Cowboy Tales on the Eaton Trail in Yellowstone
Cowboy Howard Eaton began taking people into Yellowstone country in the late 1880s, after it became the first National Park. He and his brothers established the world’s first “Dude Ranch” in Medora, North Dakota, and in 1904 moved the Eaton Ranch to Wolf, Wyoming. Howard began taking Dudes on 15 and 20 day trips through Yellowstone with as many as 100 people on horseback, including all the food, tents and other requirements for “…taking a leisurely riding tour through the Park, roughing it in comfort.”
Don DeJarnett, himself, spent some time as an Eaton Cowboy and here leads readers on an imaginary trip through today’s Yellowstone, following as closely as possible Howard Eaton’s trail, and “camping” in the same spots where Eaton and his guests spent their nights. Best of all, the author shares stories about the sights along the way and each “night around a campfire” treats us to a wonderful collection of stories about Howard’s adventures, along with tales of the early days in the Park, historic characters and their exploits.
This book is a treasury of Western and Park lore, guaranteed to delight readers whether they are making their own trip through Yellowstone or seeing the sights recounted here from the comfort of their favorite chairs.