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Yellowstone Trail Association

In 1912, a group of small town businessmen in South Dakota undertook an ambitious project to create a useful automobile route, the Yellowstone Trail, across America. This was at a time when roads weren't marked, there were few maps and slippery mud was the usual road surface.

The Yellowstone Trail Association located a route, motivated road improvements, produced maps and folders to guide the traveler, and promoted tourism along its length. It became a leader in stimulating tourist travel to the Northwest and motivating good roads across America.

Today, almost all of the route of the Yellowstone Trail is on slower, less traveled roads. Some sections of the Trail, especially in the West, have remained little changed and are a delight to visit.

We are the modern version of the YT Association with members who enjoy exploring the YT, learning about its history, researching its location, and exchanging information and ideas. Join in!



A Good Road from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound

by John and Alice Ridge, Yellowstone Trail Publishers, 2021
Find Corrections, Additions, and Comments
from Readers, Users, and the Authors HERE



Stories, essays, and notes related directly or loosely to the Yellowstone Trail:

1. The 1909 Ocean to Ocean Endurance Contest by Curt Cunningham

2. The Yellowstone Trail Garage by Mark Mowbray

3. The Yellowstone Trail in Carver County (and Minnesota) by Vicki Albu [for Southwest Transportation Coalition]

4. Convicts, Boosters, and Farmers: Park County's Contribution to the Yellowstone Trail 1912 - 1914 by Lerick Dean Allen
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