On my recent motorcycle trip we were riding back from the Devil’s Tower in Wyoming and we stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump visitors center. This unique area was discovered during the construction of I-90 in the early 1970s.
The plains Indians depended upon buffalo for many of their material needs, including food, shelter, clothing, tools, fuel, and ceremonial objects.
In late fall tribes often joined in communal hunts and used this natural sinkhole, now known as the Vore Buffalo Jump, to trap bison between 1500 A.D. and 1800 A.D.
Buffalo are fast, strong and unpredictable animals as I discovered in Custer Park. The plains Indians understood their behavior and used this knowledge to manipulate the buffalo in to smaller herds.
They were able to position these smaller herds of 200 to 500 buffalo within a few miles of the sinkhole. The small herds were then driven over the cliff and into the sinkhole.
This picture is taken looking out from the visitor’s center. I starting wondering about what this must have looked like back during these times. Can you imagine large herds of buffalo, and all of the plain tribes roaming the area?
In 1989, the family of Woodrow and Doris Vore agreed to donate 8.25 acres that included the sinkhole to the UW with the stipulation that it be developed as a research and education center within 12 years. Unfortunately, the University had funding limitations and other priorities and was unable to create the Center within the time period.
In 2001 the property was transferred to the non-profit Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation, which is committed to realizing the Vore site’s incredible potential for scientific, educational, and cultural programs. The site is now available to visitors from all parts of the world.
I really enjoyed stopping and learning about the buffalo jump.
If you would like to stay informed of blog updates just send us you email below. Your privacy is important to us. We will never share you information.
All photographs and content are copyright protected. It’s MY time photography. Content can not be reproduced in any matter without written permission.