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main road system bridle trails are provided. The main use of these trails is for Government scouts in patrolling the park, but they are also traveled a good deal by camping parties.

CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY.

Mountain systems.-The country in which the Yellowstone National Park lies is mountainous, although the mountains are not as high or rugged as in certain other sections of the West. The main body of the park, in fact, is a rolling plateau surrounded by mountain ranges and has a moderate altitude of marked uniformity over the greater part of its area. The average altitude is about 7,700 feet. The average elevation of the principal mountains is about 10,000 feet and the highest peak is but a little over 11,000 feet.

The principal mountain range is the Absaroka Range, on the east, a very rugged system, which extends both north and south of the park for more than 50 miles. It also extends beyond the park boundary a considerable distance east, where its peaks reach a height of over 12,000 feet.

In the northwest corner of the park is the Gallatin Range, also a prominent system, the average height of the peaks being nearly 10,000 feet.

Southwest of the park and just touching its southern boundary is a very prominent system, the Teton Range, which contains the highest peak in this entire region.

Within the boundaries of the park are several detached ranges, including the Washburn Range, the Red Mountains, and the Big Game Ridge, on the south.

Besides these larger systems there are many smaller ranges of hills which extend in various directions over the park area.

Drainage areas.-There are three principal drainage areas in the park-the Missouri, the Yellowstone, and the Snake rivers. The Missouri system drains the northwestern and western portions through the Madison and Gallatin forks of that stream. The Yellowstone River drains by far the greater part, including the northern, eastern, and central portions. The Snake River drains the southwestern corner. The areas of these drainage systems are as follows:

Yellowstone

Missouri.

Snake

Square miles.

1,900

730

682

These rivers, with their smaller tributaries, comprise upward of 165 named streams which flow through the various sections of the park. As a general thing they are perennial in character, only a few of them drying up in the summer time. They add a heavy item of expense to the road work, although, owing to the stable condition of their beds, the question of foundations for bridges is a simple one.

There are many swamp areas in the park, but these are not generally where it is necessary to cross them, and therefore they arenot obstacles of serious importance.

There are also extensive spring areas, many of which can not be avoided and are a source of considerable difficulty and annoyance in the spring of the year.

Forests.-At least 84 per cent of the park area is covered with dense

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