Cracon du Nez (Montana) facts for kids

The Cracon du Nez is a unique ridge in Chouteau County, Montana. It sits between the Teton River and the Missouri River. This ridge is very narrow. At one point, the two rivers are only about 650 yards apart. This is less than half a mile!

The Cracon du Nez shows how the Missouri River's strong current can wear away land. Over time, this erosion could cause the Teton River to join the Missouri River. This process is called "stream capture". A trail runs along the top of the ridge. In 1865, a Piegan Blackfoot chief named Little Dog was killed here. An old railroad tunnel also goes under the ridge. It was part of the Montana Central Railway. You can see the Cracon du Nez from U.S. Highway 87. The name "Cracon du Nez" comes from French. It means "bridge of the nose". French boatmen likely gave it this name long ago. They were part of the fur trade in the early 1800s.

What's in a Name?

The name "Cracon du Nez" is French. It means "bridge of the nose" or "large nose". Sometimes it's also called "Gross Condunez". French boatmen gave it this name. These boatmen worked on keelboats. They traveled the upper Missouri River during the early fur trade. This was in the first few decades of the 1800s.

Land and Rivers at Cracon du Nez

The Cracon du Nez is a ridge in Montana. It's found between the Missouri River and the Teton River. This spot is about 9 river miles downstream from Fort Benton, Montana.

What makes this ridge special? Both the Teton and Missouri Rivers flow east. They run in valleys that are next to each other. At the Cracon du Nez, the Missouri River bends close to the Teton valley. The two rivers are only about 650 yards apart. That's about one-third of a mile. The Missouri River here is about 2600 feet high. But the Teton River is higher, at 2640 feet. The top of the ridge is even higher, around 2750 feet.

The steep ridge keeps the rivers separate. However, the Missouri River makes a sharp turn here. Its strong current pushes hard against the Cracon du Nez ridge. This causes the river to cut into and wear away the soft clay ridge. The land below the main ridge is slowly sliding into the Missouri River. This process is called slumping.

Over many years, the Missouri River will likely wear away the ridge. Since the Teton River is higher, its water will then flow into the Missouri River. Geologists call this "stream capture" or "stream piracy".

After hitting the Cracon du Nez, the Missouri River turns. It flows east in a winding path. About 8 miles later, the Teton River flows into the Marias River. Then, the Marias River joins the Missouri River about one mile after that.

History at Cracon du Nez

Lewis and Clark's Visit

The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition camped near this area. They were here on June 11, 1805. They called the Teton River the "Tansey River." But that name didn't last.

The Story of Chief Little Dog

James Willard Schultz wrote about an important event here. It happened on the old Indian trail along the Cracon du Nez ridge. In 1865, a Piegan Chief named "Little Dog" died here. He was killed by people from his own tribe.

The Piegans were often at war with white settlers. But Little Dog wanted peace. He tried to stop his warriors from harming white people. He was even known to punish those who defied him. Little Dog was well-liked by the leader at the American Fur Company fort. He received many gifts. His warriors feared him because he was a strong leader. But they were also jealous of the gifts he got.

One day, some warriors decided they had to kill Little Dog. They wanted their tribe to continue their raids. The Piegan camp was east of the ridge, at the mouth of the Marias River. They knew Little Dog was visiting the fort upriver to the west. So, he would have to return by the trail on the Cracon du Nez ridge. They waited for him there.

Schultz wrote that Little Dog came riding slowly. He was humming his favorite war song. The warriors fired their rifles, and he fell from his horse. He died instantly. It's said that all his killers died within a year. Some died in battle, some from sickness, and one while hunting buffalo.

After Little Dog's death, the Piegans became more aggressive. They attacked lone trappers, hunters, and travelers. These events eventually led to a conflict on the Marias River. This was known as the Marias Massacre. James Willard Schultz's story is likely true. He heard it from his Blackfoot Piegan wife. She was the niece of Chief Little Dog.

Old Railroad Tunnel

An old tunnel goes under the Cracon du Nez ridge. This tunnel was part of an abandoned railroad line. It belonged to the Montana Central Railway. This line was a branch of the Great Northern Railway. The Great Northern was later part of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF).

The line started in Havre. It went to Fort Benton, then to Great Falls, Helena, and ended in Butte, Montana. This railroad helped transport ore from mines in Butte. The ore went to Great Falls. There, dams on the Missouri River made electricity. This power was used to process the ore. The finished products then traveled on the Great Northern to industrial centers.

Visiting Cracon du Nez Today

You can see the Cracon du Nez today. U.S. Highway 87 runs between Fort Benton, Montana and Havre, Montana. This highway passes through the Teton Valley, near the Cracon du Nez. The road goes between the ridge and the Teton River. From the highway, you get a great view of the sharp ridge. You see it from the north, on the Teton Valley side.