Indian trails In the Central plains

Abstract

Excellent studies of Indian trails in the Northwestern Plains are available. Patterns of trail location and use of cairns that these studies report, however, are not generalizeable to the rest of the Plains. Two trails are reported here. One ran along the crest of the Flint Hills from Oklahoma to Nebraska. The other led from Pawnee villages in central Nebraska to the Great Bend of the Arkansas River. Both trails, and others in the Central Plains, followed the divides between stream systems in order to obtain the easiest route of travel. As in the Northwestern Plains, associated sites include cairns, campsites, and petroglyphs. Many of the cairns of the Central Plains, however, do not fit the idea of each traveler adding a stone for luck. The trails have great potential to illuminate the archaeology of the region. Associated sites include villages, campsites, cairns, quarries, burials, petroglyphs, and sacred “animal lodges.” Reasons for the associations and spacing of campsites along the trails are discussed.