Living Archaeology - Native American Trail Marker Trees

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Fascinating -
A group of people are working to preserve trees bent down to be used by Native Americans as wayfaring markers 300 years ago.
Called Indian marker trees or trail trees, small trees were pegged onto the ground to indicate low water creek crossings, trails, and landmarks such as Pikes Peak.
In TX, 4 marker trees have been identified. In GA, Mountain Stewards has developed a database of 1,850 marker trees in 39 states.
The age of the trees are confirmed before the trees are added.
An IL group, Great lakes Trail Marker Tree Society published a book, "Native American Trail Marker Trees" that describes 30-years of documenting and photographing these trees.
Dennis Downes drove hundreds of thousands of miles researching the information.
In CO, the bent ponderosa pines at Florissant Fossil Beds national Monument point to Pikes Peak, 8-miles ahead.

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