The Vore Buffalo Jump

My parents have been excellent travel agents when it comes to places we should see when we've ventured West in the past.  I shouldn't be surprised that they shared some true gems with us before we left Wisconsin on this year's venture to Wyoming and I'm so glad that they did.  One of those such places was the Vore Buffalo Jump in Beulah, Wyoming.

What is a buffalo jump, you ask?  According to definition, "A buffalo jump is a cliff formation which North American Indians historically used in order to hunt and kill plains bison in mass quantities."  The area where the Vore Buffalo Jump is located is a natural sinkhole that worked extremely well for the Plains Indians. They would chase the buffalo into the sinkhole where every bit of the bison was used in some part from the hide to the meat.

Historical sign at the Buffalo Jump

As we entered the small building on the site premises, we were greeted by a friendly tour guide who stated that a tour had just begun and they were walking to the archaeological site as we were speaking, so we quickly joined in with the group.  As we descended down to the site, it was easy to envision the Native Americans using this buffalo jump and all the work it took to prepare the bison.  

When we got to the bottom of the sinkhole, I was truly amazed to see where archaeologists had been digging and all that they had found there.  I can't imagine being on that dig and coming across such a find!  The bones were scattered everywhere and the tour guide explained how each part of the buffalo would be used.  It was a very interesting talk!

What a find!

Brock learning what they would use some of the bones for

The tour guide sharing information on the buffalo with Brock

Jake with a buffalo horn

After exploring the dig site, we went back up top where we went into the teepee exhibit hall and learned more about the Native Americans in the area and how they used the jump.  The boys even learned of games that Native American children played and they got to try one of the games out.

Walking from the jump site to the exhibit hall

The boys with a buffalo hide

Brock in a teepee

Playing a Native American game

One of the neatest things set up for kids at the site are two sandboxes: one where children can dig for arrowheads and another where they can pretend to be archaeologists and find the bones themselves.  I think the boys would have played here forever had we let them!

One of the arrowheads Brock found

Jake sifting through the sand

Finding buffalo bones

Brushing off bones

The Vore Buffalo Jump was definitely worth the stop.  We learned so much history there and the tour that we got was excellent!  Brock commented after our vacation that this was his favorite spot to visit.  We highly recommend this tourist attraction to anyone traveling to Wyoming.

Kris and the boys outside the exhibit hall