HUCKLEBERRIES

To most people a red or blue berry on a huckleberry bush brings only a vision of luscious berry pies or jam. To the Indians and early pioneers of this region, they meant added food for winters use and often were the only sustaining link between life and death until something better could be found. Long before the white man invaded the area now within the park, the Indians from miles around knew it well. They had trails leading in from the east and the west to grounds overgrown with luxuriant patches of huckleberries. Each fall the different tribes would make a trip into their favorite stamping grounds. They not only gathered and dried berries for winter storage but also, procured a good share of their winter's meat supply. For animals also, were attracted by the abundance of berries which they needed so badly to help carry them through hibernation or winter's added rigors. Indians invading these same areas were ever on the alert to bag some fat specimen which had relaxed its customary vigilance. So firmly has the berry picking trek been established by the Indians, that some still come to the mountain each year, but unlike their forefathers, they come in cars and stop at the park museum for information as to the whereabouts of the best picking and ripeness of the berries.

When Dr. William Fraser Tolmie made his famous trip to this area he found it easy to obtain Indian guides because it was in the fall of the year. They knew that at this time of the year there would be plenty of berries and game. It was fortunate that they were along because the food gave out and they were forced to live off the land. Huckleberries filled the gap. From Dr. Tolmie's diary we read, "Have supped on berries, which, when heated with stones in kettle, taste like lozenges". Also in another place, probably after a long hike, "----found excellent berries in abundance. " This was in 1855.

In 1857 another explorer, V.V. Kautz, was destined to visit, "The Mountain," making safe his return because of the abundance and quality of the berries he found. After Kautz's memorable trip many other parties came to this area. Most of them used the huckleberry trails made by the Indians because they were under guidance of James Longmire who was a friend of the Indians and had been told by them where these trails could be found. This finally led to a discovery of the warm soda springs to the building of a hotel and to the establishing of the area into a national park.

Today the huckleberry is the most abundant shrub in the higher altitudes and still offers the beauty of its airy, graceful foliage and tempting berries to all who will but see. Seven different species are located within the park area. Most of them are found from Longmire up to an altitude of 5500 feet. In places, the bushes are so numerous that it is hard to distinguish any other type of foliage. They not only yield berries in abundance to man and animal but they form a most desirable type of forest floor covering. Probably the most famous huckleberry area is that known as "Indian Henry's Hunting Ground."

Here the scenery, varied animal life, and colorful wild flowers, situated at the base of the "Mountain that was God", compose a picture rarely surpassed.

Julius Hoverson
Ranger Naturalist.

KEY TO HUCKLEBERRIES IN THE PARK.
from Piper and Beatie.

Vaccinium — genus.