Colter's Hell and Jackson's Hole / The Fur Trappers' Exploration of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton Park Region

The text recounts early fur-trapper exploration of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton region, describing its striking geology, hydrothermal features, river headwaters, and valley landscapes while tracing trapper trails and mountain passes. It profiles John Colter and other early explorers, disentangles legend from observation by reassessing the locale long associated with the name Colter’s Hell, and explains place-naming such as Jackson’s Hole. The narrative follows successive phases of trapping under competing fur companies, maps the region’s role as a crossroads of the trade, and closes with an epilogue on the area’s shifting use; photographs, maps, and a selective bibliography support the account.