Wood Mountain-Fort Qu'appelle Trail

The Wood Mountain-Fort Qu'Appelle Trail was a provisional supply route during the height of the fur trade. It was approximately 250 km in length and crossed vast expanses of southern prairie. From east to west it followed a general southwest direction from Fort Qu'Appelle, south of Regina, through the Dirt Hills ending in Wood Mountain. The trail functioned as an important provisional route supplying Hudson's Bay Company posts southwest of Fort Qu'Appelle. Lebret missionaries also used the trail extensively, as it was their only access to numerous Métis settlements. Chief Sitting Bull and his followers are reported to have used the trail when seeking refuge from American authorities in the late 19th century.

James Winkel