The Sauk Trail was originally a Native American trail running through what are present-day Illinois, Indiana and Michigan in the United States. From west to east, the trail ran from Rock Island on the Mississippi River to the Illinois River near modern Peru then along the north bank of that river to Joliet, and on to Valparaiso, Indiana. Then it ran northeasterly to La Porte and into southern Michigan running through Niles, Sturgis, Ypsilanti, and ending at the Detroit River near Detroit.[1]
Sections of the trail appeared to follow the southern boundary between the dense forest and the mixed grassland regions. The identification of a mastodon trailway along the same path indicates that the Native Americans may have been using a long established game trail, as they did in other areas, for instance where they followed bison paths.[2]
In 1820 Henry Schoolcraft, then at present-day Michigan City, Indiana, described the trail, as a "plain horse path, which is considerably traveled by traders, hunters, and others..." and said that a stranger could not follow it without the services of a guide because of the numerous side trails.[3] The Sauk Trail intersected many important trails and early roads, including trails to Vincennes, to Green Bay, to Fort Wayne and to Little Traverse Bay.[3]
- ^ Forest Preserve District of Cook County (December 4, 1971). "Old Sauk Trail" (Document). Forest Preserve District of Cook County. Nature Bulletin No. 436-A.
- ^ "US 12 Heritage Trail, Western Tour" (PDF). US 12 Heritage Trail. 2007.
- ^ a b Quaife, Milo M. (1923). Chicago's Highways Old and New From Indian Trail to Motor Road. Chicago: D. F. Keller & Company.