The Great Comanche War Trail -- Persimmon Gap Visitor Center, Big Bend NP TX - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

An exhibit inside the Persimmon Gap Visitor Center a preserves the history of the Great Comanche War Trail, which passed through Persimmon Gap from the 1600s-1880s.

The interpretive sign reads as follows:

"THE GREAT COMANCHE WAR TRAIL

On historical maps, the Comanche Trail resembles a short section of rope that is frayed at both ends. Instead of being a single trail, as one would think, it is a complex system of branching trails.

The trail is still visible near Fort Stockton where the single track is deeply entrenched. As it reaches what is now the Park, however, the trail is much broader in erosion and vegetation have reclaimed virtually all traces of it. The main branch enters the park here at Persimmon Gap, a natural passageway for humans and animals.

One Comanche band, called the Yapaituka, the ‘rooster eaters’ band, favored a route through Big Bend. They undertook this journey only after summer rains had greened the grass and filled waterholes.

[drawing]
Comanche Encampment
Drawing by George Caitlin, ca 1836"

Group that erected the marker: National Park Service URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: Persimmon Gap Visitor Center Big Bend National ParkTX

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   12/26/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it