks, believed to be a tipi ring. The rocks appear to be sinking into the ground and one must wonder how long it will be before they disappear or are displaced inadvertently by foraging animals, or through the illegal act of moving any artifact from its location in the park. Seeing the nearly perfectly placed rock formation is a unique experience that can cause a person to want to learn more of the different peoples that spent time in this land now known as Yellowstone. This trail allows dogs but must be kept on a leash.
 

 

• Historic Military Shooting Range: From the point where the trail junction breaks to the northeast (as mentioned above) follow the trail about .4 miles. At this point look northwest to see the remnants of the old Calvary shooting range, a 120-yard-long, cement-stone wall. A short .12-mile walk gets you to the wall. Here, Calvary members would take turns in target practice. Soldiers would sit in the trench behind the wall and hold up targets while other soldiers would shoot at the targets. A small hill lies directly behind the cement-stone wall to absorb the bullets.